MID-CITY CUSTOM HOME BUILDER & GENERAL CONTRACTOR
Built With Intention. Flat Lots, Smart Plans.
MID-CITY HOMES ARE BUILT DIFFERENTLY
Heart Construction is a general contractor serving Mid-City, specializing in custom homes, full renovations, and older-bungalow remodels on compact urban lots. We work with homeowners, architects, engineers and designers through organized pre-construction, transparent budgeting and steady execution. That structure keeps each decision informed by the facts in front of you.
Building in Mid-City isn't simple.
Most single-family lots here are compact, and the Baseline Mansionization Ordinance caps floor area on them, which limits second stories and additions. The Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety permits every project, so the first question is always whether it fits. In Lafayette Square, a historic overlay adds a stricter review.
Add 1930-era wiring and foundations, LADBS plan-check corrections, and historic review on monument properties, and the order of decisions matters. Sequencing the work early keeps surprises out of your budget.
We guide the process so decisions feel informed, not reactive, from the first feasibility review through closeout.
Most Mid-City projects are ADUs and garage conversions, full-home remodels, and additions or second stories. 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 Mid-Wilshire, Los Feliz, Pico-Union and beyond.
OUR CONSTRUCTION COMPANY MID-CITY 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 Mid-City
In Mid-City, LADBS plan-check and correction cycles set the pace. Routine permits take 2–6 months; projects needing historic board review for street-visible work, such as in Lafayette Square, take 6–12 months. Construction runs 10–16 months for a custom home. The lever that protects your schedule is a complete, correct submittal, backed by an overlay check before design begins. We run that check on every parcel first, so surprises surface early, not mid-review.
What It Costs
Costs here reflect 1930-era houses with hidden conditions, compact lots with tight access, and design work to fit floor-area and historic rules. 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, structural engineering, permits — are additional. You receive a line-by-line budget before construction begins.
Permits & Local Rules
LADBS permits all private construction in the City of Los Angeles; larger scopes go to plan check. The Baseline Mansionization Ordinance caps floor area on single-family lots, shaping additions and second stories. In Lafayette Square, street-visible changes go before the HPOZ Board. Older unpermitted garage units can use an LADBS amnesty pathway. We check each parcel first and sequence reviews from feasibility, so design is made with the constraints known.
Where We Build in Mid-City
Victoria Park, Reynier Village, Mid-City Heights, Lafayette Park Square, The Faircrest, Wellington Square and Lafayette Square — flat, established streets of older homes around Reynier Park and Genesee Avenue Park. Lafayette Square falls under HPOZ review, while Victoria Park has no HPOZ but several designated monuments, so similar historic homes follow different review paths. 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 Mid-City
Do I need an LADBS permit?
Yes. LADBS requires a permit for private construction, alteration or repair in the City of Los Angeles. Express Permits cover only limited simple scopes, such as drywall replacement or insulation, in single-family homes and duplexes. A second story or garage conversion goes to full plan check, and we prepare complete plan sets to limit corrections.
How long does a remodel take?
Routine LADBS permits take 2–6 months. Work needing HPOZ Board review for street-visible changes can take 6–12 months. Custom home construction runs 10–16 months. For converted garages, see our ADU construction timeline guide. Complete submittals and an early overlay check protect your schedule, and you receive weekly updates.
Cost to build a home here?
Custom homes typically run $500–$850+ per sq ft. Hidden conditions in older houses, compact lots with tight access, and design work to meet floor-area or historic rules push projects toward the upper end. Soft costs are additional. You receive a line-by-line budget before construction begins.
Is my home in an HPOZ?
Lafayette Square is a designated Historic Preservation Overlay Zone, so street-visible changes go through HPOZ Board review. Nearby Wilshire-area districts have their own overlays too. Each parcel's overlay can be checked in ZIMAS, and we do this at the start and plan the design and approval sequence around 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 Mid-City homeowners:
- Second Story vs Home Addition in Los Angeles: What Actually Works
- ADU Cost Los Angeles
- Custom Home vs Remodel vs Rebuild in Los Angeles
Nearby areas we serve: Mid-Wilshire · Los Feliz · Pico-Union · Larchmont · Silver Lake · Koreatown
Region: All Central LA communities we serve · Everywhere we build