SOUTH BAY CUSTOM HOME BUILDER & GENERAL CONTRACTOR
Built With Intention. Beach Flats, Peninsula Bluffs.
SOUTH BAY HOMES ARE BUILT DIFFERENTLY
Heart Construction is a general contractor serving South Bay, specializing in custom homes, full renovations, and coastal and hillside rebuilds. We work with homeowners, architects, engineers and designers through organized pre-construction, transparent budgeting and steady execution.
Building in South Bay isn't simple.
Nearly every city here runs its own permit counter, while unincorporated communities answer to LA County and Westchester and Playa del Rey answer to LADBS. Which agency reviews your plans comes first, and sequence decides your schedule.
On top of that sit coastal permits near the beach, view and compatibility review on the Peninsula, fire-zone standards on the hills, and shifting ADU rules. Planning the order of these steps early keeps design decisions from being reversed later.
Our role is to guide the process so every decision feels informed, not reactive.
From garage conversions and ADUs to second-story additions and hillside rebuilds near Point Vicente Lighthouse, we bring the same structure and discipline we apply across the South Bay 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 Harbor, Westside, Antelope Valley and beyond.
OUR CONSTRUCTION COMPANY SOUTH BAY 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 South Bay
Pace here is set by the local building department, and which one applies depends on your address. Routine plan check runs 3–6 months. Projects needing coastal review, design review or hillside findings run 6–12 months. Construction of a custom home then takes 10–16 months. The lever that most protects your schedule is a complete first submittal, filed in the right order once a feasibility review has confirmed which agency and which rules apply to your parcel.
What It Costs
South Bay costs reflect small beach lots, hillside engineering, 60-year-old systems behind original walls, and finish expectations that vary city by city. Custom homes typically run $550–$900+ per sq ft; whole-home renovations $375–$650+ per sq ft; detached ADUs $275,000–$500,000+; pools $120,000–$340,000+. Soft costs — design, geotechnical and survey 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 department, LA County Public Works for unincorporated areas, or LADBS for Westchester and Playa del Rey. Coastal permits, hillside review and county zoning review layer on top, depending on the parcel. Fire-zone construction standards and residential sprinklers are our base specification, not upgrades. We sequence these from feasibility so design decisions are made with the constraints known.
Where We Build in South Bay
Manhattan Beach, Hermosa Beach, Redondo Beach, Torrance, Palos Verdes Estates and Rancho Palos Verdes lead the list, with Dockweiler State Beach and Bruce’s Beach anchoring the coastline. A flat Torrance tract and a Palos Verdes Estates bluff lot differ sharply in review strictness, engineering and view sensitivity. 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 South Bay
Who issues my permit?
It depends on your address. Most South Bay cities run their own building department, unincorporated Lennox, Del Aire and Alondra Park use LA County Public Works, and Westchester and Playa del Rey use LADBS. A mailing address can mislead, so we confirm jurisdiction first.
How long does a permit take?
Routine plan check typically runs 3–6 months. Projects needing a coastal permit, design review or hillside findings typically run 6–12 months. A complete first submittal is the best way to avoid correction cycles that restart the clock.
Cost to build a home here?
Custom homes typically run $550–$900+ per sq ft across the South Bay. Hillside geotechnical work, coastal permit requirements and tight beach lots push toward the upper end. Soft costs — design, studies, permits — are additional. You receive a line-by-line budget before construction begins.
What do hillside lots require?
Expect a geotechnical report, grading and drainage review, and often neighbor-focused view or compatibility review. Where parcels sit in a fire hazard zone, fire-hardened construction applies too. We commission soils work before design so foundations follow the engineer's findings. See our custom home timeline guide for the phases.
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 South Bay homeowners:
- Cost to Build a Custom Home in Los Angeles (2026)
- Second Story vs Home Addition in Los Angeles: What Actually Works
- ADU Los Angeles: Is It Right for Your Property?
Nearby areas we serve: Harbor · Westside · Antelope Valley · Southeast LA · Northwest County · Central LA
Region: Everywhere we build