Where do you live? You'll have to be more specific. Since you said NoCal and since most of the population that thinks it is in NoCal lives in the Bay Area, I'm going to assume you live there. But if you live inland towards Sacramento, then your exact location becomes more important. If you are on the bay, then you can get away with cool season grasses like fescue and Kentucky bluegrass. IF you are inland where the temps get to the high 90s, then you are in warm season territory. You'll want either bermuda sod or St Augustine.

NEVER ROTOTILL soil in preparation for grass. When you rototill there is no way to keep that machine from gouging deep into the soil and bucking over tree roots, rocks, and just tougher soil. What you end up with is a level surface on top but an uneven surface under all the fluffy soil. When the fluffy soil settles, it settles to the uneven surface below. That leaves the surface uneven and you will want to level it. Just start with a level surface and you will be 3 years ahead.

When you install the sod, be sure to roll it down with a rented, water filled, roller. Grass roots will not grow through the air to reach the moist soil below. You must have good sod to soil contact. If the area is small you can just walk over it as long as you hit all of it.

Here is the 1-2-3 of lawn care. It's really this simple.

1. Water deeply and infrequently. Deeply means at least an hour in every zone, all at once. Infrequently means monthly during the cool months and no more than weekly during the hottest part of summer. If your grass looks dry before the month/week is up, water longer next time. Deep watering grows deep, drought resistant roots. Infrequent watering allows the top layer of soil to dry completely which kills off many shallow rooted weeds.
   


2. Mulch mow at the highest setting on your mower. Most grasses are the most dense when mowed tall. Bermuda, centipede, and bent grasses are the most dense when mowed at the lowest setting on your mower. Dense grass shades out weeds and uses less water when tall. Dense grass feeds the deep roots you're developing in 1 above.
   


3. Fertilize regularly. I fertilize 4 times per year using organic fertilizer. Which fertilizer you use is much less important than numbers 1 and 2 above.