WESTLAKE CUSTOM HOME BUILDER & GENERAL CONTRACTOR
Built With Intention. Historic Streets, Honored.
WESTLAKE HOMES ARE BUILT DIFFERENTLY
Heart Construction is a general contractor serving Westlake, specializing in custom homes, full renovations, and historic home restoration on small urban lots. We work with homeowners, architects, engineers and designers through organized pre-construction, transparent budgeting and steady execution that respects the character of older homes.
Building in Westlake isn't simple.
Homes on Alvarado Terrace and Bonnie Brae sit inside the Pico-Union HPOZ, where the Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety permit is only half the story. City Planning reviews exterior work, and larger additions or front alterations need a Certificate of Appropriateness. That review can be planned for.
Small urban lots, older structures with possible unpermitted work, overlapping redevelopment and specific plans, and the slopes of Crown Hill stack on top. Sequencing the overlay research first keeps design from outrunning what the parcel allows.
We guide the process so every decision feels informed, not reactive, and your home's original woodwork and details stay intact.
From historic home remodels to ADUs, garage conversions and kitchen and bath updates near MacArthur Park, we bring the same structure and discipline we apply across the Central LA 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 Windsor Square, West Hollywood, Arlington Heights and beyond.
OUR CONSTRUCTION COMPANY WESTLAKE 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 Westlake
Two reviews set the pace in Westlake: Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety plan check and, for street-visible work in the Pico-Union HPOZ, City Planning review. Routine permits take 2–6 months; projects needing HPOZ review run 6–12 months. A custom home takes 10–16 months to build. The lever that protects your schedule is front-loading overlay research, so the HPOZ package is ready before the LADBS submittal.
What It Costs
Older construction, possible surprises behind old walls, period-matching materials and review requirements add scope to Westlake projects on small urban lots. 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, historic review documentation, permits — are additional. You receive a line-by-line budget before construction begins.
Permits & Local Rules
Most work goes through the Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety. Exterior work on contributing homes in the Pico-Union HPOZ, including Alvarado Terrace and Bonnie Brae, is also reviewed by City Planning. Larger additions and front alterations need a Certificate of Appropriateness, while smaller projects go through Conforming Work review. A code-compliant ADU gets a ministerial permit with no hearing. We sequence these filings from feasibility, so design decisions are made with the constraints known.
Where We Build in Westlake
Alvarado Heights, Bonnie Brae, Westlake Park Tract, South Bonnie Brae Tract, Crown Hill and Historic Filipinotown, mostly on the flat grid around MacArthur Park apart from the Crown Hill highlands. South Bonnie Brae Tract sits in the HPOZ with Victorian-era homes and tight review, while Crown Hill's hilly streets bring slope-driven work. 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 Westlake
Do I need HPOZ approval?
Often yes. Exterior work on contributing homes in the Pico-Union HPOZ is reviewed by City Planning, and larger additions or front alterations need a Certificate of Appropriateness under LAMC 13B.8.5. Smaller projects go through Conforming Work review. The LADBS permit is separate, so we sequence the HPOZ package ahead of the submittal.
How long does review take?
Routine permits run 2–6 months; projects needing HPOZ review run 6–12 months. A Certificate of Appropriateness can take up to 75 days on its own and can be appealed. For ADUs, LADBS has 60 days to review a complete application under SB 543. Our ADU construction timeline guide covers the phases.
Cost to build a home in Westlake?
Custom homes typically run $500–$850+ per sq ft. Older sites, period-matching details and review requirements push toward the upper end. Soft costs — design, historic review documentation, permits — are additional. You receive a line-by-line budget before construction begins.
Is my house in the HPOZ?
Contributing homes on Alvarado Terrace and Bonnie Brae sit in the Pico-Union HPOZ, but status is parcel by parcel. We check the overlays and contributor status first and give you a written scope. Exterior changes are reviewed by City Planning, and Conforming Work review for smaller projects is not appealable.
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 Westlake homeowners:
- ADU Los Angeles: Is It Right for Your Property?
- Custom Home vs Remodel vs Rebuild in Los Angeles
- Whole Home Remodel vs Remodeling in Phases in Los Angeles
Nearby areas we serve: Windsor Square · West Hollywood · Arlington Heights · Silver Lake · Beverly Grove · Pico-Union
Region: All Central LA communities we serve · Everywhere we build