DEL REY CUSTOM HOME BUILDER & GENERAL CONTRACTOR
Built With Intention. Compact Lots, Real Possibility.
DEL REY HOMES ARE BUILT DIFFERENTLY
Heart Construction is a general contractor serving Del Rey, specializing in custom homes, full renovations, and second-story and rear additions for compact Westside lots. We work with homeowners, architects, engineers and designers alike, through organized pre-construction, transparent budgeting and steady execution, so each step is settled before the next begins.
In Del Rey, the lot decides.
The Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety applies the Baseline Mansionization Ordinance to new homes, additions and major remodels on single-family lots, capping floor area. On a compact lot, that cap decides how large a second story or rear addition can be. We confirm it before you pay for design.
Part of Del Rey sits in the Venice Coastal Zone, larger projects need as-built plans of the existing house, and ADU rules keep shifting — so the order of checks protects both budget and schedule.
Our role is to guide the process so every decision you make feels informed, not reactive.
Near Milton Street Park and Bill Rosendahl Del Rey Park, projects are mostly second-story additions, ADUs and garage conversions, and teardown-rebuilds, and we bring the same structure and discipline we apply across the Westside 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 Ladera Heights, Culver City, Mar Vista and beyond.
OUR CONSTRUCTION COMPANY DEL REY 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 Del Rey
In Del Rey, plan check at the Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety sets the pace, and any coastal review adds time. Routine permits take 2–6 months; projects needing Planning clearances or a Coastal Development Permit for parcels in the Coastal Zone take 6–12 months. Construction of a custom home runs 10–16 months. The lever that protects your schedule most is a feasibility check up front, confirming floor area and coastal status before design starts.
What It Costs
Costs here reflect small lots, 1950s homes that often need foundation and system work, and Westside pricing, so opening up an older house can change the scope. Custom homes typically run $550–$900+ per sq ft; whole-home renovations $375–$650+ per sq ft; detached ADUs $275,000–$500,000+; pools $120,000–$340,000+. Soft costs — design, floor-area and as-built studies, permits — are additional. You receive a line-by-line budget before construction begins.
Permits & Local Rules
The Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety reviews every project here. The Baseline Mansionization Ordinance caps floor area on single-family lots, and larger additions and rebuilds need as-built plans to verify what exists. Part of Del Rey lies in the Venice Coastal Zone, so some parcels need a coastal check. ADUs are approved ministerially, but city and state rules are shifting. Floor-area limits shape design from day one, so we confirm all of this during feasibility, before design begins.
Where We Build in Del Rey
Alla, Culver Garden, Mar Vista Gardens — flat, grid-street blocks of compact postwar homes, many within reach of Culver Slauson Park. Alla's single-family blocks around Bill Rosendahl Del Rey Park invite additions and rebuilds, while Mar Vista Gardens is public housing by Ballona Creek, not a private building market. 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 Del Rey
Do I need a permit for an ADU?
Yes. Second stories, additions and ADUs all need LADBS permits. ADUs are approved ministerially under LAMC 12.22 A.33 and state law, and SB 543 sets a 15-business-day completeness check, with complete applications decided within 60 days. We choose the route first, and our ADU guide for Los Angeles properties explains what your lot supports.
How long does permitting take?
Routine LADBS permits take 2–6 months. Projects needing Planning clearances or a Coastal Development Permit run 6–12 months. Construction of a custom home then takes 10–16 months. A feasibility review up front, checking floor area and coastal status, is the best way to keep surprises out of your schedule.
Cost to build a home in Del Rey?
Custom homes typically run $550–$900+ per sq ft. Older foundations, compact-lot access and finish level push toward the upper end. Soft costs — design, studies and permits — are additional. You receive a line-by-line budget before construction begins.
Is my lot in the coastal zone?
A portion of Del Rey lies in the Venice Coastal Zone. Parcels there need a coastal check first, and some may need a Coastal Development Permit. Many lots inland of Lincoln Boulevard are likely outside it, but each parcel should be verified in ZIMAS. We check this up front and build any clearance into the schedule.
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 Del Rey homeowners:
- Second Story vs Home Addition in Los Angeles: What Actually Works
- Custom Home vs Remodel vs Rebuild in Los Angeles
- Cost to Build a Custom Home in Los Angeles (2026)
Nearby areas we serve: Ladera Heights · Culver City · Mar Vista · Cheviot Hills · Marina del Rey · Century City
Region: All Westside communities we serve · Everywhere we build