VENICE CUSTOM HOME BUILDER & GENERAL CONTRACTOR
Built With Intention. Flat Lots, Coastal Rules.
VENICE HOMES ARE BUILT DIFFERENTLY
Heart Construction is a general contractor serving Venice, specializing in custom homes, full renovations, and cottage teardown-rebuilds on flat coastal lots. We work with homeowners, architects, engineers and designers through organized pre-construction, transparent budgeting and steady execution, so every decision is made with the full picture in front of you.
Building in Venice isn't simple.
Because the City has no certified Local Coastal Program, nearly every substantial project in the Coastal Zone needs a Coastal Development Permit from Los Angeles City Planning, issued after a public hearing. That decision can be appealed twice — first locally, then to the Coastal Commission. We plan for that from day one.
Height limits vary by roofline type in Oakwood and Milwood. Remove too many exterior walls and a remodel is treated as new construction. Any demolition triggers Mello Act review, so sequencing matters.
We guide the process so decisions feel informed, not reactive — with a written entitlement timeline and a founder on your first call.
From cottage teardown-rebuilds with basements and roof decks to detached ADUs and full remodels of canal and walk-street homes near Venice Beach, we bring the same structure and discipline we apply across the Westside 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 West Los Angeles, Sawtelle, Westwood and beyond.
OUR CONSTRUCTION COMPANY VENICE 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 Venice
Entitlements set the pace in Venice: the Coastal Development Permit hearing, then the appeal periods that follow. Routine permitting through LADBS runs 6–12 months. Projects that need a full coastal hearing or draw an appeal run 12–36 months. Construction of a custom home takes 10–18 months. The lever that protects your schedule is a fully compliant design that avoids exceptions and can qualify for Director sign-off rather than a full hearing.
What It Costs
Venice is among the most expensive places in Los Angeles County to build, because small lots push square footage into basements and roof decks, coastal soils need engineering, and entitlement time carries holding costs. Custom homes typically run $650–$1,000+ per sq ft, whole-home renovations $450–$750+ per sq ft, detached ADUs $300,000–$600,000+, pools $150,000–$400,000+. Soft costs — design, soils and geotechnical studies, permits — are additional. You receive a line-by-line budget before construction begins.
Permits & Local Rules
LADBS issues building permits, while Los Angeles City Planning handles the Coastal Development Permit with its public hearing and the Venice Coastal Zone Specific Plan review. Height limits depend on roofline type, and demolitions trigger Mello Act review, with an affidavit exemption for owner-occupied single-family homes. On canal lots, street-visible changes also go before the Cultural Heritage Commission. Owner-occupied single-family rebuilds designed to code are routinely approved. We sequence all of this from feasibility, so design is settled with the constraints known.
Where We Build in Venice
Venice Canal Historic District, Lincoln Place, Oakwood, Milwood, Presidents Row, Silver Triangle, Penmar, Oakwood Pentagon, all on flat coastal ground. The Venice Canal Historic District adds historic review and canal setbacks to the coastal process, while Penmar, east of Lincoln, sits outside the Coastal Zone and follows 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 Venice
Do I need a CDP in Venice?
Most likely, yes. The City has no certified Local Coastal Program, so it issues a Coastal Development Permit for development in the Coastal Zone after a public hearing. Remodels that remove more than 50 percent of exterior walls count as new construction. The decision can be appealed to the Board of Public Works or Area Planning Commission, then to the Coastal Commission.
How long to rebuild in Venice?
Permitting runs 6–12 months on routine projects and 12–36 months when the Coastal Development Permit hearing and appeal periods apply. Construction of a custom home then takes 10–18 months. A code-compliant design that avoids exceptions is the best protection for your schedule, and weekly updates flag any milestone touching your project.
Cost to build a home in Venice?
Custom homes typically run $650–$1,000+ per sq ft. Small lots that require basements and roof decks, coastal soil engineering and canal-front conditions push costs toward the upper end. Soft costs are additional. You receive a line-by-line budget before construction begins.
How tall can I build in Venice?
In Oakwood, around Oakwood Recreation Center, and in Milwood, flat-roof projects are capped at 25 feet and varied-roofline projects at 30 feet, so roofline definition matters early. Roof access structures and decks draw neighborhood council scrutiny, so we design them to setback rules. See our guide to second story versus home addition.
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 Venice homeowners:
- Custom Home vs Remodel vs Rebuild in Los Angeles
- ADU Los Angeles: Is It Right for Your Property?
- Cost to Build a Custom Home in Los Angeles (2026)
Nearby areas we serve: West Los Angeles · Sawtelle · Westwood · Santa Monica · Bel-Air · Rancho Park
Region: All Westside communities we serve · Everywhere we build