Free written scope consultation - allowances, timeline, and change-order rules on paper before a single trade is scheduled
Fast, Reliable General Contractor Across Novato
Most Novato homeowners call a general contractor for one of three reasons: they want to remodel a kitchen or bathroom, they need an addition or ADU, or they’ve hit a structural issue they don’t want to touch. The work starts with a clear scope, a written price, and a realistic calendar, not a handshake and a vague promise. We’re Mason Remodeling, and we’ve handled every one of those scenarios across Novato, from the hills above Ignacio to the flatlands near San Marin. If you’re ready to price a project rather than just think about it, call (803) 680-2547 and we’ll walk you through what it will actually take.
Why Mason Remodeling Is Novato’s Preferred General Contractor Company
Novato homeowners don’t have time for contractors who show up late, shift prices, or vanish after the deposit clears. That’s why we put the price in writing before any work starts. Every project. Every time. Not a verbal estimate that grows on the final bill, but a written scope with allowances and line items. Isaac Pruett, who leads Mason Remodeling, built the company around that principle in 2004 under the General Contractor arm of the Threshold Group family, and it’s held ever since.
Our crews serving Novato go through the Threshold Standard before they ever reach your door. Every technician is background-checked, identity-verified, wears a clean marked uniform, and shows a photo ID badge at arrival. You get the technician’s name and photo before the visit. A live person answers our phone around the clock, every day of the year, including weekends and holidays. No call trees, no voicemail loops, no waiting until Monday. That matters in Novato, where homeowners often coordinate between commutes down 101 and school runs in the Hamilton area.
Every completed project carries a written guarantee with plainly stated terms, including what’s covered, what’s excluded, and for how long. The 365-Day Done Right Promise means if the work isn’t right within a year of completion, we make it right at no cost to you. And if a repair or installation fails, we return for a free second visit. No charge, no dispute process, no conditions.
Styles & brands we work with
Remodeling Contractor in Novato
A Remodeling Contractor in Novato handles the kind of work that changes how you live in your home: kitchens, bathrooms, room additions, and whole-home reworks. In Novato, that work almost always starts with a conversation about what’s behind the walls, because much of the city’s housing stock was built between the 1950s and 1980s, and many homes carry old wiring, undersized framing, or original plumbing that won’t meet current code. The remodel itself typically runs $14,000 – $45,000 for a kitchen and $9,000 – $28,000 for a bathroom in Novato’s market, with allowances spelled out before demo day.
Kitchen and Bath Remodels
These are the most common projects we scope in Novato. A kitchen remodel usually means new cabinetry, counters, backsplash, and often a layout change or island. We work with specification-grade brands like KraftMaid, Wellborn, Cambria, and Silestone so you’re not picking from whatever the big-box store happened to stock. A bathroom remodel in Novato often includes a Schluter strip (the metal trim that seals the edge where tile meets flooring), waterproofing, and a tub-to-shower conversion if space is tight. Small bathrooms run $5,000 – $12,000; a walk-in shower installation runs $4,500 – $12,000.
Whole-Home and Structural Work
When a Novato homeowner needs an addition or a full rework, the job shifts from cosmetic to structural. Whole-home remodels here routinely require geotechnical review because of Novato’s expansive clay soils. That review is often unnecessary in neighboring cities with more stable soil, but it’s non-negotiable here, and skipping it leads to foundation cracks or failed inspections after framing. Budget $45,000 – $130,000 for a home addition and $90,000 – $220,000 for an ADU construction in Novato.
Licensed General Contractor in Novato
A Licensed General Contractor in Novato is the person who pulls permits, schedules inspections, and coordinates every trade so the work passes the city’s review the first time. In Novato, that means knowing the city’s plan review timeline and inspection requirements before you ever open a wall. A homeowner near the Hamilton Field area of Novato asked us to convert an aging attached garage into a living space. Our crew pulled the permits, coordinated a structural engineer for the load-bearing wall that separated the garage from the house, poured a new slab with a vapor barrier, and finished with KraftMaid cabinetry and Cambria countertops. The project required a rough-in inspection before drywall and a final inspection sign-off, and the client appreciated the written scope of work and draw schedule that kept the budget on track through a mid-project change order for added recessed lighting.
Permits and Engineering
Novato’s building department reviews plans carefully, and hillside or flatland tracts with expansive clay often require a structural engineer’s stamp before framing starts. That step can add two to four weeks to the front end of a project, but it prevents far worse delays later. We coordinate the geotechnical review, the structural drawings, and the permit application as part of the written scope, so you’re not chasing paperwork yourself.
Garage Conversions and ADUs
A garage conversion in Novato typically runs $30,000 – $80,000, and an ADU construction runs $90,000 – $220,000. Both require separate permits and inspections, and both trigger Novato’s soil review in most cases. The garage conversion we completed near Hamilton Field involved a slab pour with a vapor barrier, which is standard for converting vehicle storage into habitable space. We handle the engineering coordination, the permit set, and the inspections as part of the job.
Trusted Brands We Service in Novato
We service and install the brands Novato homeowners actually ask for. On the cabinetry side, that’s KraftMaid and Wellborn. For surfaces, Cambria, Silestone, and Caesarstone. Fixtures come from Kohler, Moen, Toto, and Grohe. We also work alongside modular and prefab builders like Abodu, Dvele, and Cover on projects where a Novato homeowner is weighing a traditional addition against a prefab ADU. Having these material partnerships matters because it means access to vetted, professional-grade products in one place, with real lead times rather than whatever the showroom happens to have in stock.
See the difference
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AfterCommon General Contractor Problems We See in Novato Homes
- Expansive clay soil under older foundations. Novato sits on clay that swells when wet and shrinks when dry, which stresses slabs and footings. We see hairline cracks in driveways and garage floors that homeowners often mistake for cosmetic issues, but they’re usually the first sign of soil movement.
- Skipped geotechnical or structural review. Contractors who skip the geotech review on Novato’s clay soils end up with foundation cracks or failed inspections after framing. Once the city flags it, the project stalls and the budget shifts. We bring an engineer in early so the plan holds.
- Hidden knob-and-tube wiring and undersized joists. Homes in older Novato tracts, especially around downtown and the hills, often carry original electrical and framing that won’t support a modern remodel. Discovering that mid-project without a written scope creates disputes. We write allowances for it up front.
- Underestimating city plan review time. Novato’s plan review and inspection sign-off can add weeks to a project calendar, especially when a structural engineer is involved. Homeowners who don’t account for that see their draw schedule slip. We build the review timeline into the project calendar from day one.
Pricing for General Contractor in Novato, CA
Novato’s market sits above the national average, and the ranges below reflect what we actually see across the city’s neighborhoods, from San Marin to Ignacio.
| Project Type | Typical Novato Range |
|---|---|
| Kitchen Remodel | $14,000 – $45,000 |
| Bathroom Remodel | $9,000 – $28,000 |
| Home Addition | $45,000 – $130,000 |
| ADU Construction | $90,000 – $220,000 |
| Garage Conversion | $30,000 – $80,000 |
What moves the number: the age of your home and what’s behind the walls, the scope of structural work, whether engineering is required, and the finish level you choose. A written price with allowances means you see all of this before work starts, not as a surprise invoice later. Call (803) 680-2547 and we’ll put together a written estimate for your specific project, free.
We Also Serve Cities Near Novato
Mason Remodeling serves Novato and the surrounding North Bay communities, including Fairfax, San Anselmo, Petaluma, and San Rafael. If you’re in one of those areas and need a General Contractor in Novato or close by, we can coordinate the same written-price process and crew standards. Call (803) 680-2547 to get started.
Serving Novato, CA - Our Local Coverage Area
We’re based in the Novato area and know this community well. Use the map below to see our service coverage - if you’re nearby, we can almost certainly help.
FAQs About General Contractor in Novato
Yes, both garage conversions and ADUs require a permit in Novato, and ADUs also require separate plan review and inspections that often include a geotechnical or structural review because of the city’s expansive clay soils. Skipping the permit means the work won’t pass a resale inspection and could be flagged by the city. We pull the permits and coordinate the engineering as part of the written scope. Call (803) 680-2547 if you want us to handle the paperwork from the start.
A typical kitchen remodel in Novato takes 6 to 12 weeks from demo to final inspection, depending on whether layout changes, structural work, or engineering review are involved. Novato’s plan review timeline can add two to four weeks to the front end, and cabinet lead times from brands like KraftMaid and Wellborn vary by finish and configuration. We build the review and lead-time calendar into the written scope so your draw schedule stays in sync. For a specific timeline on your kitchen, call (803) 680-2547.
A written scope of work for a Novato remodel should include the full line-item breakdown, allowances for cabinetry and surfaces, the permit and engineering fees, the inspection points, the draw schedule, and what happens if hidden conditions are discovered during demo. We deliver a written scope before any work starts, on every project, every time. If you’re comparing bids from other contractors in Novato, ask them to match that level of detail. Call (803) 680-2547 and we’ll show you what a complete scope looks like.
Yes, we handle load-bearing wall removals in Novato, and in most cases that means coordinating a structural engineer to design a beam or header that carries the load properly. Novato homes on expansive clay often require an additional foundation review where the new load transfers down. We pull the permit, schedule the engineering, and run the rough-in inspection before drywall goes up. Call (803) 680-2547 if you’re planning to open up a wall.
A bathroom remodel in Novato typically runs $9,000 – $28,000, with small bathrooms starting around $5,000 – $12,000 and walk-in shower installations running $4,500 – $12,000. The final number depends on the waterproofing method, whether you’re converting a tub to a shower, and the fixture brands you choose (Kohler, Moen, Toto, Grohe are common here). We’ll give you a written line-item price before any work starts. Call (803) 680-2547 for an exact quote on your bathroom, free.
Written by Isaac Pruett, Owner at Mason Remodeling, serving Novato, CA.
