General Contractor in Van Nuys

Green Design and Build is a licensed general contractor (CSLB #1110975) headquartered at 16120 Sherman Way, Van Nuys, CA 91406, near the corner of Sherman Way and Woodley Avenue on the Lake Balboa border. We are a full-service residential general contractor and design-build remodeler for projects of every size, serving homeowners across Los Angeles County, Orange County, Ventura County and western Riverside County — and Van Nuys is the one place where a job site is sometimes closer than the coffee shop. Founded in 2023 and led by Dekel Sofer, who has more than 16 years of hands-on construction experience, we have completed more than 500 projects and hold a 4.7-star rating across 146 Yelp reviews.

Our office is in your neighborhood

Most contractors “serve” Van Nuys. We work from it. The office at 16120 Sherman Way is open every day from 8 AM to 6 PM, and homeowners are welcome to stop in to talk through a project, look at material samples or meet the people who will be running the job. If you would rather we come to you, a site visit anywhere in Van Nuys or Lake Balboa is a few minutes’ drive.

Being local also means we use the same permit counter you would: the LADBS Van Nuys office, which handles plan check, permit issuance and inspection scheduling for Van Nuys and the rest of the City of Los Angeles Valley communities.

Van Nuys neighborhoods and zip codes we serve

Van Nuys is a large community, and the housing changes noticeably from one end to the other.

• Van Nuys proper (91401, 91411) — the older core around Van Nuys Boulevard, the Civic Center and the streets between Burbank Boulevard and Vanowen. Homes here date from the 1920s through the 1950s, including some of the Valley’s earliest tract housing, with a mix of small bungalows, post-war ranches and apartment buildings.
• Lake Balboa (91406) — west of the 405 and south of Sherman Way, adjacent to our office. Mostly 1950s–60s single-story ranch homes on 6,000–8,000 sq ft lots with detached garages, which is why garage-conversion and detached ADU requests from Lake Balboa are the most common calls we get.
• North Van Nuys (91405, 91406) — the neighborhoods north of Sherman Way toward Roscoe Boulevard and the Van Nuys Airport, with 1950s–70s tract homes and a growing number of ADUs.
• Sepulveda Basin edge — the streets bordering the Sepulveda Basin Recreation Area, Lake Balboa Park and the Sepulveda Dam. Homes near the basin are on flat ground, but parts of the area are within a mapped flood zone, which can affect foundation elevation and ADU siting. We check the FEMA flood map for any project near the basin.

We also cover the neighboring communities of Sherman Oaks (see our Sherman Oaks page), Encino, Reseda, North Hills, Panorama City and Valley Glen, all permitted through the same LADBS office. For the wider region, see our San Fernando Valley page.

What Van Nuys houses are made of

Understanding the local housing stock is most of what separates a smooth remodel from one full of surprises.

Post-war tract homes. The bulk of Van Nuys was built between the late 1940s and the mid-1960s: 1,100–1,800 sq ft single-story stucco houses with two or three bedrooms, one or two baths, a closed-off kitchen and, on many lots, a detached two-car garage at the end of the driveway. The original systems are usually still partly in place — galvanized water lines, a 100-amp electrical panel, clay sewer lateral, minimal attic insulation, single-pane aluminum windows. Almost every home here predates 1978, so EPA lead-safe work practices apply to demolition, and pre-1980 framing means unbolted sill plates and unbraced cripple walls are the norm unless a previous owner did a seismic retrofit after the 1994 Northridge earthquake, which was centered a few miles away.

Detached garages. That rear detached garage is the reason Van Nuys is one of the busiest ADU areas in the city. It can be converted into a garage conversion ADU with no replacement parking required, or demolished and replaced with a new detached unit of up to 1,200 sq ft. Our post on why ADU quotes vary so much between contractors tells the story of a garage conversion whose price rose roughly 40 percent because of exactly the conditions Van Nuys garages hide: a slab with no moisture barrier, an original 100-amp panel and a sewer line with root intrusion.

Airport noise. Van Nuys Airport is one of the busiest general aviation airports in the country, and homes under its flight paths — especially north and south of the runways — deal with constant aircraft noise. A large share of our window and door work in Van Nuys is acoustic: dual-pane or laminated glass, properly sealed frames, solid-core exterior doors, and attic and wall insulation that cuts both noise and summer heat while meeting Title 24. See our windows and doors page.

Heat. Van Nuys sees some of the hottest summer temperatures in the city, so insulated patio covers, attic insulation and HVAC replacement (by our licensed specialty-trade partners) are part of many Van Nuys remodels.

What we build most in Van Nuys

• Garage conversions into ADUs, home offices and studios.
• Detached ADUs in rear yards, typically 400–800 sq ft. Check your lot with our ADU rules calculator, and read how much it costs to build an ADU.
• Kitchen remodeling — most often removing the wall between the original kitchen and dining room and rewiring for modern appliances.
• Bathroom remodeling in original 1950s hall and primary baths.
• Room additions — primary suites and family rooms on lots with room to grow, and second stories where they do not.
• Whole-home renovations of original-condition houses, often after a purchase. See our remodeling services.
• Roofing, foundation and seismic work, flooring, painting, pavers, outdoor living and backyard remodeling.
• Plumbing and electrical upgrades as part of remodels — repipes and 200-amp panel upgrades — performed by our licensed specialty-trade partners.

Permits in Van Nuys

Van Nuys is part of the City of Los Angeles, so every permit — ADU, addition, kitchen, re-roof, panel upgrade — goes through LADBS, and the LADBS Van Nuys office is the local counter. We prepare the plans, submit them, respond to plan-check corrections and schedule every inspection; you sign as the owner and receive the approved set. For ADUs, the city must act on a complete application within 60 days, and the LADBS ADU Standard Plan Program can shorten plan check if a pre-approved design fits your lot. Our post on whether you need a permit to replace a roof in Los Angeles covers the re-roof rules that apply here.

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 called Green design for a specific service request. David replied to me and was extremely kind and helpful.” — D C.

More on our About page.

Frequently asked questions

Where is Green Design and Build’s office in Van Nuys?

Green Design and Build’s office is at 16120 Sherman Way, Van Nuys, CA 91406, near Sherman Way and Woodley Avenue on the border of Lake Balboa. We are open every day from 8 AM to 6 PM, and homeowners are welcome to stop by to discuss a project or look at samples. You can also reach us at (800) 348-3050 or info@greendesignandbuild.com.

Can I convert my detached garage in Van Nuys into an ADU?

Yes, a detached garage in Van Nuys can be converted into an ADU under City of Los Angeles rules, and no replacement parking is required when you do. The garage’s existing foundation, framing and slab determine how much of the structure can be kept; many 1950s Van Nuys garages lack proper footings and end up being rebuilt on the same footprint. Green Design and Build inspects the garage before pricing and explains which approach makes sense for your building.

Which office handles building permits for Van Nuys?

Building permits for Van Nuys are issued by the Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety (LADBS), and the local counter is the LADBS Van Nuys office. Green Design and Build handles plan submission, corrections and inspection scheduling there for every Van Nuys project. The same office serves Lake Balboa, Sherman Oaks, Encino, Reseda and the other City of Los Angeles Valley communities.

How long does an ADU take in Van Nuys?

A Van Nuys ADU typically takes six months to a year from first meeting to move-in, including design, LADBS plan check and construction. The city has 60 days to act on a complete application, and a pre-approved LADBS standard plan can shorten plan check further. Sewer-lateral and electrical-panel upgrades, common in older Van Nuys homes, are the most frequent causes of added time.

What can be done about aircraft noise from Van Nuys Airport?

Aircraft noise in a Van Nuys home is reduced most effectively by replacing single-pane windows and hollow doors with dual-pane or laminated-glass windows and solid-core doors, sealing the frames, and adding attic and wall insulation. Green Design and Build installs these as part of window and door replacement or a larger remodel, and the same upgrades meet Title 24 energy requirements and cut summer cooling bills.

Are you licensed to work in Van Nuys?

Yes, Green Design and Build holds California General Building Contractor license CSLB #1110975 and is licensed, bonded and insured for residential work in Van Nuys 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 specialty-trade partners.

Stop by the office or have us come to you

We are at 16120 Sherman Way in Van Nuys, open every day from 8 AM to 6 PM, and a site visit anywhere in Van Nuys or Lake Balboa takes us minutes. Tell us what you want to build and we will give you a written estimate you can hold us to.