Kitchen Remodeler in Pico Rivera, CA

Kitchen remodeling picks for Pico Rivera’s original layouts

Who signs off on a Pico Rivera kitchen

Pico Rivera became a city in 1958 when the communities of Pico and Rivera combined, and today the City of Pico Rivera, not LADBS, handles building permits. Keeping the layout and replacing cabinets, counters and floors is usually cosmetic. Moving the sink, adding outlets on a new circuit or widening a doorway into the dining room means a permit and licensed trades, checked on the CSLB website.

We have no Pico Rivera projects to show, so none are claimed. The same Sherman Way trip is made from Montebello and Bell Gardens.

Smith Park, Whittier Narrows and three water providers

Rosemead, Whittier and Washington boulevards are the main roads, the 605 runs along the San Gabriel River on the east side, and the 5 crosses the south end of town. To the north the Whittier Narrows flood-control area holds open space and trails, and Smith Park on Rosemead Boulevard is the city’s main park. The Pico Rivera Sports Arena hosts rodeos and concerts.

Water is split three ways: the City of Pico Rivera’s water division, Pico Water District and San Gabriel Valley Water Company each serve part of town, and the city keeps a map for finding which one serves an address. Southern California Edison handles power, and SoCalGas runs the gas mains. Permits, plan check and inspections are handled by the City of Pico Rivera.

Post-war kitchens between the Rio Hondo and the San Gabriel River

Most Pico Rivera houses went up in the late 1940s and 1950s on flat lots off Rosemead, Whittier and Washington boulevards. Kitchens are modest, usually closed off from the living room, with tile counters, a window over the sink and a doorway to a dining area or service porch.

Because the layout already works for many families, the smart money often goes into surfaces and storage: new cabinets on the same footprint, a stone top, a fresh backsplash and a floor that runs through the adjoining rooms. Original tile counters usually come off with the backsplash, so plan both together.

The ground here is flat river-bottom land, once farmland and orchards, and most of the tract houses stand on concrete slabs with stucco walls and wood framing. That makes a step-free floor easy but means a slab moisture test comes before any wood-based plank. Inland summers run hot, so cabinets near a west-facing kitchen window can fade unless the finish is chosen for sun. Homes this age were built before 1978, and the EPA’s renovation rule applies when painted cabinets, trim or window frames are disturbed. Original tile counters were often set over a thick mortar bed on plywood, so expect extra weight and dust during tear-out.

Getting to Sherman Way from Rosemead Boulevard

1. 1

   Draw the footprint

   Measure walls, doorways and the window, and photograph the old tile counter so the showroom team can see its depth and edge.

2. 2

   Drive northwest

   The 5 north from Washington Boulevard, or the 60 west, connects to the 170 and Sherman Way.

3. 3

   Match counter to tile

   Hold granite or quartz samples against backsplash tile and floor planks before deciding.

4. 4

   Order and book

   With sizes confirmed, materials and any requested installation are scheduled to your Pico Rivera home.