SANTA MONICA MOUNTAINS AREA CUSTOM HOME BUILDER & GENERAL CONTRACTOR
Built With Intention. Designed Around Canyon Ridgelines.
SANTA MONICA MOUNTAINS AREA HOMES ARE BUILT DIFFERENTLY
Heart Construction is a general contractor serving Santa Monica Mountains Area, specializing in custom homes, full renovations, and fire-hardened canyon rebuilds. We work with homeowners, architects, engineers and designers through organized pre-construction, transparent budgeting and steady execution, so every agency question is answered before drawings are final.
Here, the County decides what you build.
LA County Public Works issues your permit, but the North Area Community Standards District sets the terms. Its grading and ridgeline rules limit cutting on steep slopes, protect natural features and prohibit skyline development, and they apply to new homes, additions, grading and tree removal.
Add a Fuel Modification Plan from LA County Fire, septic review by Environmental Health on unsewered lots, and a Coastal Development Permit south of the Coastal Zone line. Sequencing them in parallel is what keeps the job moving.
We guide the process, from parcel feasibility to final inspection, so decisions feel informed, not reactive.
From fire-hardened rebuilds near Cornell to full remodels of mid-century ranches on acreage and new custom homes on view lots below Castro Peak, we bring the same structure and discipline we apply across the Santa Monica Mountains 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 Westlake Village, Topanga, Agoura Hills and beyond.
OUR CONSTRUCTION COMPANY SANTA MONICA MOUNTAINS AREA 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 Santa Monica Mountains Area
Pace here is set by agency sequencing — geology, septic, fire and planning — not by construction. LA County Public Works permits routinely take 6–12 months; sites needing a Coastal Development Permit or facing a Coastal Commission appeal run 12–36 months. Construction of a custom home then takes 10–18 months. The lever that protects the schedule: we commission geotechnical and septic evaluations before design, so plan check happens once.
What It Costs
Costs sit high because every lot is remote, unsewered and in a Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone, with hillside foundations, fire-resistant assemblies and long utility runs. Custom homes typically run $600–$950+ per sq ft; whole-home renovations $400–$700+ per sq ft; detached ADUs $275,000–$550,000+; pools $150,000–$400,000+. Soft costs — design, geotechnical, septic, biological and oak tree studies, permits — are additional. You receive a line-by-line budget before construction begins.
Permits, Rules & Fire Codes
LA County Public Works issues your permit, with Regional Planning, Fire and Environmental Health reviewing alongside it. Four things define most projects here: the North Area Community Standards District, its grading and ridgeline standards, the Fuel Modification Plan requirement and the County Coastal Development Permit. Fire-zone construction standards and residential sprinklers are our base specification, not upgrades. One project lead owns every agency thread, and we sequence them from feasibility so design decisions are made with the constraints known.
Where We Build in Santa Monica Mountains Area
Malibu Bowl, Cornell, El Nido, Seminole Hot Springs, Malibu Hills, Monte Nido, Century Ranch, Oak Hill, Crater Camp — canyon and oak-woodland country beneath Mesa Peak. Monte Nido falls under the North Area district with no Coastal permit but habitat and oak rules, while Malibu Bowl sits in the Coastal Zone, where a County Coastal Development Permit carries Coastal Commission appeal exposure. 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 Santa Monica Mountains Area
Do I need a Coastal permit?
It depends on the Coastal Zone line. South of it, new homes and guest houses need a County Coastal Development Permit under the certified Local Coastal Program, and lots split by the boundary follow it for the portion inside. North of it, you need the County building permit and Community Standards District review. A feasibility review confirms your parcel.
How long will a rebuild take?
Routine County permits run 6–12 months, and complex sites needing a Coastal permit or appeal run 12–36 months. Many Woolsey rebuilds stalled on sequential sign-offs and repeated soil reports. We run Fire, Environmental Health and Planning clearances in parallel, commission geotech early, and send weekly written updates. See the full build timeline guide.
Cost to build a home here?
Custom homes typically run $600–$950+ per sq ft here. Fire-zone assemblies, hillside foundations, septic systems and long utility runs push toward the upper end, and soft costs are additional. If an insurance payout is your starting point, we tell you candidly what it can build. You receive a line-by-line budget before construction begins.
Will septic limit my bedrooms?
Often, yes. The whole area is unsewered, so County Environmental Health regulates on-site wastewater systems, and system capacity governs bedroom count. That applies to new homes, bedroom additions and ADUs. We commission the septic evaluation before schematic design, so the plan fits what the system can carry.
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 Santa Monica Mountains Area homeowners:
- Pacific Palisades Fire Rebuild Guide 2026: Insurance, Permits & Costs
- Custom Home vs Remodel vs Rebuild in Los Angeles
- Cost to Build a Custom Home in Los Angeles (2026)
Nearby areas we serve: Westlake Village · Topanga · Agoura Hills · Malibu · Calabasas · Hidden Hills
Region: All Santa Monica Mountains communities we serve · Everywhere we build