PASADENA CUSTOM HOME BUILDER & GENERAL CONTRACTOR
Built With Intention. Craftsman Blocks Below The Foothills.
PASADENA HOMES ARE BUILT DIFFERENTLY
Heart Construction is a general contractor serving Pasadena, specializing in custom homes, full renovations, and careful additions to Craftsman and period-revival houses. We work with homeowners, architects, engineers and designers through organized pre-construction, transparent budgeting and steady execution, so the house you love stays recognizably yours.
In Pasadena, the house is the point.
A compatibility cap ties your house size to the homes around it, and exceeding it needs a Single-Family Compatibility Permit. In Landmark Districts such as Bungalow Heaven and Garfield Heights, exterior work needs a Certificate of Appropriateness from the City of Pasadena before a building permit issues. We design to the number before we draw.
Hillside lots in Linda Vista, San Rafael and Upper Hastings Ranch add a Hillside Development Permit, soils work and Very High fire zone construction standards, while the Permit Center keeps reduced hours and rejects incomplete packages. Sequencing is everything.
We guide the process, submitting complete packages and sending weekly updates, so every decision feels informed, not reactive.
From rear additions and careful second stories to detached ADUs, garage conversions and Eaton Fire like-for-like rebuilds, we bring the same structure and discipline we apply across the Verdugos 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 Sunland, La Crescenta-Montrose, Tujunga and beyond.
OUR CONSTRUCTION COMPANY PASADENA 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 Pasadena
Pace in Pasadena is set by review that comes before plan check: a Certificate of Appropriateness in a Landmark District, a compatibility permit, or a Hillside Development Permit. Routine permitting through the City of Pasadena runs 3–6 months; projects needing that discretionary review run 6–12 months. Construction of a custom home takes 10–18 months. The lever that protects your schedule is a complete first submittal, drawn to the compatibility number and the district guidelines.
What It Costs
Costs sit high because century-old framing, period-correct exterior materials, fire-zone hardening and hillside soils and engineering add scope a flat postwar tract never carries. Custom homes typically run $600–$950+ per sq ft; whole-home renovations $400–$700+ per sq ft; detached ADUs $280,000–$500,000+; pools $150,000–$400,000+. Soft costs — design, soils and geotechnical studies, historic review, permits — are additional. You receive a line-by-line budget before construction begins.
Permits, Rules & Fire Codes
The City of Pasadena Building and Safety Division issues permits, and four reviews define this city: the house-size compatibility cap, a Certificate of Appropriateness in Landmark Districts, a Hillside Development Permit, and ignition-resistant construction in the Very High fire zone. Fire-zone construction standards are our base specification, not upgrades. Street-visible changes in a Landmark District go through design review. We sequence these from feasibility so design decisions are made with the constraints known.
Where We Build in Pasadena
We build in Hastings Ranch, Linda Vista, Garfield Heights, San Rafael, Daisy Villa, Oak Knoll, Madison Heights, Bungalow Heaven and Orange Heights, from the flat blocks near Castle Green to the hillside by La Loma Bridge. Bungalow Heaven and Linda Vista sit at opposite ends: small Landmark District lots where the facade is reviewed, against half-acre hillside lots where slope, soils and a Hearing Officer govern. 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 Pasadena
Do I need a COA in Pasadena?
In a Landmark District, yes. Exterior alterations and new construction need a Certificate of Appropriateness under PMC 17.62 before a building permit issues, judged against the Design Guidelines for Historic Districts. Separately, a Single-Family Compatibility Permit is needed if the house exceeds 35% above the median size within 500 feet. Additions under 500 sq ft not visible from the street are exempt.
How long does a permit take?
Routine permitting through the City of Pasadena takes 3–6 months. When a Certificate of Appropriateness, a compatibility permit or a Hillside Development Permit comes first, expect 6–12 months. The Permit Center rejects incomplete packages, so we submit everything electronically and track every plan-check cycle. Construction then runs 10–18 months, as our custom home timeline guide explains.
Cost to build a home in Pasadena?
Custom homes typically run $600–$950+ per sq ft. Costs trend toward the upper end with century-old framing, period-correct exterior materials, fire-zone hardening and hillside soils and engineering. Soft costs — design, soils studies, historic review, permits — are additional. You receive a line-by-line budget before construction begins.
What do hillside lots require?
In Hillside Overlay Districts a Hillside Development Permit is required for any new dwelling, any first-floor addition of 500 sq ft or more, or any new square footage above the first story. Allowable floor area shrinks on lots over 15% average slope, and Building and Safety Bulletin 20 requires a soils report for foundation work. Very High fire zone parcels add ignition-resistant construction.
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 Pasadena homeowners:
- Pasadena Fire Rebuild Guide 2026: Permits, Timelines & Requirements
- Second Story vs Home Addition in Los Angeles: What Actually Works
- ADU Los Angeles: Is It Right for Your Property?
Nearby areas we serve: Sunland · La Crescenta-Montrose · Tujunga · La Cañada Flintridge · Altadena · Glendale
Region: All The Verdugos communities we serve · Everywhere we build