Service Area · Los Angeles County
General Contractor in Chatsworth, CA
Custom homes, ADUs, additions and garages for Chatsworth properties, from Lake Manor ranch parcels to gated estate lots, planned around equinekeeping zoning, hillside rules and LADBS review.
- Licensed California general contractor
- Custom homes, ADUs & additions
- Permits with LADBS
- Written, line-item estimates
Chatsworth, CA
Building and Remodeling in Chatsworth
Simply Construction works as a general contractor in Chatsworth for homeowners taking on large projects: ground-up custom homes, detached ADUs, room and second-story additions, garage conversions and new garages. Chatsworth sits at the northwest corner of the San Fernando Valley below the Santa Susana Mountains and the Simi Hills, and many lots here are bigger than the Valley norm, often with corrals, barns and long driveways already in place.
Because Chatsworth is part of the City of Los Angeles, permits go through the Department of Building and Safety (LADBS) and LA City Planning. We run that process as a licensed California general contractor, coordinating the architect, engineers and inspections, and we plan each job around how the property is really used, horses included.
Local Knowledge
Building on Chatsworth's Ranch Lots and Rocky Hillsides
Chatsworth's rural streak is written into its zoning. Large parts of the community carry RE, RA or A1 zoning, and some blocks sit inside a K Equinekeeping District, a supplemental district the city created to protect the keeping of horses. LADBS will not issue a permit for new habitable space on lots zoned A1, A2, RE20, RE40 or RA, or inside a K district, until the city's equinekeeping review forms are complete. That step belongs at the start of a schedule, not the end.
The housing varies more than in most Valley neighborhoods. Chatsworth Lake Manor mixes 1940s and 1950s ranch houses with scattered new construction on large parcels, while gated Indian Springs Estates has estate lots governed by its own HOA and architectural review. Down on the Valley floor, single-story ranch houses on generous lots are the usual starting point for an addition or ADU.
The hills that give Chatsworth its character also carry fire risk. The 2008 Sesnon Fire forced evacuations in Lake Manor, Box Canyon, Woolsey Canyon and Browns Canyon, and hillside parcels fall under the city's Baseline Hillside Ordinance, which caps floor area. Near Stoney Point, a city Historic-Cultural Monument since 1974, the sandstone outcrops are a reminder that some sites can mean rock excavation before a foundation goes in.
Services
Construction & Remodeling Services in Chatsworth
From ground-up homes to kitchens, here is how each of our services applies to Chatsworth properties.
Custom Home Building in Chatsworth
A custom home in Chatsworth often starts on a large lot that already has a barn, arena or corrals, and the site plan has to settle what stays. On RE and RA lots, and inside K districts, the equinekeeping review must clear before LADBS issues the permit, so we start it with the first plan set. Parcels in the hills near Lake Manor and the Santa Susana Pass fall under the Baseline Hillside Ordinance, which limits floor area and shapes grading. Rooftop solar is required on new homes under Title 24, so we design it in from the first drawings.
ADU Construction in Chatsworth
Chatsworth's wide lots make a detached ADU easy to place, but horses complicate the layout. We keep the unit clear of corrals, manure areas and any recorded trail easement, and we check it against the equinekeeping review LADBS requires for new habitable space on horse-zoned lots. State law still guarantees at least an 800 square foot ADU with 4-foot side and rear setbacks, and a detached unit can reach 16 feet in height. The city has 60 days to act on a complete application, which keeps the permit side predictable.
Garage Conversions in Chatsworth
Plenty of Chatsworth ranch houses have attached garages that end up as storage while trucks and horse trailers take the driveway. Turning that garage into an ADU or a guest suite does not trigger replacement parking under state law, which matters on a lot where the driveway already serves trailers. We add a slab moisture barrier, insulation, egress windows and a dedicated electrical subpanel, and we match the stucco and roofline so the conversion reads as part of the original ranch house.
Room Additions in Chatsworth
Single-story ranch houses on Chatsworth's larger lots suit ground-floor additions, since there is usually room to extend without crowding the setbacks. We add primary suites and family rooms that tie into the existing roof pitch and foundation, and we look at how the addition changes access to the back of the lot, where corrals, tack rooms and hay storage often sit. On lots near the hills, a soils report shapes the footing design before framing is drawn.
Second-Story Additions in Chatsworth
When a Chatsworth family adds a second story, it is usually to keep ground space free for horses, a pool or a future ADU. The footings under a single-story ranch house often can't carry a new floor as built, so a structural engineer sizes new foundations and shear walls before framing starts. On hillside parcels the Baseline Hillside Ordinance caps total floor area, and on flat lots the Baseline Mansionization Ordinance does the same, so we confirm the allowable size before design goes far.
Garage Construction in Chatsworth
On a Chatsworth horse property, a new garage often needs bays deep enough for a truck, room for a trailer or a workshop, or an ADU above or beside it. We design the structure, driveway and apron together so a trailer can still be turned on the lot, and we keep the building clear of corrals and any trail easement. A garage paired with an ADU is permitted through LADBS as one coordinated project, which saves a second round of plan check.
Whole-House Remodeling in Chatsworth
Chatsworth Lake Manor and other older pockets have ranch houses from the 1940s and 1950s, and some still run on original wiring, galvanized plumbing and single-pane windows. A whole-house remodel replaces those systems while the walls are open, then reworks the floor plan for how the household lives now. We phase the work so animals on the property can stay put, and we keep the long, low ranch profile that suits the setting.
Kitchen Remodeling in Chatsworth
In a Chatsworth ranch house, the kitchen is often a closed room in the middle of a long, low plan. Opening it to the family room usually means removing a bearing wall and carrying the roof on a new beam, which needs engineering and an LADBS permit. We also look at the service entry from the garage or barn side, since on a working horse property the back door sees as much traffic as the front, and a mudroom or wash station there earns its space.
Bathroom Remodeling in Chatsworth
Bathroom remodels in Chatsworth range from the original hall bath in a 1950s ranch to a new primary bath in an Indian Springs estate. Older homes here may still have cast iron drains and galvanized supply lines, which should be replaced while the floor is open. We build with full waterproofing membranes under tile, proper exhaust ventilation and curbless showers where the structure allows. On horse properties, a rinse-off shower or half bath near the barn-side entrance is a practical addition.
Fire Rebuilds in Chatsworth
Chatsworth's western and northern edges back onto brush-covered hills, and the 2008 Sesnon Fire forced evacuations in Lake Manor, Box Canyon, Woolsey Canyon and Browns Canyon. If a home is lost or badly damaged, we manage the rebuild from the cleared lot through LADBS plan check to final inspection. A rebuild in a hillside fire zone has to meet California's wildland-urban interface standards: ember-resistant vents, ignition-resistant roofing and siding, and tempered glazing. Barns, fencing and hay storage are planned with ignition in mind too.
Junior ADUs (JADU) in Chatsworth
A junior ADU is a practical fit for a Chatsworth ranch house with an attached garage or an oversized bedroom wing. It must stay within 500 square feet, sit inside the walls of the existing home, and include at least an efficiency kitchen. Because it adds no footprint, a JADU leaves corrals and barns where they are, and it is a simple way to house a relative or a ranch hand close to the animals. On horse-zoned lots we still confirm whether the equinekeeping review applies.
SB 9 Lot Splits & Duplexes in Chatsworth
SB 9 may allow a lot split or a second primary unit on some Chatsworth single-family lots, but eligibility is decided parcel by parcel. Hillside land mapped in a Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone is excluded unless the project adopts the required fire mitigation measures. Horse properties carry another trade-off: horsekeeping requires a minimum lot area, so splitting a large lot can mean one or both parcels no longer qualify for horses. We run those numbers before you commit, then build the units once the split is approved.
Patios, Decks & Outdoor Living in Chatsworth
Outdoor living in Chatsworth runs hotter and drier than near the coast, so shade matters. We build solid patio covers, pergolas and outdoor kitchens oriented against the afternoon sun, often with views toward the sandstone of Stoney Point or the Santa Susana Mountains. On hillside lots in a fire zone, decks and covers need ignition-resistant materials, and we keep outdoor kitchens and gas lines a sensible distance from dry brush, corrals and hay storage.
Why Choose Us
Why Chatsworth 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 Chatsworth homeowner to do exactly that before signing with anyone, including us.
Permits Handled With LADBS
Most delays on large residential projects start at the permit counter. We prepare the drawing set, coordinate structural and Title 24 energy calculations, answer plan-check comments and schedule inspections with LADBS, so you are not the one chasing corrections. For ADUs, state law requires the agency to act on a complete application within 60 days, and a complete, well-coordinated submittal is what starts that clock.
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.
Nearby Service Areas
We Also Build Near Chatsworth
FAQ
Building in Chatsworth: Common Questions
Do I need special approval to build on a horse-zoned lot in Chatsworth?
If your lot is zoned A1, A2, RE20, RE40 or RA, or sits inside a K Equinekeeping District, LADBS will not issue a permit for new habitable space until the city's equinekeeping review is completed. The review looks at how the project affects the property's ability to keep horses. We start that paperwork alongside the first plan set so it does not hold up plan check later.
Is my Chatsworth lot covered by the city's hillside rules?
Los Angeles designates hillside areas on its zoning maps, and a lot inside one falls under the Baseline Hillside Ordinance instead of the Baseline Mansionization Ordinance. Both cap residential floor area, but the hillside rules also bring slope, grading and height into the calculation. Lots in the hills around Lake Manor and the Santa Susana Pass are the most likely to be affected. We check the designation in the city's parcel records before design starts.
Can construction go on while horses stay on the property?
Usually, with planning. We fence off the work zone, keep paths open to barns and paddocks, and schedule noisy equipment and large deliveries so they disturb the animals as little as possible. For heavier phases such as grading and foundation work on a new home, some owners choose to board horses elsewhere for a few weeks. We map out staging and access with you before the job starts.
Start Your Project
Start Your Chatsworth Project
Tell us what you are planning. We will visit the property, talk through options and costs, and send a written, line-item estimate.
Licensed California General Contractor · CSLB [CSLB LICENSE # PLACEHOLDER]