VETERANS ADMINISTRATION CUSTOM HOME BUILDER & GENERAL CONTRACTOR
Built With Intention. Historic Federal Ground.
VETERANS ADMINISTRATION HOMES ARE BUILT DIFFERENTLY
Heart Construction is a general contractor serving Veterans Administration, specializing in custom homes, full renovations, and fire-hardened remodels for homes along the edge of the historic West Los Angeles VA campus. We work with homeowners, architects, engineers and designers through organized pre-construction, transparent budgeting and steady execution.
The VA campus isn't a neighborhood.
The campus is federal land. Its 1888 deed and federal leasing law reserve it for veterans' benefit, so private residential building there is effectively barred. Homes around it in Brentwood, Westwood and Sawtelle permit through the City of Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety, not the VA.
The campus also sits in a National Register historic district, parts of adjacent Brentwood sit in a Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone, and the master plan is unsettled. Confirming jurisdiction first keeps design and schedule from reversing.
We confirm who approves your parcel first, say plainly when a project falls outside our scope, and keep decisions informed, not reactive.
Around the Streetcar Depot and the Los Angeles National Cemetery, we take on fire-hardened remodels, historic-sensitive renovations and ADUs on neighboring lots, and 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, Venice, Westwood and beyond.
OUR CONSTRUCTION COMPANY VETERANS ADMINISTRATION PROCESS
PLAN
First a Strategic Visioning Session: A conversation about your goals, budget and timeline, and a frank read on what your Malibu 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 Veterans Administration
Pace here depends on whether a parcel is federal land or falls under City of Los Angeles review. Routine plan check takes 3–6 months; it stretches to 6–12 months when Planning clearances apply. A custom home then takes 10–16 months to build. The lever that protects your schedule is confirming jurisdiction before design starts, which our feasibility review does first.
What It Costs
Costs on lots around the campus are driven by fire-zone materials, hillside engineering and finish expectations, not by campus conditions. 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, soils and survey studies, fire-zone documentation, permits — are additional. You receive a line-by-line budget before construction begins.
Permits & Local Rules
Homes around the campus permit through the City of Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety, and campus parcels answer to federal ownership instead. In adjacent Brentwood, the Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone covers homes north of Sunset Boulevard and most north of San Vicente, where ignition-resistant exterior materials apply, and Zone Zero rules are proposed. We confirm jurisdiction first, then sequence fire-zone documentation with your permit submittal so design decisions are made with the constraints known.
Where We Build in Veterans Administration
Brentwood, Sawtelle, Westwood, the urban-infill neighborhoods that border the campus. The Streetcar Depot is federal historic land under preservation scrutiny, the Japanese Garden is open campus space, and neither is a private building site, so the homes nearby are where our work begins. 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 that aligns naturally with Malibu's coastal and fire-resilience standards.
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 Veterans Administration
Who permits work near the VA?
Homes in Brentwood, Westwood and Sawtelle permit through the Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety, known as LADBS. Land inside the campus is federal and is governed by the VA, not LADBS. We confirm the actual permitting authority before any design work, and say plainly if a project falls outside our scope.
How long does approval take?
Routine plan check takes 3–6 months. When Planning clearances apply, expect 6–12 months. Parcels bordering federal land add a step only if the VA is involved, so we confirm jurisdiction up front — that single check protects your schedule more than any other. Construction of a custom home then runs 10–16 months.
Cost to build a home here?
Custom homes typically run $550–$900+ per sq ft. Fire-zone materials, hillside engineering and finish level push a project toward the upper end. Soft costs — design, studies, permits — are additional. You receive a line-by-line budget before construction begins. Our cost guide breaks down each factor.
Is my home in a fire zone?
Parts of Brentwood are. The Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone covers homes north of Sunset Boulevard and most homes north of San Vicente. There, Chapter 7A ignition-resistant materials apply to permitted exterior work. We build to that base specification from the first design pass and confirm your parcel's zone in 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 Veterans Administration homeowners:
- Pacific Palisades Fire Rebuild Permits 2026: Timeline, Costs & Requirements
- Custom Home vs Remodel vs Rebuild in Los Angeles
- 10 Critical Questions to Ask Before Hiring a General Contractor in Los Angeles (2026)
Nearby areas we serve: West Los Angeles · Venice · Westwood · Sawtelle · Bel-Air · Santa Monica
Region: All Westside communities we serve · Everywhere we build