“I am so grateful to have found a general contractor I can trust… I am so glad that my home construction was handled in such a responsible way — I would recommend Laguna Bay Developing to anyone!”
JS
Jose SandstromClient
Custom Home Builders — Los Angeles
Own a lot in Los Angeles?
Own a lot in Los Angeles?
Find out what you can build on it.
Send the address. In two business days you get what your zoning allows, a realistic budget range and a timeline — free.
No plans or permit needed to start
You don't even need to own the lot yet
Licensed CA general contractor · #1072840
Free lot review
Three fields. We'll come back within one business day.
- No obligation. We'll tell you if your lot is a bad fit.
Rather talk? (949) 516-0568
Got it.
We'll call you within one business day. If it's urgent — (949) 516-0568.
01 — Start here
You don't need plans. You don't need a permit.
Most people wait months because they think there's a queue they haven't earned a place in yet. There isn't.
Still choosing a lot?
Send us both.
What each one can carry, and at what cost, is exactly what should decide which you buy.
Already have an architect?
Good — we'll work with yours.
We're a builder, not a firm trying to sell you a second design.
Plans that stalled?
Send them over.
We'll tell you what plan check is likely to say before you resubmit.
02 — Time
In Los Angeles the permit doesn't wait on the city.
It waits on you. Almost nobody tells homeowners this — because it puts the responsibility on the person you hire.
County review time
32 days
Waiting on the applicant
122 days
Los Angeles Times analysis, 1 April 2026. City of LA 79 days, LA County 131 days end to end (Shovels.ai, March 2026).
Most of the wait isn't the city. It's the response time on corrections, the consultant who owes a report, and the clearances nobody chased. We handle the permitting and inspections the City of Los Angeles requires, and we work to LA County building codes daily.
CorrectionsAnswer 28 of 35 items and you get a whole extra review cycle — three to five weeks.
SequenceStart structural before the soils report is done and you burn four to eight weeks of engineering.
HillsideOver 1,000 cubic yards of import or export needs a haul route hearing — add about 45 days.
SeasonThe grading window closes 1 October. Miss it and the start moves by six months.
03 — Why us
One company. One number to call when something changes.
The usual arrangement is four companies who've never worked together and one homeowner carrying messages between them.
01
Our own crew on the critical trades
Foundations, framing, roofing, electrical, plumbing, HVAC — plus design and permitting, under one contract. No subcontractor surprises, no hidden fees.
02
Two budget checkpoints before ground breaks
Priced against real cost per square foot before the drawings are final, then line-item off the permit set. Change orders in writing, agreed before the work.
03
We handle City of LA permitting
Zoning, hillside, clearances, corrections and inspections. It's most of what the first four months of your project actually is.
04
Third generation of builders
The family has built since the mid-1950s; 20+ years of it in Southern California. The owner is on the jobs.
04 — Our work
Built here, by us, with the address on it.
Renderings prove nothing.
“We met with David, the owner of the company… David was there every day, making sure everything is smooth.”
JW
James WhiteClient
“I needed a full service contractor for an extensive home remodel… If you need a high-end contractor who can provide a cost-effective solution, you cannot go wrong with this company.”
CK
Chris KvClient
Reviews as published by our clients. Rated 5.0 from 25 reviews on Houzz.
05 — Straight answers
Five questions worth asking any builder.
Including us. A builder who won't answer plainly before the contract won't start after it.
I haven't bought the lot yet. Can you look at it first?
Yes — that's the best time to call. What a lot can carry should decide whether you buy it. Choosing between two? Send both addresses.
What's not in a per-square-foot number?
Usually design and engineering (8–15% of construction cost), permits and city fees, soils and survey, demolition, utility connections, landscaping, and the finance carry. Our estimate is line-item, so you can see which are in and which are yours.
What happens if we go over budget?
Change orders go in writing and are agreed and priced before the work is done. Also watch the allowances in any bid you receive — allowances set low on purpose are the oldest way to win a job on price and find the money later.
Are you licensed and insured — and how do I check?
California General Contractor licence #1072840. Search that number on the CSLB website and you'll see status, classification, bond and workers' comp. Do it for every builder you're considering.
Why are you more expensive than the contractor who quoted me half?
Sometimes we aren't — compare line items, not totals. When the gap is real it's usually one of four things: allowances set low, scope left out, an unlicensed or uninsured crew, or a schedule that assumes nothing goes wrong.
Send the address. We'll tell you what it can carry.
Zoning and buildable envelope, whether the lot triggers geology or grading review, a realistic budget range and a phased timeline — in writing, within two business days. Yours to keep whether or not you hire us.
19634 Ventura Blvd #205, Tarzana, CA 91356 · Encino · Woodland Hills · Calabasas · Sherman Oaks · Studio City · West Hills · Reseda · Canoga Park · Northridge
Free lot review
Three fields. One business day.
Rather talk? (949) 516-0568
Got it.
We'll call you within one business day.