SAN PEDRO CUSTOM HOME BUILDER & GENERAL CONTRACTOR
Built With Intention. Bluff, Hill, Harbor Light.
SAN PEDRO HOMES ARE BUILT DIFFERENTLY
Heart Construction is a general contractor serving San Pedro, specializing in custom homes, full renovations, and garage-conversion ADUs for coastal and hillside lots. We work alongside homeowners, architects, engineers and designers through organized pre-construction, transparent budgeting and steady execution, so nothing reaches the city half-resolved.
Building in San Pedro isn't simple.
Along the coast, the San Pedro Specific Plan requires a Coastal Development Permit through City Planning before LADBS issues any building permit, and a coastal height cap shapes second stories. Bluff-top lots add the California Coastal Commission. We lay out that sequence first, so the process feels clear rather than overwhelming.
Then come slope and bluff stability near Sunken City, Vinegar Hill historic review, and fire-zone status after the 2025 map update — which is why we start with geotechnical work and a parcel check, and sequence everything before drawings.
Our role is to guide the process from the first site walk, so every decision feels informed, not reactive.
From garage-conversion ADUs to second stories that frame harbor views toward Point Fermin Lighthouse, and full remodels of post-war ranch homes, we bring the same structure and discipline we apply across the Harbor region 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 Signal Hill, Rancho Dominguez, West Carson and beyond.
OUR CONSTRUCTION COMPANY SAN PEDRO 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 San Pedro
In the coastal blocks, the Coastal Development Permit, not construction, sets the pace. Routine plan check at the Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety takes 2–6 months; projects that need coastal review, Vinegar Hill HPOZ Board review or both run 6–12 months. Construction of a custom home then takes 10–16 months. The lever that protects your schedule is confirming permit jurisdiction and the height cap before drawings start.
What It Costs
Costs here sit where they do because bluff and hillside lots need geotechnical engineering and deeper foundations, coastal and historic review add design iterations, and older homes hide outdated systems. Custom homes typically run $500–$750+ per sq ft; whole-home renovations $325–$600+ per sq ft; detached ADUs $250,000–$450,000+; pools $120,000–$300,000+. Soft costs — design, geotechnical and soils studies, coastal and historic review, permits — are additional. You receive a line-by-line budget before construction begins.
Permits, Rules & Fire Codes
Permits run through LADBS, which keeps a local counter on South Beacon Street, and most inland lots follow standard plan check. In the coastal area, the San Pedro Specific Plan requires a Coastal Development Permit first, and bluff-top lots also need the Coastal Commission. Vinegar Hill HPOZ Board review applies to street-visible changes. 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 Pedro
Little Italy, La Rambla, Park Western Estates, Highpark, Point Fermin, Sunken City, Barton Hill, from downtown flats to hillside streets and the bluffs near Cabrillo Marine Aquarium. Point Fermin sits in the coastal zone, with small lots, a Coastal Development Permit and a height cap, while Park Western Estates is inland, with larger lots and standard LADBS review. 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 San Pedro
Do I need a coastal permit?
Often yes. Within the San Pedro Specific Plan, no building permit is issued until a Coastal Development Permit is approved through City Planning. Bluff-top lots between the first public road and the sea also need one from the California Coastal Commission. We confirm your parcel's jurisdiction in feasibility, before design begins.
Coastal or HPOZ timeline?
Longer. Routine LADBS plan check takes 2–6 months; projects needing a Coastal Development Permit or Vinegar Hill HPOZ Board review run 6–12 months. We cannot promise Coastal Commission timing, but we submit through ePlanLA, track every plan-check number and report status in weekly updates.
Cost to build a home in San Pedro?
Custom homes typically run $500–$750+ per sq ft. Bluff and hillside lots, deeper foundations, fire-zone specifications and coastal review push toward the upper end. Soft costs are additional, and our custom home cost guide explains them. You receive a line-by-line budget before construction begins.
Is land movement a risk?
On bluff and sloped lots, it can be. We order a geotechnical report before design, and the soils report drives the foundation system. Standard homeowner policies exclude earth movement, so we help you document the engineered work for insurers and lenders. Sunken City is a reminder of why this comes first.
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 Pedro homeowners:
- ADU Los Angeles: Is It Right for Your Property?
- Second Story vs Home Addition in Los Angeles: What Actually Works
- Custom Home vs Remodel vs Rebuild in Los Angeles
Nearby areas we serve: Signal Hill · Rancho Dominguez · West Carson · Long Beach · Wilmington · Lakewood
Region: All Harbor communities we serve · Everywhere we build