BALDWIN HILLS/CRENSHAW CUSTOM HOME BUILDER & GENERAL CONTRACTOR
Built With Intention. Mid-Century Hills, Kept.
BALDWIN HILLS/CRENSHAW HOMES ARE BUILT DIFFERENTLY
Heart Construction is a general contractor serving Baldwin Hills/Crenshaw, specializing in custom homes, full renovations, and mid-century hillside remodels. We work directly with homeowners, architects, engineers and designers through organized pre-construction, transparent budgeting and steady execution, so the character you value stays intact on every block.
Building in Baldwin Hills/Crenshaw isn't simple.
On hillside lots, the Baseline Hillside Ordinance caps floor area, height and grading, and LADBS issues a Hillside Referral so the Bureau of Engineering can check street width. Parts of Baldwin Hills also sit in a Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone.
Add LADBS plan check, LAFD brush inspections, and soils and fault conditions over the oil field, and the order of work matters. Sequencing geotechnical work and approvals first keeps a simple addition from stalling.
We guide each step so your decisions feel informed, not reactive, and so we start from what you want to keep.
Here that means mid-century full remodels, garage-conversion and detached ADUs, and hillside pools and decks. Near Norman O. Houston Park or above Crenshaw, we bring the same structure and discipline we apply across the South LA and every project in Los Angeles.
RECENT PROJECTS
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![Malibu Pier home interior featuring a warm modern living space with built-in seating, layered textures, custom wood furniture, and an open layout flowing into a minimalist kitchen, showcasing Heart Construction’s intentional coastal design.]()
MALIBU PIER
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![Pacific Palisades ocean-view backyard with custom pool, palm trees, lounge seating, and manicured lawn overlooking the Pacific coastline.]()
MALIBU
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![Marina del Rey home interior with warm modern design featuring a natural wood dining table, sculptural pendant lighting, plaster walls, and an open kitchen with custom cabinetry, showcasing Heart Construction’s intentional coastal craftsmanship.]()
MARINA DEL REY
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![Open-concept living room in a Hollywood Hills home remodel with folding glass walls, custom built-ins, soft neutral furnishings, and seamless indoor-outdoor flow overlooking canyon views, showcasing Heart Construction’s warm modern design.]()
HOLLYWOOD HILLS
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![Pacific Palisades luxury bathroom with freestanding soaking tub, marble walk-in shower, herringbone tile walls, and sculptural glass chandelier framed by natural light and greenery views.]()
BRENTWOOD
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![Pacific Palisades modern custom home with smooth stucco façade, black-framed windows, vertical wood garage door, and drought-tolerant landscaping.]()
MAR VISTA
OUR REMODELING SERVICES
At Heart Construction, we specialize in creating thoughtfully designed homes that reflect the way you live. From custom ground-up builds to full-scale renovations and refined living spaces, we guide every project with craftsmanship, clarity and care for homeowners in Broadway-Manchester, Athens, Central-Alameda and beyond.
OUR CONSTRUCTION COMPANY BALDWIN HILLS/CRENSHAW PROCESS
PLAN
First a Strategic Visioning Session: A conversation about your goals, budget and timeline, and a frank read on what your site will allow. Complimentary.
TEAM
Second we assemble the architect, structural and geotechnical engineers, civil engineer, biologist and designers your project needs — matched to your style and site's constraints.
CALL
Third a Professional Services Agreement and a small retainer begin feasibility, permitting strategy, design coordination and line-by-line budgeting.
PERMITS
We assemble and file the complete CDP and building-permit package, coordinate Fire and Environmental Health reviews, and lock scope, finishes and schedule before groundbreaking.
CONSTRUCTION
Milestone-based build. Change orders are priced and approved in writing before work begins. You get a weekly update every week — progress, decisions needed, what's next.
CLOSEOUT
Finally Walkthrough with Final inspections, punch list, documentation and warranty handover. Payments are tied to completed milestones, never arbitrary percentages.
After you contact us, Within one business day, Asaf will call to understand your property and goals. If it's a fit, we schedule a site visit. There's no obligation and no pressure — just a clear picture of what's possible.
What to Know Before
You Build in Baldwin Hills/Crenshaw
Hillside referral and plan check at the City of Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety set the pace here. Routine permits take 2–6 months; projects with hillside grading, Planning clearances or haul-route approval run 6–12 months. Construction of a custom home takes 10–16 months. The lever that protects your schedule is a complete, pre-checked submittal — geotechnical report and hillside calculations finished before drawings go to plan check.
What It Costs
Sloped lots, retaining and foundation work, fire-hardening and preserving 1950s detailing cost more than flatland bungalow additions on the Crenshaw side. Custom homes typically run $500–$750+ per sq ft; whole-home renovations $325–$600+ per sq ft; detached ADUs $250,000–$450,000+; pools $120,000–$300,000+. Soft costs — design, geotechnical and soils studies, permits — are additional. You receive a line-by-line budget before construction begins.
Permits, Rules & Fire Codes
The City of Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety reviews every project, alongside the Baseline Hillside Ordinance, LAFD brush clearance and the community plan overlay that shapes street-visible work near Crenshaw. Fire-zone construction standards and residential sprinklers are our base specification, not upgrades. State rules effective in 2026 also speed completeness review of ADU applications. We sequence these from feasibility, so design decisions are made with the constraints known.
Where We Build in Baldwin Hills/Crenshaw
Village Green, Sentous, Cameo Woods, Baldwin Hills Estates, The Dons, Park Hills Heights, Baldwin Hills, Crenshaw and Baldwin Village. The Dons sits on winding hillside streets with the Hillside Ordinance, fire-zone rules and larger lots, while the Crenshaw and Park Hills Heights flats near Jim Gilliam Recreation Center follow standard LADBS review on smaller lots, with community plan design standards near the corridors. Not sure which rules apply to your parcel? A feasibility review answers that in two to four weeks.
Meet the Builders Behind Your Project
Asaf Bar-Hen — Co-Founder & Developer Asaf leads design and development from concept to completion. His background spans 15 years in hospitality design, seven years in renewable energy and energy-efficient building, and real-estate work across the U.S., Asia and Central America. He leads every first call and brings a sustainability lens to each project, from energy-efficient design to fire-resilient construction.
Jason Aizenberg — Co-Founder Jason runs the operational side of every project — permits, design meetings, scheduling, subcontractor coordination and site logistics. Clients describe him as the person who "managed everything so we could focus on our family.”
California Contractors State License Board #1146456 — Class B General Building Contractor. Verify on CSLB ↗
25+ years of combined experience across high-end residential construction in Los Angeles
Frequently Asked Questions
About Renovation in Baldwin Hills/Crenshaw
Is my home in the Hillside Area?
The Baseline Hillside Ordinance applies to lots zoned R1, RS, RE and RA that carry a Hillside Area designation. It caps floor area, height and grading, and LADBS issues a Hillside Referral Form so the Bureau of Engineering can review street width. We confirm your status during feasibility, before any drawings.
How long is a hillside remodel?
Routine permits at LADBS take 2–6 months. Hillside grading, Planning clearances or haul-route approval move that to 6–12 months. Custom home construction then runs 10–16 months. A complete, pre-checked submittal with geotechnical and hillside calculations done before drawings is the biggest schedule protection.
Cost to build a home here?
Custom homes typically run $500–$750+ per sq ft. Sloped lots, retaining walls, foundation work and fire-hardening push toward the upper end, and soft costs are additional. Our Los Angeles custom home cost guide explains the drivers. You receive a line-by-line budget before construction begins.
Am I in a high fire hazard zone?
Parts of Baldwin Hills sit in LAFD's Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone, and LAMC 57.21.07 brings Baldwin Hills into the Brush Clearance Inspection Program. Year-round clearance applies within 200 feet of structures. Ember-resistant vents, a Class A roof and tempered glazing are standard on our hillside scopes.
Are you licensed and insured?
Yes. Heart Construction holds California Contractors State License Board license #1146456 and is bonded and insured for large-scale residential construction, major remodels and structural work. You can verify the license on the CSLB website.
Guides for Baldwin Hills/Crenshaw homeowners:
- Custom Home vs Remodel vs Rebuild in Los Angeles
- ADU Los Angeles: Is It Right for Your Property?
- Second Story vs Home Addition in Los Angeles: What Actually Works
Nearby areas we serve: Broadway-Manchester · Athens · Central-Alameda · Adams-Normandie · Chesterfield Square · Willowbrook
Region: All South LA communities we serve · Everywhere we build