One team for design and construction in Kentfield
Building in Kentfield is not like building anywhere else in Marin. Homes here sit on the wooded slopes below Mount Tamalpais, set back from winding streets lined with redwoods, pines, and manzanita, and a renovation has to respect both the landscape and the architecture that made the neighborhood what it is. New Key Construction is a design-build firm, which means one team carries your Kentfield project from first sketch through final walkthrough. You are not handing a designer's drawings to a contractor who has never seen them and hoping the two agree. Design and construction live under one roof, the budget is honest from the start, and you see photoreal 3D renderings of the finished space before a single permit is pulled.
That structure matters most where lots are steep, trees are protected, and the county reviews almost everything. When the people drawing the plans are the same people who build them, the design that gets approved is the design that gets built, on the number you agreed to.
Building for Kentfield's homes and neighborhoods
Kentfield is an unincorporated community, so a wide range of housing stock has accumulated over decades. Kent Woodlands, on the slopes of Mt. Tam, is known for high-end homes on large, mostly level lots framed by mature groves. The Crown Road area is perched on the hillside with expansive views and a real mix of styles. Down in the flats, neighborhoods like Kentfield Gardens, Murray Park, and Laurel Grove hold midcentury and classic California homes within walking distance of schools and Bon Air.
Each of these calls for a different hand. A hillside remodel near Crown Road has to solve grade, drainage, and view corridors before it solves finishes. A midcentury home in the flats rewards a contractor who understands post-and-beam framing, glass walls, and the indoor-outdoor flow those houses were designed around. We plan kitchens, primary suites, and whole-home renovations to fit the home that is already there, not a template lifted from somewhere else. The 3D renderings let you stand inside the proposed space and adjust cabinetry, stone, and sightlines while changes still cost nothing but time.
Working through Marin County permitting
Because Kentfield is unincorporated, your project goes through the Marin County Community Development Agency, not a city hall. Most parcels are zoned R-1 single-family with a maximum floor area ratio around 30 percent, and homes under roughly 4,000 square feet typically trigger a Major Design Review, which runs about three months for planning approval before building plan check even begins. Counting plan check, realistic permitting time is a minimum of five months on a meaningful addition or remodel, and as of January 2026 all plan submittals to the county are electronic through the online portal.
We build that reality into the schedule rather than discovering it halfway through. Our team prepares the design review package, coordinates the setback and floor-area math, and manages the electronic submittal so the plans the county sees are complete the first time. White-glove project management means you get one point of contact tracking the planning calendar, the trades, and the deliveries, so the months of review feel handled instead of stalled. We would rather invest the time up front, with priced options and renderings locked, than chase changes once construction is live.
How design-build protects your budget
The most expensive part of any Kentfield renovation is the surprise. A separate architect and contractor can leave you holding a design you love and a bid you cannot afford, and then the value engineering begins after the drawings are done. We invert that. You see priced options up front, so cost is a design input from day one. Because the same team designs and builds, the estimate is grounded in what these homes and this hillside actually demand, from tree protection to getting materials up a narrow street. The renderings keep everyone honest about scope, and one team keeps the number accountable to handover.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need design review for a remodel in Kentfield?
Most likely, yes. Kentfield is in unincorporated Marin County, so projects are reviewed by the county's Community Development Agency, and homes under about 4,000 square feet usually trigger a Major Design Review. We prepare and submit that package for you as part of the design-build process.
How long does permitting take in unincorporated Marin?
Plan on a minimum of around five months for a substantial remodel or addition. Planning approval through Major Design Review takes roughly three months, and building plan check adds about two more. We schedule construction around that timeline so the wait does not catch you off guard.
What does design-build actually change for my project?
It means one team handles both the design and the construction, so there is no gap between the drawings and the build. You get priced options up front and photoreal 3D renderings before any permit is pulled, which keeps the budget and the design aligned from the very first meeting.
Can you work on Kentfield's hillside and Kent Woodlands lots?
Yes. We plan for the grade, drainage, view corridors, and tree protection that hillside and Kent Woodlands properties require, and we account for access on narrow, wooded streets. The approach is tailored to the specific lot rather than a one-size-fits-all build.
When will I know the cost of my project?
Early. We present priced options during design rather than after, so cost shapes the decisions instead of arriving as a surprise. Because the team that prices the work is the team that builds it, the numbers reflect what your home and site genuinely need.
If you are planning a remodel, addition, or whole-home renovation in Kentfield, let's start with the design and the numbers together. Reach out to New Key Construction to see priced options and 3D renderings of your project before any permit is pulled, with one team handling it from first sketch to final walkthrough.
