SAN GABRIEL VALLEY CUSTOM HOME BUILDER & GENERAL CONTRACTOR
Built With Intention. Foothills To Valley Floor.
SAN GABRIEL VALLEY HOMES ARE BUILT DIFFERENTLY
Heart Construction is a general contractor serving San Gabriel Valley, specializing in custom homes, full renovations, and ADUs and additions for flat tract lots and foothill slopes alike. We work with homeowners, architects, engineers and designers across the valley through organized pre-construction, transparent budgeting and steady execution.
Building in San Gabriel Valley isn't simple.
Your first question here is who permits your parcel. Incorporated cities such as Arcadia, Monrovia and Whittier run their own building and planning offices, while unincorporated communities answer to LA County Public Works and Regional Planning. The mailing address often says otherwise.
Beyond that, design review on second stories, foothill fire-zone and hillside rules, historic review on older homes, and ADU rules that keep changing all stack up. Sequencing them before design is what protects your budget and schedule.
We guide the process so your decisions feel informed, not reactive, from the first feasibility review to final inspection.
From ADUs and garage conversions to full remodels, second-story additions and fire-hardened foothill custom homes, we bring the same structure and discipline we apply across the San Gabriel 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 San Fernando Valley, Pomona Valley, South LA and beyond.
OUR CONSTRUCTION COMPANY SAN GABRIEL VALLEY PROCESS
PLAN
First a Strategic Visioning Session: A conversation about your goals, budget and timeline, and a frank read on what your Malibu 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 San Gabriel Valley
Pace here is set by the permitting office that holds your parcel: each city's own building division, or LA County Public Works for unincorporated communities. Routine permits take 3–6 months; projects that trigger design review, hillside or fire-zone review, or historic review take 6–12 months. Construction of a custom home runs 10–16 months. The lever that protects your schedule is a complete, correctly routed first submittal, built on a feasibility review done before design.
What It Costs
Costs here sit where they do because of older mid-century homes with hidden conditions, hillside engineering and fire-hardening in the foothills, and design-review detailing on character streets. 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, geotechnical and soils studies, permits — are additional. You receive a line-by-line budget before construction begins.
Permits, Rules & Fire Codes
Permits come from each city's building division or LA County Public Works, and many projects clear planning first: design review for second stories and visible changes, hillside grading review, and county zoning review before plan check for ADUs. In foothill fire zones, fire-zone construction standards and residential sprinklers 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 San Gabriel Valley
Alhambra, Arcadia, Avocado Heights, Azusa, Baldwin Park, Bradbury, Charter Oak, Citrus, Covina, Diamond Bar, Duarte, East Pasadena, East San Gabriel, East Whittier, El Monte, Glendora, Hacienda Heights, Irwindale, La Habra Heights, La Puente, Mayflower Village, Monrovia, Monterey Park, North El Monte, North Whittier, Rosemead, Rowland Heights, San Dimas, San Gabriel, San Marino, San Pasqual, Sierra Madre, South Diamond Bar, South El Monte, South Pasadena, South San Gabriel, South San Jose Hills, Temple City, Valinda, Vincent, Walnut, West Covina, West Puente Valley, Whittier. Rules differ between county and city parcels.
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 that aligns naturally with Malibu's coastal and fire-resilience standards.
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 San Gabriel Valley
Who issues my permit here?
It depends on your parcel. Incorporated cities such as Arcadia, Covina and Monrovia permit through their own building divisions, while unincorporated communities such as Valinda, Vincent and East Whittier permit through LA County Public Works after Regional Planning review. We confirm jurisdiction from your parcel number before design begins.
How long does a permit take?
Routine permits typically take 3–6 months. Projects that trigger design review, hillside or fire-zone review, or historic review take 6–12 months. Construction of a custom home then runs 10–16 months. Our custom home build timeline guide walks through each phase, and a complete first submittal is the best way to protect the schedule.
Cost to build a home here?
Custom homes typically run $500–$850+ per sq ft. Hillside engineering, fire-zone construction standards and design-review detailing push a project toward the upper end. Soft costs — design, geotechnical studies, permits — are additional. You receive a line-by-line budget before construction begins.
What do hillside lots require?
Foothill lots in places like Glendora, Sierra Madre and Diamond Bar usually need geotechnical work before design, grading and retaining-wall review, and a fire-zone check. We order those studies first so the buildable envelope is known before drawings, and we build to fire-zone standards by default. Each city sets its own hillside rules.
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 San Gabriel Valley homeowners:
- Custom Home vs Remodel vs Rebuild in Los Angeles
- Second Story vs Home Addition in Los Angeles: What Actually Works
- ADU Los Angeles: Is It Right for Your Property?
Nearby areas we serve: San Fernando Valley · Pomona Valley · South LA · The Eastside · Central LA · Northeast LA
Region: Everywhere we build