SYLMAR CUSTOM HOME BUILDER & GENERAL CONTRACTOR
Built With Intention. Fire Ready Foothill Homes.
SYLMAR HOMES ARE BUILT DIFFERENTLY
Heart Construction is a general contractor serving Sylmar, specializing in custom homes, full renovations, and ADUs and fire-hardened additions for foothill-edge lots near Stetson Ranch Park. We work alongside homeowners, architects, engineers and designers, bringing organized pre-construction, transparent budgeting and steady execution to every stage.
Building in Sylmar isn't simple.
Sylmar sits in a Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone, so LADBS reviews new homes, additions and re-roofs against the California Wildland-Urban Interface Code, and the Los Angeles Fire Department must clear hydrant and access. Class A roofs and enclosed under-floor areas are required, not optional.
Horse-keeping rules in the Sylmar Equinekeeping K District, modest older homes serving large multigenerational households, and stacked city and fire department reviews all overlap, which is why sequencing matters.
We guide the process so decisions feel informed, not reactive, with fire-zone protection documented from the first drawing.
For ADUs and garage conversions, full-home remodels and additions, or fire-hardened re-roofs and exterior upgrades, we bring the same structure and discipline we apply across the San Fernando 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 Tarzana, Sun Valley, Toluca Lake and beyond.
OUR CONSTRUCTION COMPANY SYLMAR 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 Sylmar
LADBS plan check and fire-zone clearance set the pace in Sylmar. Routine permits take 2–6 months; projects with hillside grading, Planning clearances or haul-route approval run 6–12 months, and a like-for-like fire rebuild track may shorten the path where eligible. Construction of a custom home takes 10–16 months. The lever that most protects your schedule is completing feasibility and the fire-zone checklist items before design begins.
What It Costs
Fire-zone construction requirements add materials and detailing on top of the cost of working with modest, older homes in Sylmar. 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, survey, fire-zone documentation, permits — are additional. You receive a line-by-line budget before construction begins.
Permits, Rules & Fire Codes
Every Sylmar project goes through LADBS, and the fire-zone checklist for the wildland-urban interface code comes first. Los Angeles Fire Department hydrant and access clearance follows, and horse-keeping lots add an equine keeping checklist at plan submittal. Fire-zone construction standards and residential sprinklers are our base specification, not upgrades. We map every one of these rules from feasibility, so design decisions are made with the constraints known.
Where We Build in Sylmar
Carey Ranch, Sylmar Acres, Village Green, Shadow Glen Estates and Park Estates, from the flatter south to the foothill edge near Sylmar Park. Sylmar Acres parcels often need a K District check first, while Village Green and Park Estates parcels more often turn on fire-zone and setback questions. 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 Sylmar
Do I need fire clearance to build?
Yes, in most cases. Work in Sylmar goes through LADBS plan check, and because the neighborhood is in a Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone, new homes, additions and ADUs must follow the California Wildland-Urban Interface Code and receive Los Angeles Fire Department hydrant and access clearance. Horse-keeping lots also need an Equine Keeping Checklist at plan submittal.
How long to permit and build?
Routine LADBS permits take 2–6 months; hillside grading, Planning clearances or haul-route approval stretch that to 6–12 months. Construction then runs 10–16 months for a custom home. We submit permits and fire clearance alongside design so nothing waits on another step. For smaller projects, see our ADU construction timeline guide.
Cost to build a home in Sylmar?
Custom homes in Sylmar typically run $500–$850+ per sq ft. Fire-zone detailing, hillside access and older existing structures push projects toward the upper end. Soft costs — design, survey, fire-zone documentation, permits — are additional. You receive a line-by-line budget before construction begins.
Do K District rules affect my lot?
Both the K District and the fire zone vary parcel by parcel. The Sylmar Equinekeeping K District sets minimum lot size and equine features on north and central lots, and LAMC 91.7207 requires enclosed under-floor areas and bans wood shake roofs in the fire zone. We review your exact parcel first and give you a written list of the rules that apply before design begins.
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 Sylmar homeowners:
- ADU Los Angeles: Is It Right for Your Property?
- Custom Home vs Remodel vs Rebuild in Los Angeles
- Second Story vs Home Addition in Los Angeles: What Actually Works
Nearby areas we serve: Tarzana · Sun Valley · Toluca Lake · Studio City · Valley Glen · Sherman Oaks
Region: All San Fernando Valley communities we serve · Everywhere we build