ENCINO CUSTOM HOME BUILDER & GENERAL CONTRACTOR
Built With Intention. Boulevard Flats, Hillside Oaks.
ENCINO HOMES ARE BUILT DIFFERENTLY
Heart Construction is a general contractor serving Encino, specializing in custom homes, full renovations, and estate-scale ranch rebuilds on flat and hillside lots. We work alongside homeowners, architects, engineers and designers through organized pre-construction, transparent budgeting and steady execution you can follow week by week from first call to closeout.
In Encino, Ventura Boulevard sets the rules.
South of Ventura, most parcels fall under the Baseline Hillside Ordinance, which caps floor area by slope, limits building height and restricts grading, with LADBS referral and soils approval before permit. The lot sets those limits, not you — a feasibility study shows them before you pay for design.
Plan check backlogs and multi-department clearances slow every submittal, flat lots answer to mansionization floor-area limits, and the 2025 fire-zone remap in Encino Hills now affects insurance eligibility. Sequencing is what protects your schedule and your coverage.
We guide the process so every decision feels informed rather than reactive, from feasibility through closeout.
Encino projects tend toward ranch remodels and rebuilds, detached ADUs and guest houses on estate lots, and fire-hardened hillside custom homes — we bring the same structure and discipline we apply across the San Fernando Valley 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 Granada Hills, Chatsworth, Lake Balboa and beyond.
OUR CONSTRUCTION COMPANY ENCINO 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 Encino
Pace in Encino is set by plan check at the Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety, plus Grading and Fire clearances on hillside lots. 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 10–18 months. The lever that protects your schedule is a complete, pre-cleared submittal — soils report, energy compliance and hillside referral in hand — so correction cycles stay few.
What It Costs
Costs sit high because hillside lots demand geotechnical work, grading limits and ignition-resistant materials, while flat estate projects are large multi-structure scopes on half-acre parcels. Custom homes typically run $600–$950+ per sq ft; whole-home renovations $400–$700+ per sq ft; detached ADUs $275,000–$550,000+; pools $150,000–$400,000+. Soft costs — design, geotechnical and survey studies, permits — are additional. You receive a line-by-line budget before construction begins.
Permits, Rules & Fire Codes
Most Encino single-family work is as-of-right through LADBS when designed within local limits — no discretionary hearing needed. Hillside lots follow the Baseline Hillside Ordinance, flat lots follow the Baseline Mansionization Ordinance, and detached ADUs follow the city's ministerial path. In Encino Hills, fire-zone construction standards and residential sprinklers are our base specification, not upgrades. Floor-area limits shape every design. We sequence these from feasibility so decisions are made with the constraints known.
Where We Build in Encino
Lake Encino, Royal Oaks, Royal Oaks Colony, Amestoy Estates, Clark Gable Estates, Encino Village, Encino Acres, Encino Hills and Ashley Oaks, from flat oak-shaded streets near Los Encinos State Historic Park to slopes above Encino Reservoir climbing toward Mulholland. Amestoy Estates is flat, mansionization-limited and straightforward to grade, while Royal Oaks brings slope-based floor-area limits, geotechnical work and fire-zone hardening. 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 Encino
Does the Hillside Ordinance apply?
If your parcel south of Ventura Boulevard is mapped as a Hillside Area, yes. The Baseline Hillside Ordinance caps floor area by slope band, limits envelope height and restricts grading import and export. A Hillside Referral Form from LADBS and Grading Division soils approval come before permit. Flat lots follow the Baseline Mansionization Ordinance instead.
How long does plan check take?
Routine LADBS plan check runs 2–6 months. Hillside grading, Planning clearances or haul-route approval push it to 6–12 months. Most delay comes from correction cycles and resubmittal appointments. We submit complete packages, run clearances in parallel and send weekly updates; our custom home build timeline guide shows every phase.
Cost to build a home in Encino?
Custom homes typically run $600–$950+ per sq ft. Hillside geotechnical work, grading limits and fire-hardened materials push toward the upper end. Soft costs — design, studies and permits — are additional. You receive a line-by-line budget before construction begins.
Will fire hardening help insurance?
Carriers make their own decisions, but eligibility is tied to fire-zone status. Parcels in the Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone must meet Chapter 7A ignition-resistant construction and keep brush clearance up to 200 feet. We specify every hillside scope to that base — Class A roof, ember-resistant vents, non-combustible decks — and document it.
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 Encino homeowners:
- Custom Home vs Remodel vs Rebuild in Los Angeles
- ADU Los Angeles: Is It Right for Your Property?
- Cost to Build a Custom Home in Los Angeles (2026)
Nearby areas we serve: Granada Hills · Chatsworth · Lake Balboa · Canoga Park · Lake View Terrace · Burbank
Region: All San Fernando Valley communities we serve · Everywhere we build