EAST HOLLYWOOD CUSTOM HOME BUILDER & GENERAL CONTRACTOR
Built With Intention. Every Bungalow Lot Counts.
EAST HOLLYWOOD HOMES ARE BUILT DIFFERENTLY
Heart Construction is a general contractor serving East Hollywood, specializing in custom homes, full renovations, and ADUs and garage conversions on small bungalow lots. We work with homeowners, architects, engineers and designers through organized pre-construction, transparent budgeting and steady execution. Our founders are on the project from the first call.
Building in East Hollywood isn't simple.
Many lots here are 1910s–20s bungalow lots, and some sit inside the Melrose Hill HPOZ, where all exterior work gets extra review under the Preservation Plan. Not knowing that before you pay for design is the real risk. LADBS handles permits, with City Planning reviewing zoning and historic review.
Stacked on top are LADBS plan check, the 2025 Hollywood Community Plan overlays, and ADU unit-count rules, including the path to legalize older unpermitted units. Checking each before design keeps the sequence calm and the budget honest.
We guide the process, confirming what is allowed in writing, so every decision feels informed, not reactive.
Most projects here are ADUs and garage conversions, full bungalow remodels, and kitchen and bath updates near Hollyhock House and Olive Hill. For each, we bring the same structure and discipline we apply across the Central LA and every project in Los Angeles.
RECENT PROJECTS
-
![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
-
![Pacific Palisades ocean-view backyard with custom pool, palm trees, lounge seating, and manicured lawn overlooking the Pacific coastline.]()
MALIBU
-
![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
-
![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
-
![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
-
![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 Echo Park, Downtown, Elysian Valley and beyond.
OUR CONSTRUCTION COMPANY EAST HOLLYWOOD 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 East Hollywood
Plan check and any historic review set the pace in East Hollywood. LADBS plan check on a routine project takes 2–6 months; street-visible work in the Melrose Hill HPOZ adds Board review and can run 6–12 months. Construction of a custom home typically takes 10–16 months. The lever that protects your schedule is a feasibility review and complete submittals before design begins, so corrections do not stack up.
What It Costs
Small, tight lots and older, out-of-code existing conditions are what push costs here, because every square foot has to work and hidden conditions surface once walls open. Custom homes typically run $500–$850+ per sq ft; whole-home renovations $350–$650+ per sq ft; detached ADUs $250,000–$500,000+; pools $120,000–$340,000+. Soft costs — design, surveys and zoning studies, permits — are additional. You receive a line-by-line budget before construction begins.
Permits & Local Rules
LADBS issues permits, with City Planning handling zoning and historic review. Four things define East Hollywood: LADBS plan check, the Melrose Hill HPOZ, the 2025 Hollywood Community Plan overlays, and ministerial ADU review. Street-visible changes in the HPOZ go to staff or the HPOZ Board, depending on scope. We check each from feasibility, so design decisions are made with the constraints known and you are not paying to redraw.
Where We Build in East Hollywood
Little Armenia, Virgil Village, Bicycle District, Melrose Hill, College Village — flat, dense urban streets of bungalows and apartments. Melrose Hill sits in an HPOZ with design review of historic bungalows, while Virgil Village mixes bungalows with apartments on the standard LADBS path. 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 East Hollywood
Do I need HPOZ approval?
Only if your parcel is inside the Melrose Hill HPOZ, which covers about 45 bungalows built 1911–1926. Elsewhere, LADBS reviews your permit. ADUs are reviewed ministerially, and state law requires action within 60 days of a complete submittal. We confirm your parcel's status before design.
How long does permitting take?
Routine LADBS permits run 2–6 months. Street-visible work in the HPOZ adds Board review and can take 6–12 months. Complete, coordinated submittals protect the schedule, and for ADUs our ADU construction timeline guide shows each phase.
Cost to build a home here?
Custom homes typically run $500–$850+ per sq ft. Tight bungalow lots and older existing conditions push toward the upper end. Soft costs — design, surveys, permits — are additional. You receive a line-by-line budget before construction begins.
Can I change a historic home?
Yes, but exterior work in the Melrose Hill HPOZ, including landscaping, additions and new construction, is reviewed under the Preservation Plan. Some projects clear at staff level while others go to the HPOZ Board. We design to the plan so the bungalow keeps its character.
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 East Hollywood homeowners:
- ADU Los Angeles: Is It Right for Your Property?
- Custom Home vs Remodel vs Rebuild in Los Angeles
- Cost to Build a Custom Home in Los Angeles (2026)
Nearby areas we serve: Echo Park · Downtown · Elysian Valley · Chinatown · Fairfax · Carthay
Region: All Central LA communities we serve · Everywhere we build