PALOS VERDES ESTATES CUSTOM HOME BUILDER & GENERAL CONTRACTOR

Built With Intention. Bluff, Hill, Olmsted Legacy.

PALOS VERDES ESTATES HOMES ARE BUILT DIFFERENTLY

Heart Construction is a general contractor serving Palos Verdes Estates, specializing in custom homes, full renovations, and bluff-top and hillside rebuilds of mid-century ranches. We work alongside homeowners, architects, engineers and designers, using organized pre-construction, transparent budgeting and steady execution to carry each project from first sketch to final inspection.

Building in Palos Verdes Estates isn't simple.

Nearly every exterior change needs Palos Verdes Homes Association Art Jury approval, and the City of Palos Verdes Estates will not issue a building permit until plans carry that stamp. Two reviewers, two sequences, two sets of fees — mapped before design begins.

Second stories face Neighborhood Compatibility review for scale, privacy and views, bluff streets need a Coastal Development Permit, and fire-zone landscape plans need County Fire approval. Sequencing is what keeps these from colliding late.

We guide the process so every decision feels informed rather than reactive, from the first Art Jury consultation to closeout.

Near Civic Center Park, our work runs to full-home remodels and rebuilds of 1950s and 1960s ranches, view-driven second stories and detached ADUs on large lots. We bring the same structure and discipline we apply across the South Bay and every project in Los Angeles.

RECENT PROJECTS

  • "They Treated Our Home Like It Was Their Own."

    The attention to detail was unmatched. jason  managed everything—permits, design meetings, even landscaping—so we could focus on our family. We moved in to a fully finished home that felt warm, intentional, and completely us.

    Olivia G., Studio City, CA

  • “Professional from Day One.”

    Asaf and the team set the bar high from our very first call. They were transparent, responsive, and incredibly organized. The result? A home that feels like a modern sanctuary—and a process that was actually enjoyable.

    Jason M., Calabasas, CA

  • “A Builder You Can Actually Trust.”

    It’s rare to find a contractor who is as reliable as they are talented. Heart Construction kept us informed, stayed on budget, and never cut corners. Their craftsmanship is flawless, and they truly cared about making our home perfect.

    Natalie H., Sherman Oaks

  • “They Made the Impossible Feel Effortless.”

    We had a very specific vision for our forever home, and Heart Construction delivered on every single detail. They helped us assemble the perfect team, stayed on top of the schedule, and brought our dream to life with care and excellence. We still can’t believe this is our home.

    Rebecca & Eli S., Pacific Palisades

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 Playa del Rey, Manhattan Beach, Rancho Palos Verdes and beyond.

OUR CONSTRUCTION COMPANY PALOS VERDES ESTATES 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 Palos Verdes Estates

Pace here is set by two sequential reviews: the Art Jury cycle and plan check with the City of Palos Verdes Estates, which offers no expedited option. Routine permitting runs 6–12 months; 12–36 months when a Coastal Development Permit or Coastal Commission appeal applies. Construction of a custom home takes 10–18 months. The lever that protects the schedule is submitting a complete Art Jury package and plan-check set in parallel, with the lot-coverage worksheet finished up front.

What It Costs

Costs here reflect two approval tracks, Art Jury-grade exterior materials such as tile roofs and custom window profiles, bluff and hillside geotechnical work, and coastal-zone process on west-side lots — among the most expensive places in Los Angeles County to build. Custom homes typically run $650–$1,000+ per sq ft; whole-home renovations $450–$750+ per sq ft; detached ADUs $300,000–$600,000+; pools $150,000–$400,000+. Soft costs — design, geotechnical and drainage studies, permits — are additional. You receive a line-by-line budget before construction begins.

Permits, Rules & Fire Codes

The City of Palos Verdes Estates will not issue a building permit until plans carry the Palos Verdes Homes Association Art Jury stamp. Second stories and additions also go through Neighborhood Compatibility review, bluff-street parcels need a Coastal Development Permit or Waiver, and ADUs follow the dedicated ADU chapter. Fire-zone construction standards and fuel-modification-compliant landscape plans are our base specification, not upgrades. We sequence all of this from feasibility, so design decisions are made with the constraints known.

Where We Build in Palos Verdes Estates

Valmonte, Monte Malaga, Margate, Lower Lunada Bay, Bluff Cove, Malaga Cove and Lunada Bay, from the streets around Plaza Blanca to the bluffs above the Pacific. Valmonte is flat, rebuild-driven and light on views, while Lunada Bay and Bluff Cove bring coastal-zone process, bluff geotechnical work and view-sensitive compatibility review. Not sure which rules apply to your parcel? A feasibility review answers that in two to four weeks.

Malibu coastline at sunset with oceanfront homes along the sand, hillside backdrop, and illuminated pier extending into the Pacific.
Asaf Bar Hen and Jason Aizenberg of Heart Construction, photographed outdoors in Los Angeles, representing the company’s hands-on, collaborative approach to custom homes and remodels
Asaf Bar Hen and Jason Aizenberg of Heart Construction, photographed outdoors in Los Angeles, representing the company’s hands-on, collaborative approach to custom homes and remodels

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 Palos Verdes Estates

Art Jury and City permit?

Both. The Palos Verdes Homes Association Art Jury reviews nearly every exterior change, and the City will not issue a building permit until plans carry its stamp. We prepare the Art Jury package and the plan-check drawings in parallel so the two reviews run side by side rather than one after the other.

How long is a second story?

Permitting typically runs 6–12 months, and 12–36 months when a Coastal Development Permit or appeal applies. A second story adds Neighborhood Compatibility review under PVEMC Chapter 18.36, covering scale, privacy and neighbors' views. We run story poles and vantage simulations early. Construction then typically takes 10–18 months.

Cost to build a home here?

Custom homes typically run $650–$1,000+ per sq ft. The upper end reflects bluff or hillside geotechnical work, coastal-zone process and Art Jury-grade exterior materials. Soft costs — design, studies, permits — are additional. You receive a line-by-line budget before construction begins.

What do hillside lots require?

Geotechnical and drainage review comes before design, especially near bluffs. Coastal Zone parcels also need a Coastal Development Permit or Waiver. Since the City adopted the State Fire Marshal's 2025 map under PVEMC 8.12.020, much of the city is High or Moderate, but fuel-modification landscape plans still need LA County Fire approval.

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.