Mar Vista · Ground-Up Custom Homes
Custom Home Builder in Mar Vista
Flat lots, no coastal permit, no hillside ordinance. Mar Vista is where a ground-up custom home on the Westside still pencils, and we build them from raw land to move-in day.
Licensed & Insured
California General Contractor
30+ Years
in Construction · 20 in Custom Homes
Westside Office
984 Monument St, Pacific Palisades
Family Owned
Not a Volume Builder
Guaranteed
Locked Price · On-Time Delivery
Why Mar Vista Is Different
Everything That Makes the Westside Expensive to Build, Mar Vista Skips
Three things inflate a Westside construction budget: coastal entitlement, hillside grading, and land price. Mar Vista largely avoids all three. Most of the neighborhood sits outside the Coastal Zone, so there is no Coastal Development Permit and no appeal window hanging over your schedule. The lots are flat and regular, so there is no shoring, no haul route hearing, and very little grading. And land costs meaningfully less per square foot than Venice, Santa Monica, or Brentwood, while sitting minutes from all three.
What that adds up to is simple. In Mar Vista, more of your budget goes into the actual house instead of into the process of being allowed to build it.
The one thing that does need attention is zoning. Los Angeles applies different R1 variation zones block by block here, and they change how much floor area you get from the same lot size. Two houses that look identical from the street can have different envelopes. We pull your exact zone before anyone draws anything.
Luxury Home Builders has been in construction for more than 30 years, and for the past 20 we have built nothing but custom homes from the ground up. That is the only thing we do, and you can see the result across our completed projects.
What We Handle
Everything Your Mar Vista Build Needs, Under One Roof
One team from the first site walk to the final walkthrough, with a budget you can actually plan around.
01
Zoning & Feasibility
Your exact R1 variation zone, buildable floor area, height, setbacks, and lot coverage. Straight numbers before you spend anything on design.
02
Architecture & Design
Design with our team or build from your architect’s plans. On a flat regular lot there is real freedom here, and we use it.
03
Permits & Plan Check
LADBS submittals and corrections. Without the coastal and hillside layers, Mar Vista permitting is genuinely faster than the rest of the Westside.
04
Demolition & Site Work
Teardown of the existing postwar house, utility work, and site prep. Flat lots keep this fast and predictable.
05
Ground-Up Construction
Full new-build construction to current seismic and energy standards, finished to the same standard we bring to a Palisades home.
06
ADUs Built With the House
Add an accessory dwelling unit during the main build. Shared site work and utilities make it dramatically cheaper than doing it later.
The Process
From Lot to Front Door
1
Site Walk
We meet you at the lot, pull the exact zoning, and tell you the square footage you can actually build.
2
Design & Budget
We design the home and hand you a detailed scope, a real budget, and a schedule you can plan around.
3
Permits
LADBS plan check and corrections, without the coastal or hillside layer slowing things down.
4
Build & Move In
We build, we communicate weekly, and we hand you the keys on the date we committed to.
Our Work
Homes We've Built
A look at the craftsmanship and detail we bring to every ground-up custom home. See more in our project portfolio.
Who We Build For
Three Kinds of Mar Vista Owner
Growing Families
You Love the Street, Not the House
The postwar two-bedroom served its purpose. Rebuilding on your own lot keeps the neighborhood, the schools, and the trees, and gives you the house you actually need. Still looking? We also help clients find the right property.
Teardown Buyers
Buying for the Lot
Mar Vista is one of the few Westside markets where the teardown math still works. We handle demolition and the full ground-up build.
Investors
Building to Sell
Predictable permitting and flat lots make Mar Vista one of the cleanest build-to-sell markets on the Westside. See Build as an Investment.
Wondering what your lot allows? Send us the address. We will pull the exact R1 variation zone and tell you the buildable square footage, at no cost.
Testimonials
What Our Clients Say
“Guy and the team at Luxury Home Builders, Inc. brought an impressive level of architectural expertise to our project in Los Angeles. Guy listened carefully to our vision, offered thoughtful design recommendations, and helped create a layout that feels both elegant and practical. The attention to proportion, finishes, and overall flow was exceptional. Communication stayed clear throughout the process, and the final result exceeded our expectations. We highly recommend Luxury Home Builders, Inc. for architectural planning and custom home projects.”
Simon Reed · Google Review
“We appreciate the dedication shown by the team during our New Construction Home project. They were professional, respectful, and always focused on delivering the best possible outcome.”
Rosemary Rendon · Google Review
“Luxury Home Builders, Inc delivered exceptional craftsmanship and attention to detail throughout the entire project. The team was professional, communicative, and completed our dream home on time with outstanding quality.”
Leo Bryant · Google Review
Real reviews from our Google Business Profile. Read all of them, or see more client stories.
Questions
Answers for Mar Vista Owners
Why is it cheaper to build in Mar Vista than in Venice or Santa Monica?
Two reasons. Land costs less per square foot, and most Mar Vista lots sit outside the Coastal Zone, so there is no Coastal Development Permit and no Coastal Commission appeal window. Add flat, regular lots that need almost no grading and you remove the three things that inflate a Westside budget and schedule.
How big a house can I build on my Mar Vista lot?
Most Mar Vista lots are standard R1, and the buildable floor area is set by a ratio of the lot size along with height, setback, and lot coverage limits. Los Angeles applies different R1 variation zones block by block, so two similar-looking lots can allow different square footage. We pull your exact zone before anyone starts designing.
Should I remodel or tear down and rebuild?
Mar Vista is full of small postwar houses on good flat lots, which is exactly the situation where a deep remodel often costs nearly as much as a new house and delivers less. We price both honestly and tell you which one your property actually calls for, even when the answer is remodel.
How long does a Mar Vista custom home take?
Typically up to 12 months of construction, plus design and permitting. Mar Vista is one of the faster Westside markets to build in precisely because the lots are flat and the coastal and hillside layers usually do not apply.
Can you add an ADU while building the main house?
Yes, and on a Mar Vista lot it is often worth doing at the same time. Building the main house and the accessory dwelling unit together shares the site work, the utilities, and the mobilization cost, which is far cheaper than coming back in three years to do it separately.
Do you work on the rest of the Westside?
Yes. We build in Pacific Palisades, Malibu, Santa Monica, Brentwood, and Venice, plus the San Fernando Valley out of our Sherman Oaks office.
Before You Build
Worth Reading First
Straight answers to the questions that come up before anyone signs anything. More in our home building blog.
Teardown
Tear Down or Renovate?
How to tell when a remodel stops making sense and a rebuild starts.
Returns
Building as an Investment
What homeowners should know before building to sell rather than to stay.
Interiors
Designing the Kitchen and Living Space
How to plan the rooms your family actually lives in.
We Also Build In
Let's Start
Tell Us About Your Mar Vista Lot
A free consultation, your real buildable square footage, and an honest number. No pressure and no obligation. New to us? Start with our story.