General Contractor in Woodland Hills
Green Design and Build is a licensed general contractor (CSLB #1110975) based at 16120 Sherman Way in Van Nuys, about 20 minutes east of Woodland Hills by the 101 or Ventura Boulevard. 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.
Woodland Hills is part of the City of Los Angeles, so permits run through LADBS like the rest of the Valley, but the neighborhood has two things most of the Valley does not: the largest residential lots on the flats and the hottest summers in the city. Both change how we design a project here.
Woodland Hills, north and south of the boulevard
South of Ventura Boulevard — the hills. From the boulevard up to Mulholland Drive, Woodland Hills climbs into the Santa Monica Mountains on winding streets around the Woodland Hills Country Club, Carlton Terrace and the canyons toward Topanga. Homes are 1950s–70s ranches and later custom houses on sloped lots. Any addition, ADU or new structure falls under the City of Los Angeles Baseline Hillside Ordinance, which limits floor area and grading by slope, and most parcels are inside a Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone. That means a geotechnical report before design, engineered retaining walls or caissons, Chapter 7A ignition-resistant exteriors and Class A roofing, and a longer plan check. We have done this sequence many times and set it out at the first site visit.
North of the boulevard — the flats and the big lots. Between Ventura Boulevard and Victory Boulevard, and especially in Walnut Acres and the streets west of Winnetka, Woodland Hills has some of the largest single-family lots in the Valley — a half acre and more — with mature trees, long driveways and room for a full-size detached ADU, a pool house, a second garage or a substantial addition without touching a setback. Housing is 1950s and 1960s ranch, with the usual findings: galvanized supply lines, 100-amp panels, original single-pane aluminum windows and, on raised foundations, unbolted sill plates unless a prior owner retrofitted after 1994.
Warner Center is mostly multi-family and commercial; our work in Woodland Hills is the single-family neighborhoods on either side of it.
Building for heat in the west Valley
Woodland Hills regularly records the highest temperatures in the City of Los Angeles, and it shows in the projects. Roof replacements here are where we most often recommend cool-roof shingles or reflective tile; window replacements go to low-E glass with careful attention to west-facing walls; additions get insulation above code minimum and ducts inside the conditioned space where the design allows. Outdoor living is the other side of the same coin: solid-roof patio covers, louvered covers and shaded outdoor kitchens are among the most requested projects on the large flat lots, and our patio cover cost guide explains what each system costs installed.
ADUs in Woodland Hills
Woodland Hills lots on the flats are among the best in the city for a detached ADU: a full 1,200 sq ft unit with its own yard is often possible without crowding the main house, and garage conversions of the detached garages common in the 1950s tracts are straightforward. Hillside lots south of the boulevard can add an ADU too, but the hillside ordinance, a soils report and fire-zone construction rules lengthen the design phase. Permits go through LADBS, which must act on a complete ADU application within 60 days, and the LADBS ADU Standard Plan Program can shorten plan check. Run your address through our ADU rules calculator and read how much it costs to build an ADU before you get quotes.
What we build in Woodland Hills
- Kitchen remodeling — opening 1950s and 1960s ranch kitchens to the family room and the yard. 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; engineered hillside ADUs south of the boulevard.
- Room additions — primary suites and second stories on the large lots; stepped or cantilevered additions in the hills.
- Whole-home renovations of original ranches, replacing every system under one permit. See our remodeling services.
- Foundation and structural work — seismic bolting, hillside retaining walls and drainage. See warning signs your foundation needs repair.
- Roofing — cool-roof systems and Class A assemblies in the fire zone. Our post on whether you need a permit to replace your roof in Los Angeles applies here.
- Windows and doors, flooring and painting.
- Patio covers, pavers and outdoor living — including pool decks and outdoor kitchens.
- 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 Woodland Hills
Woodland Hills is inside the City of Los Angeles, so every permit goes through LADBS, and the Valley counter is the LADBS Van Nuys office — the same office that serves our home base. We prepare and submit the plans, respond to corrections and schedule every inspection. Hillside and fire-zone parcels add the geotechnical report and Chapter 7A materials described above. Our San Fernando Valley page covers the wider Valley, and our Los Angeles page explains the LADBS process in detail.
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
Is my Woodland Hills home in a fire zone?
Most Woodland Hills parcels south of Ventura Boulevard are inside a Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone mapped by the Los Angeles Fire Department, while the flats north of the boulevard generally 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 Woodland Hills project and specifies compliant materials in the plans.
Can I build an ADU in Woodland Hills?
Yes, Woodland Hills lots on the flats north of Ventura Boulevard are among the largest in the Valley and can usually take a detached ADU of up to 1,200 sq ft or a garage conversion, with LADBS required to act on a complete application within 60 days. Hillside lots south of the boulevard can also add an ADU, subject to the hillside ordinance, a geotechnical report and fire-zone construction rules. 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 Woodland Hills hills?
Yes, almost any addition, ADU or new structure on a sloped lot south of Ventura Boulevard requires a geotechnical report from a licensed geologist under the City of Los Angeles Baseline Hillside Ordinance, 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 rather than revised after.
How much does a kitchen remodel cost in Woodland Hills?
A Woodland Hills kitchen remodel depends on whether walls come out, whether the plumbing and panel are original, and the finish level, and the large ranch kitchens here often become open-plan projects with a beam and new electrical. 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 Woodland Hills?
Green Design and Build’s office at 16120 Sherman Way in Van Nuys is about 20 minutes from Woodland Hills by the 101 Freeway or Ventura Boulevard. Site visits are easy to schedule and crews arrive 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 Woodland Hills?
Yes, Green Design and Build holds California General Building Contractor license CSLB #1110975 and is licensed, bonded and insured for residential work in Woodland Hills 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.
Kitchen remodeling in Woodland Hills
Kitchens are a large share of what we build in Woodland Hills. For the local permit path, what the work costs and photographs of a Woodland Hills kitchen we finished, see kitchen remodeling in Woodland Hills.
Plan your Woodland Hills remodel with a contractor twenty minutes away
Tell us whether your home is on the flats or in the hills 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.