Service Area · Los Angeles County
General Contractor in Pasadena, CA
Custom homes, ADUs, additions and garages for Pasadena properties, from Craftsman bungalows in landmark districts to hillside lots in the San Rafael Hills and the foothills above Hastings Ranch.
- Licensed California general contractor
- Custom homes, ADUs & additions
- Permits with the City of Pasadena
- Written, line-item estimates
Pasadena, CA
Your Pasadena Builder for Homes, ADUs and Additions
Hiring Simply Construction as your general contractor in Pasadena means one licensed team for the large projects: new custom homes, ADUs behind older houses, garage conversions, room and second-story additions, and new garages. One contract covers everything from the first lot study to the final sign-off, including the city's planning, historic and building reviews.
Pasadena's houses are among the most admired in Southern California, and the city reviews changes to them with care. Historic designation, design review, hillside standards and tree protections can all apply to a single lot. We identify them at the start so the design, schedule and budget rest on the real requirements rather than on hopeful assumptions.
What We Build Here
Our Services in Pasadena
Every project below is planned, permitted and built by one licensed team. Choose a service to see how it works in Pasadena.
Custom Home Building in Pasadena
A new custom home in Pasadena often means working within the hillside development overlay, protected trees and design review, and on some lots, resolving historic questions before any demolition. We coordinate the architect, engineers, arborist and city reviews so the home you design can be approved and built without late surprises.
ADU Construction in Pasadena
Pasadena, often credited with originating the bungalow court, has a long tradition of small homes set behind larger ones. We build detached and attached ADUs across the city under state law and local standards, designing units in landmark districts to suit the Craftsman or period-revival house in front.
Garage Conversions in Pasadena
Detached garages at the end of long driveways are common on Pasadena's older lots, and many can become permitted ADUs without replacement parking under state law. We evaluate the structure first, then handle the floor, insulation, egress, utilities and finish work a real living space requires.
Room Additions in Pasadena
Room additions to Pasadena's Craftsman and period homes need to match proportions, materials and details that owners and reviewers know well. On designated properties, additions are reviewed for compatibility and usually placed toward the rear. We design and build additions that respect the original house.
Second-Story Additions in Pasadena
Second stories in Pasadena face close scrutiny, especially in landmark districts where one-story bungalows set the scale of the street. Where an upper floor is possible, we shape it to sit back and stay subordinate, and we engineer the older raised foundation to carry the new load safely.
Garage Construction in Pasadena
New garages in Pasadena are often rebuilt at the rear of long, narrow lots or fitted carefully onto hillside parcels. We design garages that match the house, work around protected trees and, where the lot allows, combine the garage with an ADU for rental or family use.
Whole-House Remodeling in Pasadena
A whole-house renovation of a Pasadena Craftsman or revival home replaces aging wiring, plumbing and heating while keeping the woodwork, built-ins and windows that define the house. For designated properties, we plan exterior changes around the Certificate of Appropriateness process from the first meeting, so interior work can proceed on schedule.
Kitchen Remodeling in Pasadena
Kitchen remodels in Pasadena homes often aim to open a small original kitchen to the rest of the house while preserving the character of its era. We handle structural changes, new systems, cabinetry detailed for Craftsman or revival interiors, and permits through the city, with lighting and ventilation brought up to current code.
Bathroom Remodeling in Pasadena
Pasadena bathroom remodels range from restoring the character of an early bungalow bath to building a new primary suite in a mid-century home. We rebuild each one with proper waterproofing, ventilation and code-compliant electrical, and we choose tile and fixtures that suit the era of the house.
Fire Rebuilds in Pasadena
Homes in Pasadena's foothill and hillside areas face real wildfire exposure, and rebuilding there calls for ignition-resistant roofing, siding, vents and glazing. We manage fire rebuilds in the city from the cleared lot through engineering, plan check, construction and final inspection, coordinating utilities along the way.
Junior ADUs (JADU) in Pasadena
In a large Pasadena Craftsman or revival home, a back bedroom or sleeping porch can sometimes become a junior ADU without any addition. JADUs stay within the existing walls, top out at 500 square feet, need at least an efficiency kitchen, and require the owner to occupy either the house or the unit.
SB 9 Lot Splits & Duplexes in Pasadena
Because SB 9 generally doesn't apply in historic districts or on listed landmarks, homes in Pasadena's landmark districts usually fall outside it. Elsewhere, we check lot size against the rule that each new parcel be at least 1,200 square feet and 40 percent of the original, plus the fire hazard map, before design.
Patios, Decks & Outdoor Living in Pasadena
Pasadena's gardens and mild climate make outdoor living a natural extension of the house. We build patio covers, pergolas, decks and outdoor kitchens that suit Craftsman and period architecture, working around protected trees and root zones and, on hillside lots, meeting fire-resistant material requirements for decks and covers.
Local Knowledge
Building in Pasadena: Craftsman Streets, Hillsides and Historic Review
Pasadena was a center of the Arts and Crafts movement, and the Gamble House by Greene and Greene is among its best-known landmarks. Bungalow Heaven, Historic Highlands and Garfield Heights hold large concentrations of early twentieth-century Craftsman bungalows, and Spanish, Tudor and Colonial revival homes fill many blocks built in the years that followed. After World War II, ranch and mid-century modern houses spread into areas such as Hastings Ranch and the hills of Linda Vista.
The city protects that character through landmark districts, individual designations and design review. Exterior changes to designated properties generally need a Certificate of Appropriateness, and the Secretary of the Interior's Standards guide how additions to historic buildings are judged. A tree protection ordinance also covers many native and specimen trees on private property.
Terrain adds another layer. The Arroyo Seco runs along the west side of the city past the Rose Bowl, the San Rafael Hills rise beyond it, and the San Gabriel Mountains frame the north. A hillside development overlay applies to many sloped areas, and parts of the hills are very high fire hazard severity zones. The 2025 Eaton Fire, which burned mostly in neighboring Altadena, made fire-resistant construction a practical concern across the region.
Why Choose Us
Why Pasadena 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 Pasadena 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 Pasadena 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.
Nearby Service Areas
We Also Build Near Pasadena
FAQ
Building in Pasadena: Common Questions
Is my Pasadena home in a landmark district?
Pasadena has a number of landmark districts and individually designated historic properties, and designation affects which exterior changes need review. City planning staff can confirm your property's status, and we check it at the start of every project. If your home is designated, we plan the design around the Certificate of Appropriateness process.
Do protected trees affect my project?
They can. Pasadena's tree protection ordinance covers many native, specimen and landmark trees on private property, and construction near them may need protection measures, or approval before any removal. We map the trees on your lot early and design around them where possible, which usually costs less than pursuing removal.
What is the hillside development overlay?
It is a zoning overlay that applies extra standards to many sloped properties in the city, addressing matters such as house size, grading, height and how a home fits its neighborhood. If your lot is in the overlay, new homes and larger additions follow those rules. We confirm whether it applies during feasibility.
How do I protect myself when hiring a contractor in Pasadena?
Before signing, look the contractor up on the CSLB website to confirm the license is active and that bonding and workers' compensation are on file. California requires a written contract for home improvement work over $500, and the down payment can't exceed $1,000 or 10 percent of the contract price, whichever is less. Simply Construction is a licensed California general contractor and follows those rules.
Start Your Project
Start Your Pasadena 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]