Santa Monica · Ground-Up Custom Homes
Custom Home Builder in Santa Monica
You own the lot, or you’re about to. We design, permit, and build new single-family homes in Santa Monica from raw land to move-in day, with one accountable team and a locked price.
Licensed & Insured
California General Contractor
30+ Years
in Construction & Custom Homes
Westside Office
984 Monument St, Pacific Palisades
Family Owned
Not a Volume Builder
Guaranteed
Locked Price · On-Time Delivery
Why Santa Monica Is Its Own Animal
Santa Monica Is a City, Not a Neighborhood of Los Angeles
This is the single most expensive mistake we see homeowners make here. Santa Monica has its own building division, its own plan check, its own design review, and energy requirements that sit ahead of the state code. A contractor whose entire permitting history runs through LADBS will learn the Santa Monica process on your schedule and on your budget.
Then there is the Coastal Zone. A large share of Santa Monica west of Lincoln Boulevard sits inside it, and a lot inside that boundary needs a Coastal Development Permit on top of everything else. That is not a reason to avoid building here. It is a reason to know before you buy the lot, before you pay an architect, and before anyone promises you a start date.
We tell you which side of that line your property falls on in the first conversation, for free, because the answer changes your whole project.
Luxury Home Builders has been in construction for more than 30 years. Ground-up custom homes are our specialty, and we also take on major remodels, additions, ADUs, and fire damage repair. You can see the result across our completed projects.
What We Handle
Everything Your Santa Monica Build Needs, Under One Roof
You hire one team. We carry the project from the first site walk to the final walkthrough, and we own the parts that usually fall between the cracks.
01
Feasibility & Lot Review
Zoning, setbacks, height limits, Coastal Zone status, and buildable square footage. We tell you what the lot can actually carry before you spend real money on it.
02
Architecture & Design
Design with our team, or bring your own architect and plans. Either way the vision stays yours and we build it without value-engineering it into something else.
03
Santa Monica Plan Check
Submittals, corrections, and city coordination through Santa Monica’s own building division, plus the Coastal Development Permit when your lot requires one.
04
Demolition & Site Work
Teardown of the existing structure, utility disconnects, shoring, and grading. On tight Westside lots the site plan matters as much as the floor plan.
05
Ground-Up Construction
Full new-build construction to current Santa Monica energy and seismic standards, with the finish level you would expect from a luxury home on this side of town.
06
Interiors & Landscape
Kitchens, baths, millwork, pools, and outdoor living. The indoor-outdoor connection is the whole point of building in Santa Monica.
The Process
From Empty Lot to Front Door
1
Site Walk
We meet you at the lot, pull the zoning and coastal overlay, and give you an honest read on what is buildable.
2
Design & Budget
We design the home and hand you a detailed scope, a real budget, and a schedule you can plan your life around.
3
Permits
We take the plans through Santa Monica plan check and, where required, the Coastal Development Permit.
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 Santa Monica Owner
Lot Owners
You Already Own the Land
You bought a lot, or inherited one, and you want to know what it will really cost to put the right house on it. We start with feasibility, not a sales pitch.
Teardown Buyers
The House Is Worth Less Than the Dirt
Common on the Westside. We handle demolition and the full rebuild, and we check for historic or landmark review triggers before you are committed. We also help clients find the right teardown.
Investors
Building to Sell
Ground-up spec and build-to-sell projects where the finish level, the timeline, and the exit price all have to line up. See Build as an Investment.
Not sure your lot pencils? Send us the address. We will pull the zoning, check the Coastal Zone boundary, and tell you what is buildable before you spend a dollar on design.
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 Santa Monica Owners
Do I need a Coastal Development Permit to build in Santa Monica?
If your lot sits inside the Coastal Zone, which covers a large part of Santa Monica west of Lincoln Boulevard, your project needs a Coastal Development Permit in addition to your building permit. We identify this on day one, because it changes your timeline and your design review path. Lots outside the Coastal Zone follow the standard Santa Monica plan check.
How long does it take to build a custom home in Santa Monica?
Plan on up to 12 months of construction for a typical single-family custom home, plus the design and entitlement period before it. Santa Monica plan check runs through the city’s own building division rather than LADBS, and Coastal Zone lots add review time. We give you a realistic schedule up front rather than an optimistic one.
Can you tear down my existing house and rebuild?
Yes. Teardown and rebuild is one of the most common projects on the Westside, because land value here far exceeds the value of an aging house. We handle demolition, permits, and the full ground-up build. If the existing structure is older, we check for historic and landmark review triggers before you commit.
I own a lot in Santa Monica. What happens first?
We walk the lot with you, pull the zoning and any Coastal Zone overlay, and tell you honestly what you can build, how big, how tall, and roughly what it will cost. That first conversation is free and it happens before anyone asks you to sign anything.
Do you build to Santa Monica's energy requirements?
Yes. Santa Monica runs ahead of the state on building energy standards, and new construction here is held to a higher bar than most of Los Angeles County. We design and build to the current Santa Monica code rather than retrofitting compliance at the end, which is where budgets usually break.
Do you work on the rest of the Westside?
Yes. We build in Pacific Palisades, Malibu, Brentwood, Venice, and Mar Vista, 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.
Permits
Malibu Coastal Zone Permit Guide
How Coastal Development Permits actually work, and why they drive a coastal timeline.
Lot Buying
How to Choose the Right Lot
What to check before you buy, from zoning and slope to utilities and access.
Getting Started
Before You Start a Custom Home
The decisions that set your budget and schedule, made before anyone draws anything.
We Also Build In
Pacific Palisades · Malibu · Brentwood · Venice · Mar Vista
Let's Start
Tell Us About Your Santa Monica Lot
A free consultation, an honest read on what you can build, and a real number. No pressure and no obligation. New to us? Start with our story.