General Contractor in Santa Clarita

Green Design and Build is a licensed general contractor (CSLB #1110975) based at 16120 Sherman Way in Van Nuys, about 30 minutes from Santa Clarita by the 405 and 5. 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.

The Santa Clarita Valley is one city and several unincorporated communities, and the first thing we settle on any project here is which one issues the permit. Everything else — the tract-home construction, the HOAs, the oaks, the fire zones — follows from that.

City of Santa Clarita or Los Angeles County?

Valencia, Saugus, Canyon Country and Newhall are inside the City of Santa Clarita, whose Building & Safety Permit Center is at 23920 Valencia Blvd, Suite 140. Plans are submitted through the city’s Accela online portal, and a handful of small residential permits — a main panel upgrade, a water heater changeout, a repipe — are issued instantly online. Stevenson Ranch, Castaic, Val Verde and the other unincorporated areas are permitted by Los Angeles County Public Works, through its Santa Clarita Valley Building and Safety office, under the county code rather than the city’s. The two have different ADU standards, different fee schedules and different plan-check habits, so we confirm the jurisdiction from the parcel before drawing a line.

Santa Clarita housing stock, by community

Valencia. The master-planned core, built from the late 1960s onward around paseos and greenbelts, with HOAs that review exterior changes — additions, second stories, patio covers visible from the street — before the city will issue a permit. Homes are 1970s–2000s two-story tract houses with attached garages on 6,000–8,000 sq ft lots; ADUs are usually detached units in the rear yard or above-garage conversions rather than detached-garage conversions.

Saugus and Canyon Country. 1970s–90s tracts on larger, often sloped lots, and, in Sand Canyon and along the Santa Clara River, semi-rural lots with horsekeeping. Room for full-size detached ADUs, workshops and substantial additions; hillside lots add engineered foundations and drainage.

Newhall. The oldest part of the valley, with 1920s–50s homes near the old town and Placerita Canyon, and the most character-driven remodels: opening small original kitchens, replacing galvanized plumbing and 60-amp panels, and bolting raised foundations.

Stevenson Ranch and Castaic (county). 1990s–2000s HOA communities with the same tract construction as Valencia, permitted through Los Angeles County.

Three things apply across the valley. Oak trees are protected: Santa Clarita’s oak tree ordinance requires a permit before construction near a protected oak, and site plans have to show every oak and its protected zone. Fire zones cover much of the valley’s edges; in the city’s High Fire Hazard Severity Zones an ADU lot must front a highway or have two separate access ways on roads at least 24 feet wide, and additions and new structures use Chapter 7A ignition-resistant materials. And heat: cool roofs, low-E glass and insulation above code minimum pay back faster here than almost anywhere else we work. Electrical service changes go through Southern California Edison.

ADUs in Santa Clarita

Inside the city, an ADU is capped at 850 sq ft for a studio or one bedroom and 1,000 sq ft for two bedrooms, an attached ADU cannot exceed half the primary home’s floor area, and a junior ADU of up to 500 sq ft is allowed inside the house. Detached units are limited to 16 feet, or 18 feet plus a roof allowance within half a mile of major transit; attached units can reach 25 feet and two stories. Side and rear setbacks are 4 feet. No parking can be required for a garage conversion, a JADU or an 800 sq ft state-standard ADU; a larger unit may need one space unless a state exemption applies, and garage conversions need no replacement parking. Units under 750 sq ft are exempt from development impact fees. The city reviews complete applications ministerially within 60 days; with plan-check corrections, plan on longer. 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 Santa Clarita rule, fee category and permit step is laid out in our Santa Clarita ADU rules guide.

What we build in Santa Clarita

• Kitchen remodeling — opening 1980s and 1990s tract kitchens to the family room, and rebuilding original Newhall kitchens. Read what homeowners wish they knew before remodeling a kitchen.
• Bathroom remodeling — see how much a bathroom remodel costs.
• ADUs and garage conversions, designed to the city or county standard that applies.
• Room additions — rear additions and second stories, with HOA architectural approval handled where it applies.
• Whole-home renovations — see our remodeling services.
• Foundation and structural work — hillside retaining walls, drainage and seismic bolting on older Newhall homes. See warning signs your foundation needs repair.
• Roofing — cool-roof tile and shingle systems, Class A in the fire zones — and windows and doors.
• Flooring, painting, patio covers, pavers and outdoor living — shade structures and pool decks are the most requested outdoor projects here; see our patio cover cost guide.
• 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 Santa Clarita: how we run it

We confirm the jurisdiction and the HOA first, then check the parcel for protected oaks, fire-zone status and slope. HOA architectural approval goes in before the city or county submittal so the two never conflict. Plans, structural engineering and Title 24 energy compliance go through the city’s Accela portal or the county’s system as one coordinated set; we clear corrections and schedule every inspection through to final. Our Los Angeles County page covers the county picture and our San Fernando Valley page covers the communities between Santa Clarita and our office.

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

Does my Santa Clarita permit come from the city or the county?

Valencia, Saugus, Canyon Country and Newhall are inside the City of Santa Clarita, which issues permits from its Permit Center at 23920 Valencia Blvd through the Accela online portal; Stevenson Ranch, Castaic, Val Verde and other unincorporated areas are permitted by Los Angeles County Public Works under the county code. The two have different ADU standards and fees, so Green Design and Build confirms the jurisdiction from the parcel before designing.

Can I build an ADU in Santa Clarita?

Yes, inside the City of Santa Clarita an ADU is allowed up to 850 sq ft for a studio or one bedroom or 1,000 sq ft for two bedrooms, plus a junior ADU of up to 500 sq ft inside the house, with 4-foot side and rear setbacks, a 16-foot height limit for detached units (18 feet near major transit) and impact fees waived under 750 sq ft. The city rewrote its ADU ordinance in April 2026 after state review, so confirm current local standards with Planning; HOAs may add reasonable conditions. Green Design and Build designs to whichever standard applies to your address.

Do I need an oak tree permit for my project?

If construction, grading or trenching comes within the protected zone of a protected oak, Santa Clarita’s oak tree ordinance requires a permit before work starts, and the site plan must show every oak and its protected zone. Green Design and Build surveys the oaks at the site visit and designs the project to avoid them where possible.

Will my HOA need to approve my remodel?

In Valencia, Stevenson Ranch and most of the newer Santa Clarita communities, the homeowners association reviews exterior changes such as additions, second stories, patio covers and ADUs before the city or county issues the permit, and interior remodels generally need no approval. Green Design and Build prepares the HOA architectural package and submits it first so the permit set matches what the association approved.

How far is Green Design and Build from Santa Clarita?

Green Design and Build’s office at 16120 Sherman Way in Van Nuys is about 30 minutes from Valencia by the 405 and 5 Freeways, and a little more to Canyon Country and Castaic. Site visits are scheduled around traffic and crews start early. Homeowners are welcome to visit the office, which is open every day from 8 AM to 6 PM.

Are you licensed to work in Santa Clarita?

Yes, Green Design and Build holds California General Building Contractor license CSLB #1110975 and is licensed, bonded and insured for residential work in Santa Clarita 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 Santa Clarita remodel with a contractor who knows city from county

Tell us the community and what you want to build, and we will schedule a free site visit, confirm the jurisdiction, oaks and HOA rules that apply, and give you a written, itemized estimate.