Were a local, family owned business that values honesty, integrity and quality workmanship. We are committed to treating your home as if it were our own, offering a variety of home improvement services. We specialize in remodeling projects including kitchen and bathroom remodels and will walk with you through each step of your project from design decision making to project completion. We look forward to meeting you!
"If we could attach less than one star to this business, we would do that. We contracted with Ryken Building to do a remodel on our home. We hired Ryken because it was a new business and we wanted to give a new business an opportunity. Rykenâ s website ( https://www.rykenbuilding.com) says that he has a team . This is not the case. He is a sole proprietor with no employees. He has no long-standing relationships with competent sub-contractors, and we suffered because of this. The project suffered delays and issues from the outset. Even though Ryken says on his website that he has experience with the building permit process, this is not the case. He had no familiarity with the County building permit process and our permit was delayed several months because of mistakes made in the filing process. We finally had to get involved and made many trips to the County offices ourselves before permit was finally secured. Ryken hired several contractors who did sub-standard work. His electrician cut wires to our garage and caused the external lighting to stop functioning. We finally had to hire our own electrician to correct the work. He hired a flooring subcontractor to install engineered hardwood we purchased, and the subcontractor did not follow the install instructions that came with the materials. The flooring has unsightly nail holes in several locations. He hired a painting subcontractor who left blemish spots throughout the house which we have had to correct. Ryken himself made many mistakes which he had to correct. He mis-measured the shower surround and a $1000 glass shower door we purchased did not fit. He purchased a replacement door of inferior quality that does not fit properly. As a part of the remodel, we added a half bath. When Rykenâ s plumber installed the new drains, he removed HVAC ducting without a plan to replace it. The only solution was for us to install a new HVAC system at a cost of $21,000. The remodel also included replacing all the windows and sliding glass doors in the house. Because Ryken has no team to help with glass window and doors that weighed 500 pounds, we had to hire our own window installer even though Rykenâ s bid included the work. This added $12,000 to the project cost. The real nightmare occurred at the project conclusion where Ryken refused to finish items that were required to be completed in the project. Ryken refused to finish the work and abandoned the project. We finally had to find someone else to do this work at our own expense. Our contract had a retainage clause in which we were allowed to withhold payment to cover unfinished work that we had to do at our own expense. We withheld a small amount as we were allowed to do in the Agreement. In spite of this, Ryken has threatened to place a Mechanics Lien on our home. We had to hire an attorney to get him to back off. We have filed a complaint with the CSLB. If you want your project to run smoothly, hire someone else."
Sean D on July 2023
Were a local, family owned business that values honesty, integrity and quality workmanship. We are committed to treating your home as if it were our own, offering a variety of home improvement services. We specialize in remodeling projects including kitchen and bathroom remodels and will walk with you through each step of your project from design decision making to project completion. We look forward to meeting you!
"If we could attach less than one star to this business, we would do that. We contracted with Ryken Building to do a remodel on our home. We hired Ryken because it was a new business and we wanted to give a new business an opportunity. Rykenâ s website ( https://www.rykenbuilding.com) says that he has a team . This is not the case. He is a sole proprietor with no employees. He has no long-standing relationships with competent sub-contractors, and we suffered because of this. The project suffered delays and issues from the outset. Even though Ryken says on his website that he has experience with the building permit process, this is not the case. He had no familiarity with the County building permit process and our permit was delayed several months because of mistakes made in the filing process. We finally had to get involved and made many trips to the County offices ourselves before permit was finally secured. Ryken hired several contractors who did sub-standard work. His electrician cut wires to our garage and caused the external lighting to stop functioning. We finally had to hire our own electrician to correct the work. He hired a flooring subcontractor to install engineered hardwood we purchased, and the subcontractor did not follow the install instructions that came with the materials. The flooring has unsightly nail holes in several locations. He hired a painting subcontractor who left blemish spots throughout the house which we have had to correct. Ryken himself made many mistakes which he had to correct. He mis-measured the shower surround and a $1000 glass shower door we purchased did not fit. He purchased a replacement door of inferior quality that does not fit properly. As a part of the remodel, we added a half bath. When Rykenâ s plumber installed the new drains, he removed HVAC ducting without a plan to replace it. The only solution was for us to install a new HVAC system at a cost of $21,000. The remodel also included replacing all the windows and sliding glass doors in the house. Because Ryken has no team to help with glass window and doors that weighed 500 pounds, we had to hire our own window installer even though Rykenâ s bid included the work. This added $12,000 to the project cost. The real nightmare occurred at the project conclusion where Ryken refused to finish items that were required to be completed in the project. Ryken refused to finish the work and abandoned the project. We finally had to find someone else to do this work at our own expense. Our contract had a retainage clause in which we were allowed to withhold payment to cover unfinished work that we had to do at our own expense. We withheld a small amount as we were allowed to do in the Agreement. In spite of this, Ryken has threatened to place a Mechanics Lien on our home. We had to hire an attorney to get him to back off. We have filed a complaint with the CSLB. If you want your project to run smoothly, hire someone else."
Sean D on July 2023
Our mission at Santos Construction is to continue the growth of our business by doing right by all of our clients. We love seeing that one of a kind smile on a home owners face at the end of a project! Santos Construction stacks up with the competition and surpasses it with competitive prices, second to none workmanship and a prompt/responsive team! We give you quality that you can measure, and a finished product that will enhance your home forever. Call us today!
"Santos Construction was simply awesome! The crew was amazing, always on time, cleaned up great every day, completed the job on time, and the end result was completely professional. The quality of the work exceeded my expectations. I would and will hire them again for my next project."
Jim P on April 2021
Our mission at Santos Construction is to continue the growth of our business by doing right by all of our clients. We love seeing that one of a kind smile on a home owners face at the end of a project! Santos Construction stacks up with the competition and surpasses it with competitive prices, second to none workmanship and a prompt/responsive team! We give you quality that you can measure, and a finished product that will enhance your home forever. Call us today!
"Santos Construction was simply awesome! The crew was amazing, always on time, cleaned up great every day, completed the job on time, and the end result was completely professional. The quality of the work exceeded my expectations. I would and will hire them again for my next project."
Jim P on April 2021
C M BUILDERS GENERAL CONSTRUCTION INCis a locally owned and operated company that values honesty and integrity in all aspects of our business. Our dedicated team of professionals have hands on experience, to provide innovative ideas and suggestions tailored to your projects. Our services are customized to your individual needs, paying close attention to the details of each project that we are involved with. Please feel free to contact us today!
"The entire team was very professional, kept everything clean and neat, and they met the time frame even though it was an extremely difficult job."
Antonio L on March 2025
C M BUILDERS GENERAL CONSTRUCTION INCis a locally owned and operated company that values honesty and integrity in all aspects of our business. Our dedicated team of professionals have hands on experience, to provide innovative ideas and suggestions tailored to your projects. Our services are customized to your individual needs, paying close attention to the details of each project that we are involved with. Please feel free to contact us today!
"The entire team was very professional, kept everything clean and neat, and they met the time frame even though it was an extremely difficult job."
Antonio L on March 2025
is a leader in providing our customers with the highest quality service in an honest, efficient, and professional way. Our pledge is to create successful relationships with our customers, employees and community by building trust, treating every project with the utmost integrity and exceeding expectations. We look forward to working with you!
"After construction job was finished, there was Immediate response to any problems or questions that arose."
Mary A on August 2021
is a leader in providing our customers with the highest quality service in an honest, efficient, and professional way. Our pledge is to create successful relationships with our customers, employees and community by building trust, treating every project with the utmost integrity and exceeding expectations. We look forward to working with you!
"After construction job was finished, there was Immediate response to any problems or questions that arose."
Mary A on August 2021
The Carmel Guild is a "Family Owned" and "Family Operated" Construction and Real Estate company with over 50 years experience in these trades. We specialize in kitchen and bathroom design and remodeling. Property preparation and readiness for the Real Estate market. We strive for customer satisfaction and pride ourselves with an eye for detail. If you are planning to improve or sell your home this year we would like to meet with you.
"Jim Johnston and his fantastic team of real pros worked hard and transformed an aging dark cramped bathroom space into an absolutely beautiful modern miracle. We hired Jim's wife Day as a designer and her ideas and creativity created the magic. We had a great experience with back and forth communication throughout the process. Each of the subcontractors were master craftsmen. They all took great pride in their work and genuinely wanted us to be happy. We could not be happier with the finished product, and cannot recommend them highly enough."
Anila and Eliot L on November 2023
The Carmel Guild is a "Family Owned" and "Family Operated" Construction and Real Estate company with over 50 years experience in these trades. We specialize in kitchen and bathroom design and remodeling. Property preparation and readiness for the Real Estate market. We strive for customer satisfaction and pride ourselves with an eye for detail. If you are planning to improve or sell your home this year we would like to meet with you.
"Jim Johnston and his fantastic team of real pros worked hard and transformed an aging dark cramped bathroom space into an absolutely beautiful modern miracle. We hired Jim's wife Day as a designer and her ideas and creativity created the magic. We had a great experience with back and forth communication throughout the process. Each of the subcontractors were master craftsmen. They all took great pride in their work and genuinely wanted us to be happy. We could not be happier with the finished product, and cannot recommend them highly enough."
Anila and Eliot L on November 2023
We take great pride in our experience, expertise, quality, and customer service that we provide to meet the consumers needs. It is our mission to provide excellent workmanship and complete customer satisfaction from start to completion of a project. In order to understand the needs and expectations of our customers, we take great care to work and communicate with every customer in a professional manner. Our reputation is based on service, safety, and quality, regardless of how large or small the job.
We take great pride in our experience, expertise, quality, and customer service that we provide to meet the consumers needs. It is our mission to provide excellent workmanship and complete customer satisfaction from start to completion of a project. In order to understand the needs and expectations of our customers, we take great care to work and communicate with every customer in a professional manner. Our reputation is based on service, safety, and quality, regardless of how large or small the job.
Be Home Remodeling is a home improvement company dedicated to transforming spaces with quality craftsmanship and personalized service. We specialize in a range of remodeling projects, from kitchens and bathrooms to full home renovations, back yard remodeling and more. Our team of experienced professionals collaborates closely with clients to understand their vision and bring it to life, ensuring each project reflects their style and meets their needs. Whether you're looking to update a single room or undertake a complete overhaul, Be Home Remodeling is here to make your dream home a reality.
"We had 4 windows and 3 patio doors replaced and the exterior of our home painted. I can highly recommend the service we received from Be Home Remodeling. The project manager was very responsive throughout the process and the installation and painting professionals were top notch. The windows and doors were all replaced in just one day! The rest of the work was completed in about 1 week. We also feel the pricing was fair. We love our new windows and patio doors. And our newly painted house looks like new."
Diane J on June 2025
Be Home Remodeling is a home improvement company dedicated to transforming spaces with quality craftsmanship and personalized service. We specialize in a range of remodeling projects, from kitchens and bathrooms to full home renovations, back yard remodeling and more. Our team of experienced professionals collaborates closely with clients to understand their vision and bring it to life, ensuring each project reflects their style and meets their needs. Whether you're looking to update a single room or undertake a complete overhaul, Be Home Remodeling is here to make your dream home a reality.
"We had 4 windows and 3 patio doors replaced and the exterior of our home painted. I can highly recommend the service we received from Be Home Remodeling. The project manager was very responsive throughout the process and the installation and painting professionals were top notch. The windows and doors were all replaced in just one day! The rest of the work was completed in about 1 week. We also feel the pricing was fair. We love our new windows and patio doors. And our newly painted house looks like new."
Diane J on June 2025
40 years experience, We provide results, not excuses! We pride our company on customer service, professionalism, great communication, efficiency, and superior quality work. We are experts in our trade and will do our best to keep you as educated as we can on your home renovation project. We look forward to earning your business! Feel free to give us a call today! hours of operation 7am-430pm plus evening and weekends on quickbooks, accepts cashapp zelle vemno paypal
"Danny was amazing and precise on all the work he did for our shop remodel. Thorough, punctual, communicated efficiently, finished the project ON TIME and ON BUDGET! 5 stars all around - from start to finish. We will definitely be hiring him again! "
Stacey M on May 2025
40 years experience, We provide results, not excuses! We pride our company on customer service, professionalism, great communication, efficiency, and superior quality work. We are experts in our trade and will do our best to keep you as educated as we can on your home renovation project. We look forward to earning your business! Feel free to give us a call today! hours of operation 7am-430pm plus evening and weekends on quickbooks, accepts cashapp zelle vemno paypal
"Danny was amazing and precise on all the work he did for our shop remodel. Thorough, punctual, communicated efficiently, finished the project ON TIME and ON BUDGET! 5 stars all around - from start to finish. We will definitely be hiring him again! "
Stacey M on May 2025
We focus and try to pay complete attention to detail. Our biggest priority is helping homeowners focus on what they want. We are pretty local, and our expertise is what makes people choose us. Give us a call directly, we would love to work with you!
"He is very responsible."
Veronica L on August 2018
We focus and try to pay complete attention to detail. Our biggest priority is helping homeowners focus on what they want. We are pretty local, and our expertise is what makes people choose us. Give us a call directly, we would love to work with you!
"He is very responsible."
Veronica L on August 2018
We take great pride in our experience, expertise, quality, and customer service that we provide to meet the consumers needs. It is our mission to provide excellent workmanship and complete customer satisfaction from start to completion of a project. In order to understand the needs and expectations of our customers, we take great care to work and communicate with every customer in a professional manner. Our reputation is based on service, safety, and quality, regardless of how large or small the job.
We take great pride in our experience, expertise, quality, and customer service that we provide to meet the consumers needs. It is our mission to provide excellent workmanship and complete customer satisfaction from start to completion of a project. In order to understand the needs and expectations of our customers, we take great care to work and communicate with every customer in a professional manner. Our reputation is based on service, safety, and quality, regardless of how large or small the job.
Your galley kitchen needs adequate clearance around any island installation to maintain functionality. Most galley kitchens lack sufficient width for traditional islands, as these layouts prioritize efficiency in smaller spaces.
If your kitchen has an unusual width, consult with a kitchen designer who can evaluate your specific dimensions and recommend appropriate solutions. For narrower spaces, consider alternatives like rolling carts or narrow work tables that provide additional surface area without permanently restricting movement.
Kitchen remodels require six to 10 weeks for completion, though timelines vary based on project scope and material availability. Simple updates like cabinet refinishing and countertop replacement might finish within a few weeks, while comprehensive renovations involving structural changes often extend beyond two months.
Planning stages add approximately four weeks before construction begins. Maintaining clear communication with your contractor and ordering materials early helps prevent unnecessary delays.
Common errors include insufficient clearance between opposing countertops, inadequate lighting that creates shadowy work areas, and poor storage planning that leaves countertops cluttered. Some homeowners select oversized appliances that overwhelm the space or invest in expensive features that don't address fundamental workflow issues.
Careful planning, accurate measurements, and consultation with experienced professionals help avoid these pitfalls and ensure your renovation successfully addresses your kitchen's specific challenges.
Whether expansion makes sense depends on your home's layout, your budget, and your long-term plans. Combining a galley kitchen with neighboring spaces creates more open, flexible layouts that many buyers prefer. However, removing walls involves substantial costs, particularly if they contain plumbing, electrical systems, or structural elements.
Sometimes, optimizing your existing galley layout through better storage solutions and lighting proves more cost-effective than expansion. Consult with a contractor to evaluate specific costs for your situation.
Effective galley kitchen lighting combines multiple sources to eliminate shadows and create visual spaciousness. Overhead fixtures provide general illumination, while under-cabinet lighting illuminates work surfaces directly. Consider recessed ceiling fixtures that don't protrude into limited headspace.
Lighting with dimming capabilities allows adjustment for different activities. Reflective surfaces like glass tile backsplashes or glossy cabinet finishes help bounce light throughout the space, reducing the corridor effect common in galley layouts.