GARDENA CUSTOM HOME BUILDER & GENERAL CONTRACTOR
Built With Intention. Every Foot Counts.
GARDENA HOMES ARE BUILT DIFFERENTLY
Heart Construction is a general contractor serving Gardena, specializing in custom homes, full renovations, and ADUs and additions for established flat-lot neighborhoods. We work with homeowners, architects, engineers and designers through organized pre-construction, transparent budgeting and steady execution, so you stay in control of scope and cost.
Every foot counts in Gardena.
Most homes here sit on R-1 lots zoned for one dwelling each, and much of the housing stock is 1950s single-story. The City of Gardena Building and Safety Division and Planning Division review in parallel, so a plan has to earn its square footage.
ADU rules are shifting, city and county agencies may both need to sign off, and sixty-year-old plumbing and electrical often surface mid-project. We scope existing conditions and any unpermitted work first, so sequencing protects your budget.
We guide the process so every decision feels informed, not reactive, and the scope matches what your neighborhood supports.
From ADUs and garage conversions to full remodels with additions, kitchens and baths, for homes near Freeman Park and Thornburg Park, we bring the same structure and discipline we apply across the South Bay 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 Hawthorne, El Segundo, Hermosa Beach and beyond.
OUR CONSTRUCTION COMPANY GARDENA 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 Gardena
In Gardena, city plan check and county sign-offs set the pace. Routine permits through the City of Gardena typically take 3–6 months; complex projects — such as ADUs affected by changing rules, or work needing design review — run 6–12 months. Construction for a custom home takes 10–16 months. The lever that protects your schedule most is an early feasibility review and a complete submittal package the first time.
What It Costs
Costs here reflect small flat lots, sixty-year-old systems that need upgrading, and home values that keep owners watching scope. 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, survey, structural engineering, permits — are additional. You receive a line-by-line budget before construction begins.
Permits & Local Rules
The City of Gardena reviews building, zoning, fire prevention and public works together. Lots follow the single-family R-1 standard of one dwelling per lot, ADUs follow the city's ADU chapter — currently under revision — and the city's 2025 SB 9 ordinance governs two-unit and lot-split projects. A preapproved ADU plan program exists, though it still needs site engineering. Work done without a permit can void insurance. We sequence all of this from feasibility.
Where We Build in Gardena
Strawberry Park, Hermosillo, Moneta Pointe, Moneta, Cottage Place, Pacific Square, and the flat grid streets around Rowley Memorial Park. Moneta Pointe's newer planned homes sit under different conditions than Hermosillo's older single-story homes on traditional lots, where aging systems and additions are more common. 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 Gardena
Permits for an ADU or addition?
Most projects need a building permit through the City of Gardena, submitted as a PDF by email to building@cityofgardena.org. The plan checker, a planner for zoning, fire prevention and public works review in parallel. Window, siding, re-roof and electrical changes also need permits. We prepare the complete package and handle submittal.
How long is Gardena plan check?
The city states a first plan check of 10 business days and 5 business days for corrections, but total permit time is usually 3–6 months for routine work and 6–12 months for complex projects. Incomplete submittals, county sign-offs and design review add time. A complete package, submitted once, protects the schedule.
Cost to build a home in Gardena?
Custom homes typically run $500–$850+ per sq ft. Small lots, older utilities that need upgrading and finish level push costs toward the upper end. Soft costs — design, engineering and permits — are additional. You receive a line-by-line budget before construction begins.
Can I build more than one ADU?
It depends on the current rules. Gardena's ADU code in Chapter 18.13 and state law differ, the city is revising that chapter after a state review, and SB 9 allows two units and lot splits under the 2025 ordinance. We design to the stricter reading. See our guide to what your property supports.
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 Gardena homeowners:
- Custom Home vs Remodel vs Rebuild in Los Angeles
- Second Story vs Home Addition in Los Angeles: What Actually Works
- Cost to Build a Custom Home in Los Angeles (2026)
Nearby areas we serve: Hawthorne · El Segundo · Hermosa Beach · Del Aire · Inglewood · Alondra Park
Region: All South Bay communities we serve · Everywhere we build