Galley kitchen remodel in Redwood City, CA

Improving the corridor

Shallower upper cabinets, deep drawers below, light-colored fronts and continuous under-cabinet lighting make a narrow aisle feel wider. Pocket or sliding doors at either end free up swing space.

Turning a galley into an L

Removing one wall turns the galley into an L-shaped or peninsula kitchen open to the dining area. If that wall carries load, it needs a beam and engineering, as described on the wall removal page.

Galley terms

Aisle width: the clear distance between facing counters. Single-wall layout: every cabinet on one side. Pass-through: an opening cut into a wall above the counter. Blind corner: a corner cabinet partly hidden behind its neighbor; pull-out hardware makes it usable.

Permits in Redwood City

Redwood City requires a building permit for any work that section 105.2 of the California Building Code does not exempt; the City's FAQ names painting, flooring and similar finish work as typical exempt residential items.
Applications are filed online through the City's eTRAKiT portal. Residential interior remodels can qualify for One-Stop plan review, in which Building Division staff review the plans with the applicant at City Hall.
The City says plan review takes 6 to 24 weeks depending on scope. A permit is valid for 365 days from issuance, and each passed inspection extends it another 365 days.

City of Redwood City Building Division · (650) 780-7350, [email protected]

Common questions

How wide should a galley aisle be?

Kitchen design guidelines suggest about 42 inches for one cook and 48 for two. Narrower aisles work, but make it hard to open the dishwasher and oven at the same time.

Is a galley worth keeping?

For one or two cooks, often yes. Everything stays within a few steps, and no structural work is needed.