ELYSIAN PARK CUSTOM HOME BUILDER & GENERAL CONTRACTOR
Built With Intention. Hills Reward Careful Planning.
ELYSIAN PARK HOMES ARE BUILT DIFFERENTLY
Heart Construction is a general contractor serving Elysian Park, specializing in custom homes, full renovations, and hillside additions and rebuilds. We work with homeowners, architects, engineers and designers through organized pre-construction, transparent budgeting and steady execution, so the people around the park build with control.
Building in Elysian Park isn't simple.
Single-family hillside lots here follow the Baseline Hillside Ordinance, which caps floor area, height and grading. LADBS also will not issue a permit on a substandard hillside street until roadway width and parking requirements are met. Either can reshape a project after design money is spent.
The park sits in a Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone, the 2025 map update reaches nearby homes, LADBS plan check has queues, and narrow streets limit access and parking. Sequencing is what keeps all of it manageable.
We guide the process so every decision feels informed, not reactive, starting with feasibility and geotechnical input before design.
Around Dodger Stadium and Point Grandview, we see hillside additions, full remodels, ADUs and fire-hardened rebuilds, and we bring the same structure and discipline we apply across Central 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 Elysian Valley, Echo Park, Fairfax and beyond.
OUR CONSTRUCTION COMPANY ELYSIAN PARK 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 Elysian Park
LADBS plan check and hillside review set the pace here. Routine permits take 2–6 months; expect 6–12 months when hillside grading, Planning clearances or haul-route approval come into play. Construction of a custom home runs 10–16 months. The lever that protects your schedule most is finishing feasibility and geotechnical work before design begins, then filing complete submittals so plan check does not stall. Our founder sends weekly updates, so you always know where the permit stands.
What It Costs
Hillside access, grading and foundation work on steep lots, plus fire-hardening in the hazard zone, drive costs here more than finishes do. 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, geotechnical and survey studies, permits — are additional. You receive a line-by-line budget before construction begins.
Permits, Rules & Fire Codes
Permits come from LADBS, with LA City Planning reviewing zoning and overlays. Hillside lots follow the Baseline Hillside Ordinance and the substandard hillside street rules, so floor-area limits shape the design from the first sketch. Fire-zone construction standards and residential sprinklers are our base specification, not upgrades. Parcels near Chinatown may also sit in the city's Methane Zone. We check each parcel and sequence these reviews from feasibility, so design decisions are made with the constraints known.
Where We Build in Elysian Park
Chinatown, Cypress Park, Echo Park, Elysian Valley, Glassell Park, Lincoln Heights, and the hillside streets around Bishop Canyon Fields. Solano Canyon, the residential district below the park, differs from canyon-edge Bishop, where steeper ground usually means more grading and engineering — we verify by parcel. 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 Elysian Park
Do hillside rules apply to me?
LADBS issues permits, with LA City Planning reviewing zoning and overlays. Single-family lots mapped as Hillside Area follow the Baseline Hillside Ordinance, which caps floor area, height and grading. Lots on a substandard hillside limited street must also meet roadway-width and parking requirements. We check your parcel in ZIMAS during feasibility, before design fees.
How long does LADBS review take?
Routine LADBS plan check runs 2–6 months. Hillside grading, Planning clearances or haul-route approval can push it to 6–12 months. Completing feasibility and geotechnical work before design, then filing complete submittals, keeps plan check from stalling. See our custom home timeline guide for every phase.
Cost to build in Elysian Park?
Custom homes typically run $500–$850+ per sq ft. Steep access, grading, foundations and fire-hardening push toward the upper end, and finish level matters less than the hill. Soft costs — design, geotechnical studies, permits — are additional. You receive a line-by-line budget before construction begins.
Is my home in a fire hazard zone?
Elysian Park and nearby parkland are mapped in the city's Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone, and the 2025 Cal Fire update extends the Echo Park hazard area south toward the Hollywood Freeway. We confirm your parcel during feasibility and build to Chapter 7A fire-hardened standards as our base specification.
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 Elysian Park homeowners:
- Custom Home vs Remodel vs Rebuild in Los Angeles
- Second Story vs Home Addition in Los Angeles: What Actually Works
- ADU Los Angeles: Is It Right for Your Property?
Nearby areas we serve: Elysian Valley · Echo Park · Fairfax · East Hollywood · Hancock Park · Downtown
Region: All Central LA communities we serve · Everywhere we build