Service Area · Los Angeles County
General Contractor in Oakwood, CA
Additions, ADUs and new homes on Oakwood's bungalow lots in Venice, planned around the Venice Coastal Zone Specific Plan, coastal permits and the height limits that shape every second story here.
- Licensed California general contractor
- Custom homes, ADUs & additions
- Permits with LADBS
- Written, line-item estimates
Oakwood, CA
Building and Remodeling in Oakwood
Simply Construction takes on work as a general contractor in Oakwood, the residential neighborhood of Venice between Lincoln Boulevard and the inland side of Abbot Kinney Boulevard. Here, a second story, an ADU or a new house is shaped as much by coastal rules as by the lot itself. Oakwood lies in the California Coastal Zone and under the Venice Coastal Zone Specific Plan, so City Planning reviews most projects before LADBS will issue a building permit.
Our work in Oakwood runs from zoning research and planning sign-off through plan check, inspections and final, all under one licensed California general contractor. With neighbors close on every side, we plan staging, deliveries and work hours around the block, and we tell owners early which parts of a wish list the height and coastal rules will allow.
Local Knowledge
Oakwood's History and the Rules That Shape Building in Venice
Oakwood grew out of the community of workers who helped build Abbot Kinney's Venice in the early 1900s. By the 1920s, a Black community had formed north of Electric Avenue between Westminster and San Juan Avenues, and for decades Oakwood was the only part of Venice where Black residents could own property. That history shows in its landmarks, including the First Baptist Church of Venice, founded in 1910 and named a Historic-Cultural Monument in 2021, and Reese-Tabor Park, the former Oakwood Recreation Center.
The housing began as early 1900s California bungalows and craftsman homes, with some mid-size apartment buildings added in the 1960s and 1970s and newer duplexes and modern houses since. Oakwood falls in the Oakwood-Milwood-Southeast Venice subarea of the Venice Coastal Zone Specific Plan. For single-family homes, the height limit is 25 feet with a flat roof and 30 feet with a varied or stepped-back roofline, meaning a roof sloped more than 2 inches in 12. Improvements to an existing house generally go through the simpler Director of Planning sign-off. Demolishing or converting housing in the coastal zone also requires a Mello Act determination on affordable units.
Services
Construction & Remodeling Services in Oakwood
From ground-up homes to kitchens, here is how each of our services applies to Oakwood properties.
Custom Home Building in Oakwood
Custom home building in Oakwood almost always replaces an existing bungalow, so coastal review sets the terms before the design is final. Demolishing a dwelling in Venice calls for a Mello Act determination, and the new house must stay within the specific plan's height limits: 25 feet with a flat roof, or 30 feet with a varied roofline. That extra height was meant to encourage varied roof forms, and good Oakwood designs use it that way. We sequence the coastal clearance, planning sign-off and LADBS plan check so no approval stalls the next.
ADU Construction in Oakwood
Many Oakwood lots leave room behind the house for a detached ADU, and state law requires the city to allow at least 800 square feet with 4-foot side and rear setbacks. An ADU in Venice is still development in the coastal zone, so it needs coastal clearance alongside the building permit. We plan the unit around the existing house, trees and utility routes, and for owners who want to avoid impact fees, we keep the 750-square-foot threshold in view from the first sketch.
Garage Conversions in Oakwood
Where an Oakwood lot has a detached garage at the rear, converting it into an ADU is often the quickest way to add a unit without changing the bungalow's face to the street. State law says the conversion does not require replacement parking, which helps on lots with no room for a new space. An older garage often needs new footings, insulation, a raised floor or new slab, and a full utility run from the house, so we inspect the structure closely before pricing.
Room Additions in Oakwood
A ground-floor addition in Oakwood trades yard for interior space on lots where neither is generous, so the design has to earn every foot. We work out setbacks, lot coverage and the specific plan's requirements before sketching, and shape the addition so the original bungalow still reads clearly from the street. Many early bungalows sit on raised foundations, so tying new footings and floor framing to the old structure takes careful leveling and engineering.
Second-Story Additions in Oakwood
The Venice height rules shape a second story in Oakwood more than anything else. A flat roof caps the house at 25 feet, while a varied or stepped-back roofline allows 30, so many second-floor designs use pitched roofs or set the upper floor back from the street. The existing bungalow's foundation usually needs engineering review and new footings to carry the added load. We show owners massing options early so they can weigh height, light and neighbor impact before committing.
Garage Construction in Oakwood
A new garage in Oakwood can be built with an ADU above it, making better use of a compact rear yard. That combination has to satisfy coastal review, the specific plan and the state ADU rules at the same time, including height. We design the structure, obtain the approvals and build it with the fire separation and sound control a two-level garage and dwelling needs, keeping the roof form consistent with the Venice roofline rules.
Whole-House Remodeling in Oakwood
A whole-house remodel of an early 1900s Oakwood bungalow often means replacing ungrounded or knob-and-tube wiring, aging plumbing and undersized electrical service while keeping the porch, windows and trim that give the house its character. In the coastal zone, the scope of work affects which review applies, so we define the remodel carefully with the planning sign-off in mind. Being this close to the beach also guides our choice of fasteners, flashing and exterior finishes.
Kitchen Remodeling in Oakwood
Oakwood kitchens in original bungalows are often small and closed off from the living room. Opening them up usually means removing or reworking a bearing wall with an engineered beam, plus a new electrical panel for modern appliances. On a compact footprint, we plan storage, ventilation and appliance clearances down to the inch, because there is little room to recover from a layout mistake in a house of this size.
Bathroom Remodeling in Oakwood
Many early Oakwood bungalows were built with a single bathroom, so a remodel may mean adding a second bath or reworking the plan to fit a primary suite. We rebuild with a proper waterproofing membrane, a ducted exhaust fan and new supply and drain lines, since original piping in houses of this age is near the end of its service life. In salt air a few blocks from the ocean, we choose fixtures and hardware that resist corrosion.
Fire Rebuilds in Oakwood
Oakwood is not a wildfire area, so rebuilding here usually follows a house fire. We work through the insurance scope, remove damaged framing and systems, and rebuild to current code. In Venice, a rebuild still passes through the coastal and specific plan steps, and we confirm early whether the damaged house can be restored in its existing form or must meet today's height and setback rules, since that decision shapes the whole budget.
Junior ADUs (JADU) in Oakwood
A junior ADU fits an Oakwood bungalow when a bedroom or attached garage near a side door can become a unit of up to 500 square feet with an efficiency kitchen. Because it stays inside the existing walls, it adds no height or footprint, which keeps it clear of the specific plan's massing limits. State rules tie a JADU to owner occupancy, so the owner must live in the main house or the JADU itself.
SB 9 Lot Splits & Duplexes in Oakwood
SB 9 can allow two units on a qualifying Oakwood lot, but Venice's coastal rules still apply: the project needs coastal review, and replacing existing housing brings a Mello Act determination. SB 9 also excludes listed historic landmarks. A lot split requires each new parcel to be at least 1,200 square feet and at least 40 percent of the original lot, so we check lot size, any historic designation and the owner-occupancy affidavit before recommending a path.
Patios, Decks & Outdoor Living in Oakwood
Outdoor space on an Oakwood lot is limited, and the mild coastal climate means a well-planned patio or roof deck gets used year-round. Roof decks need care, since the Venice specific plan regulates building height and roof access structures, so they have to be designed into the massing from the start. At grade, we build patios, pergolas and outdoor kitchens from materials that handle salt air, with drainage that moves water away from a bungalow's raised foundation.
Why Choose Us
Why Oakwood Homeowners Choose Simply Construction
Contracts Written the Way California Law Requires
California caps a home improvement down payment at $1,000 or 10 percent of the contract price, whichever is less, and after that a contractor may only bill for work completed or materials delivered. Our contracts follow that structure: a line-item scope, a payment schedule tied to finished milestones, and written change orders before any extra work begins. You always know what you are paying for and why.
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 Oakwood
FAQ
Building in Oakwood: Common Questions
Which Oakwood does this page cover?
This page covers Oakwood in Venice, the City of Los Angeles neighborhood generally between Rose Avenue and California Avenue, with Lincoln Boulevard on one side and Abbot Kinney Boulevard on the other. Building permits here go through LADBS and Los Angeles City Planning, with coastal review and the Venice Coastal Zone Specific Plan layered on top.
Is Oakwood in the coastal zone?
Yes. Oakwood is part of Venice, which lies in the California Coastal Zone and under the Venice Coastal Zone Specific Plan. Most construction needs coastal clearance in addition to a building permit, and for covered projects LADBS will not issue a permit until the Director of Planning signs off that the work complies with the specific plan.
How tall can a new home or second story be in Oakwood?
For single-family homes in the Oakwood area, the Venice plan allows 25 feet with a flat roof and 30 feet with a varied or stepped-back roofline. A varied roof is one sloped more than 2 inches per foot. The additional height is meant to encourage variety in rooflines, so a design that uses it usually looks quite different from a flat-topped box.
Does tearing down a bungalow in Oakwood trigger the Mello Act?
Demolishing or converting housing in the Los Angeles coastal zone, including Venice, requires a Mello Act determination. The review checks whether the existing unit is occupied by a low- or moderate-income household, and if so, it can require replacement affordable units or an in-lieu fee. We build that review into the schedule for tear-downs and SB 9 projects.
Start Your Project
Start Your Oakwood 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]