General Contractor in Burbank

Green Design and Build is a licensed general contractor (CSLB #1110975) based at 16120 Sherman Way in Van Nuys, about 15 minutes from Burbank along Sherman Way, Victory Boulevard or the 170. We are a full-service residential general contractor and design-build remodeler for projects of every size — kitchens, bathrooms, ADUs, room additions, hillside work and whole-home renovations — serving homeowners across Los Angeles County, Orange County, Ventura County, western Riverside County and western San Bernardino County. Led by Dekel Sofer, we have completed hundreds of projects and hold a 4.7-star rating across 146 Yelp reviews.

Burbank is the closest independent city to our office, and it runs its own building division, its own utility and its own hillside rules. This page covers what that means for a residential project, from the flats of Magnolia Park to the Sunset Canyon hills.

Burbank runs its own permits

Burbank’s Building Division is on the first floor of the Community Services Building at 150 N. Third Street, open Monday to Thursday 8 AM to 3:30 PM and Friday to 3 PM, with a lunch closure and a queue that shuts fifteen minutes before closing. Simple Tier 1 permits — the kind that need no plan check — go through the Burbank Online Permits portal; anything with plans, which is every remodel we do, is a Tier 2 project submitted through ProjectDox for electronic plan check. We open the case, upload the set, answer corrections and book every inspection.

Three Burbank-specific rules shape residential work:

• Hillside Development Permits. In Burbank’s Hillside Area — the streets climbing above Glenoaks Boulevard toward Sunset Canyon, Castleman Lane and the Verdugo Mountains — a Hillside Development Permit is required before a building permit whenever a project creates or enlarges a building pad, involves cut or fill, extends past the front or rear setback line, rises above 16 feet to the top of the roof, or brings the total floor area of everything on the lot above 3,000 sq ft. In practice a second story or a large addition in the hills is a two-permit project with a geotechnical report and engineered foundations.
• The Rancho equestrian district. The Rancho, west of Riverside Drive and against Griffith Park, is zoned for horsekeeping with its own development standards. Lots are larger, barns and corrals are part of the site, and ADU and addition placement has to respect the horsekeeping setbacks as well as the residential ones.
• Fire zones. The hillside neighborhoods sit in Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones; the city publishes fire-zone maps with its ADU material, and additions and new structures there need Chapter 7A ignition-resistant exteriors and Class A roofing.

Electrical service changes go through Burbank Water and Power, the city’s own utility, which also publishes its own ADU connection requirements. We coordinate BWP alongside the building permit so a 200-amp upgrade does not hold up inspection.

Burbank housing stock, by area

Magnolia Park and the streets between Magnolia and Chandler. Burbank’s signature neighborhood: 1930s and 1940s bungalows and small Spanish and Traditional homes on 6,000–7,000 sq ft lots with detached garages at the back. This is prime ground for a garage conversion, a detached ADU behind the house, or a rear addition that opens the kitchen to the yard. Expect galvanized plumbing, an original 60- or 100-amp panel, and raised foundations that were bolted only if a previous owner did it.

The Media District and downtown edge. Smaller lots, more mixed housing, and homes close to the studios. Interior remodels dominate; additions are tighter on setbacks.

Rancho Adjacent and the Rancho. Ranch houses on wide lots, some with horse facilities. Room for a full-size detached ADU or a substantial addition, with the equestrian zoning layered on.

The hills: Sunset Canyon, Castleman, the streets above Glenoaks, and the Bel Aire area. Mid-century and later homes on slopes with canyon views. Any structural change is a Hillside Development Permit question first and a construction question second; drainage, retaining walls and fire-zone materials are the cost drivers.

Toluca Lake (Burbank side). Larger 1930s–50s homes on the border with Los Angeles. We confirm which side of the line the parcel is on, because Los Angeles parcels go through LADBS and Burbank parcels through the Building Division on Third Street.

ADUs in Burbank

Burbank updated its ADU ordinance in November 2023 to match state law, and runs the Burbank Preapproved ADU Program (BPAP), a set of city-reviewed plans that shorten plan check for homeowners who want a standard layout. Detached ADUs, garage conversions and junior ADUs inside the house are all allowed; ADUs can be rented or occupied by the owner and can carry their own mailing address. ADU permits are ministerial under state law, so ask Planning at pre-clearance how a hillside lot is handled; BWP’s connection requirements apply to all of them. Our ADU rules calculator shows the state-law floor for your lot, and our guides on how much it costs to build an ADU and why ADU quotes vary so much explain the budget. Every Burbank rule, fee category and permit step is laid out in our Burbank ADU rules guide.

What we build in Burbank

• Kitchen remodeling — opening 1940s Magnolia Park kitchens to the dining and living rooms, with the panel and plumbing upgrades that come with it. Read what homeowners wish they knew before remodeling a kitchen.
• Bathroom remodeling — see how much a bathroom remodel costs.
• ADUs and garage conversions on the flats, and permitted hillside ADUs above Glenoaks.
• Room additions — rear and second-story additions, with the Hillside Development Permit handled where it applies.
• Whole-home renovations of original bungalows and ranches. See our remodeling services.
• Foundation and structural work — seismic bolting, retaining walls and hillside drainage. See warning signs your foundation needs repair.
• Roofing, including Class A assemblies in the fire zones, and windows and doors.
• Flooring, painting, patio covers, pavers and outdoor living.
• Concrete, retaining walls, artificial turf, fencing, outdoor kitchens and decks and landscaping and irrigation.
• Plumbing and electrical upgrades as part of remodels, performed by licensed tradespeople.

Permits in Burbank: how we run it

We confirm the zone first — R-1, R-1-H horsekeeping, or Hillside Area — because that decides whether a Hillside Development Permit comes before the building permit. Then design, structural engineering and Title 24 energy compliance go into ProjectDox as one coordinated set, we clear plan-check corrections, pull the permit at the Third Street counter, and schedule inspections through to final. Our San Fernando Valley page covers the Los Angeles neighborhoods next door, and our Glendale page covers the city on Burbank’s other side, which adds a design-review step Burbank does not have for most additions.

What homeowners say

From our Yelp reviews:

“They completely remodeled my kitchen and they turned out beautiful. The job came in within my budget including full 3rd design rendering.” — Yakir A.

“I hired Green Design and Build to do my bathroom. From start to finish, Drake was the best!” — Leore O.

More on our About page.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a Hillside Development Permit in Burbank?

If your lot is in Burbank’s Hillside Area, a Hillside Development Permit is required before the building permit when a project creates or expands a building pad or involves any cut or fill, extends beyond the front or rear setback line, exceeds 16 feet to the top of the roof, or brings the total floor area of all structures on the lot above 3,000 sq ft. Most hillside additions and second stories trigger it. Green Design and Build handles the hillside permit, the geotechnical report and the building permit as one sequence.

Can I build an ADU in Burbank?

Yes, Burbank allows detached ADUs, garage conversions and junior ADUs under an ordinance updated in November 2023 to match state law, and offers the Burbank Preapproved ADU Program with city-reviewed plans that shorten plan check. ADUs can be rented or owner-occupied and receive their own mailing address; hillside lots add the Hillside Development Permit and fire-zone materials, and Burbank Water and Power sets the utility connection requirements. Green Design and Build designs to the Burbank standards and can use a pre-approved plan where it fits the lot.

How much does a kitchen remodel cost in Burbank?

A Burbank kitchen remodel depends on whether walls come out, whether the 1940s plumbing and panel need replacing, and the finish level. Green Design and Build provides an itemized written estimate after a free site visit rather than a per-square-foot guess; for published ranges by project type, see our guide to what a Los Angeles general contractor costs.

Which utility handles a panel upgrade in Burbank?

Burbank Water and Power, the city-owned utility, handles electrical service changes in Burbank rather than LADWP or Southern California Edison, so a 200-amp panel upgrade for a kitchen remodel, EV charger or ADU is coordinated with BWP alongside the city building permit. Green Design and Build schedules the utility work as part of the project.

How far is Green Design and Build from Burbank?

Green Design and Build’s office at 16120 Sherman Way in Van Nuys is about 15 minutes from Burbank by Sherman Way, Victory Boulevard or the 170 Freeway, which makes Burbank one of the easiest cities for us to reach for site visits and daily crews. Homeowners are welcome to visit the office, which is open every day from 8 AM to 6 PM.

Are you licensed to work in Burbank?

Yes, Green Design and Build holds California General Building Contractor license CSLB #1110975 and is licensed, bonded and insured for residential work in Burbank and throughout Los Angeles County. The license can be verified on the Contractors State License Board website. HVAC, plumbing and electrical work on our projects is performed by licensed tradespeople.

Plan your Burbank remodel with a contractor fifteen minutes away

Tell us the neighborhood and what you want to build, and we will schedule a free site visit, tell you whether the hillside or Rancho rules apply to your lot, and give you a written, itemized estimate.