Custom Home Building · Burbank
Custom Home Building in Burbank, CA
Ground-up homes and tear-down rebuilds on Burbank lots, from the flat post-war blocks to the Verdugo foothills, managed from feasibility and plan check through final inspection.
- Licensed California general contractor
- Permits with the City of Burbank
- Written, line-item estimates
- Design, engineering & construction
Burbank, CA
Custom Home Building for Burbank Homeowners
We handle custom home building in Burbank from the first look at the lot to the final inspection, including tear-down rebuilds on the city's older parcels. Simply Construction is a licensed California general contractor, and we coordinate the architect, structural engineer, soils engineer and city reviewers so a single team answers for the result.
A new Burbank house is shaped as much by the city's bulk rules as by the lot itself. We work those limits into the design early, so the square footage, ceiling heights and exterior character you choose are ones the Planning Division can approve without rounds of redesign.
Local Knowledge
What Shapes a New Custom Home in Burbank
Burbank caps floor area ratio at 0.4 in both the R-1 and R-1-H zones, and Ordinance 17-3,890, adopted in January 2017, tightened the rules on the mass and bulk of new single-family homes. One detail matters a great deal for custom design: any interior ceiling or top of plate higher than 12 feet counts twice toward floor area. A double-height entry or a tall great room therefore spends square footage you might want elsewhere, and we model those trade-offs before plans are drawn.
New homes in the R-1 and R-1-H zones must post a public notice sign on the site, and larger homes are reviewed against the city's Single Family Design Guidelines and neighborhood compatibility provisions. On the flat blocks, that means designing with the scale of the surrounding post-war ranch houses and prewar Spanish Colonial Revival and Tudor homes in mind.
In the Hillside District along the Verdugo foothills, a new home needs a Hillside Development Permit, the city expects the house to follow the natural topography, and any slope over 20 percent brings soils and geological reports. Much of the foothill area is also in the Mountain Fire Zone, where ignition-resistant construction is required.
What's Included
What Our Burbank Custom Home Service Includes
- Early feasibility review of lot area, the 0.4 FAR, setbacks and plate heights before design begins
- Coordination of the architect, structural engineer and, on hillside lots, soils and geology consultants
- Preparation for Single Family Design Guidelines review, the public notice sign and Planning comments
- Hillside Development Permit applications, including view and topography considerations, where the lot requires one
- Ignition-resistant construction details for homes inside Burbank's Mountain Fire Zone
- Title 24 energy compliance, including the solar PV required on most new single-family homes
- Demolition, foundation, framing, systems, finishes and final inspection under one contract
For the full scope, process and options, see our main custom home building page, or browse everything we build on our Burbank service area page.
Planning Considerations
Planning Decisions That Matter on a Burbank Build
Ceiling height versus square footage
Because Burbank counts floor area twice wherever an interior ceiling or plate height exceeds 12 feet, a tall room can use up double its footprint in allowable area. We talk through where height matters most to you, often the entry, living room or primary suite, and keep other rooms at conventional heights so the house stays within the 0.4 limit without feeling compressed.
Hillside lots take longer to plan
A Hillside Development Permit adds a discretionary review on top of plan check. The city weighs the design against views from neighboring hillside properties and expects the structure to follow the slope rather than flatten it. Soils and geology reports, drainage design and fire-resistant construction details all have to be settled before building permits issue, so we start that work early and budget for it from the outset.
Energy code timing
California's 2025 Energy Code applies to permit applications submitted on or after January 1, 2026, and Title 24 has required solar PV on most new single-family homes since 2020. For a Burbank custom home, that affects roof layout, electrical service sizing and wall and window specifications. We build those requirements into the design documents so nothing changes late in plan check.
Why Choose Us
Why Burbank Homeowners Choose Simply Construction
Licensed, Bonded and Easy to Verify
Simply Construction inc. is a licensed California general contractor, CSLB [CSLB LICENSE # PLACEHOLDER]. State law requires a license for any job of $1,000 or more in labor and materials, and anyone can check a contractor's license, bond and workers' compensation status on the CSLB website in about a minute. We encourage every Burbank homeowner to do exactly that before signing with anyone, including us.
One Team From Plans to Final Inspection
Design, engineering, permitting and construction sit under one contract and one project lead, so nobody points fingers between the designer, the engineer and the builder when a detail changes. You get one schedule, one point of contact and regular progress updates from the first site visit through the final inspection and sign-off on your Burbank project.
Written, Line-Item Estimates
Before you commit, you receive a written estimate that breaks the project into its real parts: design and engineering, permit and utility fees, foundation, framing, systems, finishes and site work. Allowances are named and priced, so you can see where your selections move the budget. If the scope changes, the numbers change on paper first, never as a surprise on the final invoice.
More in Burbank
Other Services in Burbank
FAQ
Custom Home Building in Burbank: Common Questions
How long does it take to permit a custom home in Burbank?
It depends on the site and the design. A flat-lot home goes through Planning review, the public notice step and Building and Safety plan check. A hillside home adds the Hillside Development Permit plus soils and geology review. We give you a realistic schedule once we have seen the lot and the city's first round of comments, rather than quoting a number up front.
Can I tear down an older house and rebuild?
Usually, but first check whether the house is a designated historic resource or sits in a local historic district, since the city's historic preservation ordinance, updated in 2011, allows it to designate both. For other homes, the new design must meet current zoning, the 0.4 floor area limit and the design guidelines. We confirm status before you commit to demolition.
Is solar required on a new custom home in Burbank?
California's Title 24 energy code has required solar PV on most new single-family homes since January 1, 2020, and new Burbank homes fall under that rule. System size depends on the home's design and energy model. We plan panel placement together with the roof design so it works with the architecture and any hillside design review.
Start Your Project
Planning a Custom Home in Burbank?
Tell us about your property and goals. We will walk the site, flag anything the City of Burbank will care about, and give you a written, line-item estimate.
Licensed California General Contractor · CSLB [CSLB LICENSE # PLACEHOLDER]