UNIVERSAL CITY CUSTOM HOME BUILDER & GENERAL CONTRACTOR
Built With Intention. Pass Hillsides, Studio Neighbors.
UNIVERSAL CITY HOMES ARE BUILT DIFFERENTLY
Heart Construction is a general contractor serving Universal City, specializing in custom homes, full renovations, and hillside and flat-lot homes around the studio district. We work with homeowners, architects, engineers and designers, from the first walk of the parcel through organized pre-construction, transparent budgeting and steady execution.
Most nearby homes sit across the line.
Jurisdiction comes first. Inside the county island, LA County Public Works issues permits; next door in Studio City and the Cahuenga Pass, the City of Los Angeles and its building department govern, with hillside and floor-area rules on top. We confirm which applies before design starts.
Add the Baseline Hillside Ordinance and Studio City floor-area limits, which cap size, height and grading, and a design drawn too early can fail permitting. Sequencing feasibility first keeps the scope buildable.
We guide the process so every decision feels informed, not reactive, and the founder walks your parcel on the first call.
Most of our work here is full-home remodels and additions, ADUs and garage conversions, and hillside custom homes. For neighbors of the studio district, 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 Valley Glen, Toluca Lake, Valley Village and beyond.
OUR CONSTRUCTION COMPANY UNIVERSAL CITY 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 Universal City
Jurisdiction and hillside review set the pace here. Routine plan check through LA County Public Works runs 3–6 months; hillside, fire-zone or septic review pushes it to 6–12 months. Parcels across the line in Studio City follow City of Los Angeles review instead, so we confirm which office holds your file first. Construction of a custom home then takes 10–16 months. The lever that protects your schedule is early feasibility, settled before drawings begin.
What It Costs
Costs here reflect hillside grading, geotechnical work and floor-area-limited lots on the residential streets around the studio district, not the studio district itself. 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 survey studies, permits — are additional. You receive a line-by-line budget before construction begins.
Permits & Local Rules
Inside the county island, LA County Public Works issues building permits. Next door, the City of Los Angeles governs, and the Baseline Hillside Ordinance limits floor area, height and grading on hillside lots. Studio City flats lots face the Baseline Mansionization Ordinance and a reduced floor-area district, so floor-area limits shape design. Large hillside homes can trigger City Planning site plan review. We confirm jurisdiction first, then sequence each review from feasibility so design decisions are made with the constraints known.
Where We Build in Universal City
Burbank, Hollywood Hills, Studio City, Toluca Lake — the homes around DreamWorks Theatre and WaterWorld, across flat Valley streets and the slopes of the Cahuenga Pass. Studio City flats are shaped by floor-area caps that protect yard space, while the hillside south of Ventura Boulevard is driven by geotechnical work, grading and design 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 Universal City
Who issues my building permit?
It depends on the parcel. Inside the unincorporated county island, LA County Public Works issues permits under the Universal Studios Specific Plan, a studio framework. Homes in neighboring Studio City and the Cahuenga Pass fall under the City of Los Angeles and LADBS. We confirm jurisdiction before design begins.
How long does permitting take?
Routine LA County Public Works plan check runs 3–6 months. Hillside, fire-zone or septic review can stretch it to 6–12 months. Construction then takes 10–16 months for a custom home. Our Los Angeles build timeline guide explains each phase, and early geotechnical review protects the schedule.
Cost to build a home here?
Custom homes typically run $500–$850+ per sq ft. Hillside grading, geotechnical needs and floor-area-limited lots push toward the upper end. Soft costs such as design, studies and permits are additional. You receive a line-by-line budget before construction begins.
Do hillside rules limit my size?
Often, yes. In the City of Los Angeles, the Baseline Hillside Ordinance limits floor area, height and grading, and single-family projects with 17,500 sq ft or more of cumulative floor area on hillside lots face City Planning Site Plan Review. Flat Studio City lots face a 0.45:1 floor-area ratio. We test these limits at feasibility.
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 Universal City homeowners:
- ADU Los Angeles: Is It Right for Your Property?
- Custom Home vs Remodel vs Rebuild in Los Angeles
- Designing Your Custom Home in Los Angeles
Nearby areas we serve: Valley Glen · Toluca Lake · Valley Village · Tarzana · Van Nuys · Sylmar
Region: All San Fernando Valley communities we serve · Everywhere we build