General Contractor in Tarzana
Green Design and Build is a licensed general contractor (CSLB #1110975) based at 16120 Sherman Way in Van Nuys, about fifteen minutes from Tarzana by Reseda Boulevard or the 101. 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.
Tarzana sits between Encino and Woodland Hills, and like its neighbors it splits at Ventura Boulevard: hillside estates to the south, a mix of ranch homes, duplexes and condominiums on the flats to the north, and a pocket of large country-style lots in between. This page covers what each part of Tarzana means for a remodel, an ADU or an addition, and what LADBS will ask for.
Projects we have built near Tarzana
Recent work in the neighborhoods on either side of Tarzana:
- Whole-Home Rebuild in Woodland Hills — a single-story ranch taken down to a few walls and rebuilt with new foundations, framing, roof structure and interior, plus a rebuilt pool with a raised spa and a covered patio framed into the house.
- Complete Home Remodel in Encino — a full interior remodel with a white kitchen and waterfall island, dark stone bathrooms and a feature fireplace wall.
- Backyard, Pool, Spa and Outdoor Kitchen in Encino — a rebuilt pool with a raised spillover spa, a paver deck and an outdoor kitchen.
More completed work, with before, during and after photographs, is in the project gallery.
Three parts of Tarzana
The hills south of Ventura Boulevard. The streets climbing toward Mulholland Drive hold Tarzana’s larger estates, many on sloped lots with views across the Valley. Much of this hillside area falls inside a Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone, so we check the Los Angeles Fire Department map for every address. The City of Los Angeles Baseline Hillside Ordinance governs additions, ADUs and new construction here: a geotechnical report before structural design, engineered retaining walls or caissons where the slope requires them, Chapter 7A ignition-resistant exteriors and Class A roofing in the fire zone, and a longer plan check. Steep and narrow driveways decide where materials and equipment can be staged, which we plan before the first delivery.
Melody Acres and the larger lots near the boulevard. A pocket of ranch-style homes on generous lots with a country feel. These properties suit single-story additions, primary suites and detached ADUs with room to spare, and many of the original houses are ready for a whole-home renovation rather than a room-by-room update.
The flats north of Ventura Boulevard. Post-war ranch homes on standard Valley lots, mixed with duplexes and condominium buildings toward Reseda Boulevard and the 101. Kitchen and bathroom remodels, garage conversions, second-story additions and open-plan remodels that take out the wall between the kitchen and the dining room make up most of the work here.
Across all three, the original conditions are the same ones we find in Encino and Woodland Hills: galvanized water lines, 100-amp panels, clay sewer laterals, and raised foundations that were only bolted if someone did it after the 1994 Northridge earthquake. Every home built before 1978 gets EPA lead-safe practices during demolition.
ADUs in Tarzana
The flats and the larger lots in Tarzana are well suited to a detached ADU of up to 1,200 sq ft, and older detached garages convert cleanly with no replacement parking required. Hillside lots can add an ADU as well, with the hillside ordinance, a soils report and fire-zone materials adding time to the design phase. LADBS must act on a complete ADU application within 60 days, and the LADBS ADU Standard Plan Program can shorten plan check on a flat lot. Check your address with our ADU rules calculator, and read how much it costs to build an ADU and why ADU quotes vary so much before you compare bids.
Want a real number for your project?
The site visit and the itemized written estimate are free.
What we build in Tarzana
- Kitchen remodeling — open-plan remodels of ranch-house kitchens on the flats and full reconfigurations with custom cabinetry in the hills. Read what homeowners wish they knew before remodeling a kitchen.
- Bathroom remodeling — primary-suite baths with curbless showers and freestanding tubs. See how much a bathroom remodel costs.
- ADUs and garage conversions on the flats and larger lots; engineered hillside ADUs south of the boulevard.
- Room additions — second stories on the flats, single-story primary suites on the larger lots, stepped additions in the hills.
- Whole-home renovations — taking an original ranch down to the studs and rebuilding it under one permit. See our remodeling services.
- Foundation and structural work — seismic bolting, hillside retaining walls, drainage. See warning signs your foundation needs repair.
- Roof replacement with Class A assemblies in the fire zone (performed and permitted under a C-39 Roofing license, by a roofing contractor scheduled and supervised by us), and windows and doors.
- Flooring, painting, patio covers, pavers and outdoor living, including pool decks and terraced hillside yards.
- 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 Tarzana
Tarzana is a neighborhood of the City of Los Angeles, so every permit goes through LADBS at the Van Nuys office, the same counter that serves our home base. We prepare and submit plans, respond to corrections and schedule inspections. Hillside and fire-zone parcels add the geotechnical and Chapter 7A requirements above. Our San Fernando Valley page covers the wider Valley, the neighboring Encino and Woodland Hills pages cover the communities on either side, and our Van Nuys page covers our home base.
What homeowners say
From our reviews:
“They completely remodeled my kitchen and they turned out beautiful. The job came in within my budget including full 3D design rendering.” — Yakir A.
“The team was always on time, respectful of my home, and kept everything clean throughout the project.” — Shlomo L.
More on our About page.
Frequently asked questions
Is my Tarzana home in a fire zone?
Much of Tarzana south of Ventura Boulevard, toward Mulholland Drive, is inside a Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone mapped by the Los Angeles Fire Department, while most of the flats north of the boulevard are not. In the zone, additions, ADUs and new structures must use Chapter 7A ignition-resistant materials for exterior walls, roofs, vents, decks and windows, and brush-clearance rules apply. Green Design and Build checks the LAFD map for every Tarzana address and specifies compliant materials in the plans.
Can I build an ADU in Tarzana?
Yes, most Tarzana lots on the flats can take a detached ADU of up to 1,200 sq ft or a garage conversion with no replacement parking, and LADBS must act on a complete application within 60 days. Hillside lots south of Ventura Boulevard can also add an ADU, subject to the hillside ordinance, a geotechnical report and fire-zone rules, which lengthens the design phase. Green Design and Build builds both and can tell you which applies to your address.
Do I need a geotechnical report for an addition in the Tarzana hills?
Yes, almost any addition, ADU or new structure on a sloped lot south of Ventura Boulevard in Tarzana needs a geotechnical (soils and geology) report under the City of Los Angeles grading code, and LADBS will not accept the structural plans without it. Green Design and Build orders the report at the start so the design is engineered to it.
How much does a kitchen remodel cost in Tarzana?
A Tarzana kitchen remodel depends on whether walls come out, whether the plumbing and panel are original, and the finish level, and hillside estates generally run higher than the flats. Green Design and Build provides an itemized written estimate after a free site visit; for published ranges by project type, see our guide to what a Los Angeles general contractor costs.
How far is Green Design and Build from Tarzana?
Green Design and Build’s office at 16120 Sherman Way in Van Nuys is about fifteen minutes from Tarzana by Reseda Boulevard or the 101. Site visits are easy to schedule, and we use the same LADBS Van Nuys office that issues Tarzana permits. Homeowners are welcome to visit the office, which is open every day from 8 AM to 6 PM.
Are you licensed to work in Tarzana?
Yes, Green Design and Build holds California General Building Contractor license CSLB #1110975 and is licensed, bonded and insured for residential work in Tarzana 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 Tarzana remodel with a contractor fifteen minutes away
Tell us whether your home is in the hills, on a larger lot or on the flats, and what you want to build, and we will schedule a free site visit, explain what your lot requires and give you a written, itemized estimate.