EL SERENO CUSTOM HOME BUILDER & GENERAL CONTRACTOR
Built With Intention. Hillside Roots Run Deep.
EL SERENO HOMES ARE BUILT DIFFERENTLY
Heart Construction is a general contractor serving El Sereno, specializing in custom homes, full renovations, and hillside and postwar-home additions. We work with homeowners, architects, engineers and designers through organized pre-construction, transparent budgeting and steady execution, so you stay in control of scope, schedule and spend.
Building in El Sereno isn't simple.
LADBS handles plan check, while City Planning reviews zoning, hillside and historic overlays. Parts of El Sereno sit in a Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone, and the Berkshire Craftsman historic district adds preservation review to street-visible exterior work.
Hillside geotech and grading, wildland-urban interface materials in mapped fire zones, and community plan zoning checks stack on top. Confirming each parcel's status before design keeps you from discovering a surprise after the drawings are done.
We guide the process, and a founder takes your first call, so every decision feels informed, not reactive.
From whole-home remodels and additions near Cal State LA to backyard ADUs, garage conversions and hillside kitchen, bath and outdoor work near Ascot Hills Park, we bring the same structure and discipline we apply across the Eastside 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 Lincoln Heights, East Los Angeles, Boyle Heights and beyond.
OUR CONSTRUCTION COMPANY EL SERENO 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 El Sereno
Overlay review and hillside engineering set the pace in El Sereno, and LADBS is the permit authority. Routine permits run 2–6 months; projects needing HPOZ Board review for street-visible work, or complex hillside review, run 6–12 months. Construction of a custom home takes 10–16 months. The lever that protects your schedule most is a feasibility check before design, so every overlay is known before drawings are locked.
What It Costs
Costs here reflect 1950s construction, hillside engineering and fire-zone materials on a modest-value base, so spending should match the home. 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 survey studies, permits — are additional. You receive a line-by-line budget before construction begins.
Permits, Rules & Fire Codes
LADBS reviews plans, with City Planning handling zoning, hillside and historic overlays. Fire-zone construction standards and residential sprinklers are our base specification, not upgrades. In the Berkshire Craftsman district, street-visible changes go to the HPOZ Board. City Planning has also proposed a hillside construction regulation for the area, and the community plan sets base zoning. We confirm each parcel's status in ZIMAS and sequence these reviews from feasibility.
Where We Build in El Sereno
Baird Park, University Hills, Newton Park, Omaha Heights, Berkshire Craftsman, Sierra Vista, Sierra Park, Bairdstown, West Alhambra, across flat streets and hillside lots. Berkshire Craftsman brings historic review of exterior changes, while University Hills and Omaha Heights more often call for hillside engineering and fire-zone detailing. 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 El Sereno
Do I need a permit in El Sereno?
Yes, most work needs a LADBS permit, and City Planning reviews zoning, hillside and historic overlays. If your home is in the Berkshire Craftsman historic district, street-visible exterior changes also go to HPOZ Board review. We check your parcel's overlays in ZIMAS before design so nothing surfaces late.
How long to build in El Sereno?
Routine LADBS permits take 2–6 months; projects needing HPOZ Board review or complex hillside review take 6–12 months. Construction of a custom home then runs 10–16 months. Overlay review and engineering slow things most, which is why a feasibility check comes first. See our custom home build timeline for each phase.
Cost to build in El Sereno?
Custom homes typically run $500–$750+ per sq ft. Hillside engineering, fire-zone materials and historic review push a project toward the upper end, especially on steep lots. Soft costs — design, geotechnical studies, permits — are additional. You receive a line-by-line budget before construction begins.
What do hillside lots require?
Parts of El Sereno sit in a Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone, where LADBS applies Chapter 7A wildland-urban interface materials and methods. Hillside lots also need geotechnical work before design, and City Planning has proposed a hillside construction regulation for the area. Confirm each parcel's overlay in ZIMAS.
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 El Sereno homeowners:
- Cost to Build a Custom Home in Los Angeles (2026)
- ADU Los Angeles: Is It Right for Your Property?
- Custom Home vs Remodel vs Rebuild in Los Angeles
Nearby areas we serve: Lincoln Heights · East Los Angeles · Boyle Heights
Region: All The Eastside communities we serve · Everywhere we build