Service Area · Los Angeles County
General Contractor in Valley Village, CA
ADUs, room additions, second stories and new custom homes for Valley Village's 1930s cottages and post-war ranch houses, drawn to the neighborhood's height and floor area rules and built under one contract.
- Licensed California general contractor
- Custom homes, ADUs & additions
- Permits with LADBS
- Written, line-item estimates
Valley Village, CA
Building and Remodeling in Valley Village
Simply Construction works as a general contractor in Valley Village, building ADUs, additions, second stories and custom homes on the neighborhood's level single-family lots. Valley Village took shape in the 1930s, when studio workers built houses here, and it filled out after the war with stucco ranch homes that many owners are now enlarging or replacing.
A large project here answers to two sets of rules at once: the city's single-family floor area limits and the Valley Village Specific Plan, which adds its own height cap. We resolve both before design is finalized, then carry the work through LADBS plan check, construction and final inspection as the licensed California general contractor responsible for the job.
Local Knowledge
What Shapes a Remodel or New Build in Valley Village
Valley Village sits between Studio City and North Hollywood. Wilson Weddington, remembered as the founder of North Hollywood, settled in the area for good in 1892, and Weddington Street still carries the family name. Studio workers built some of the first houses here in the 1930s, and in 1939 residents incorporated a community association with plans for parkways, cycling paths and small parks. Most blocks filled in after World War II with single-story ranch houses, alongside earlier Spanish and period cottages and, more recently, two-story new construction and condominium buildings.
The Valley Village Specific Plan, in effect since April 4, 1993, covers the area bounded by Burbank Boulevard, the Hollywood Freeway, the Ventura Freeway and the Tujunga Wash. Most of its rules target apartment and commercial projects, but it sets a 30-foot height limit that applies to single-family additions and new houses. Since March 2019, City Planning has not required a separate Specific Plan compliance review for single-family projects that fully meet the plan.
Everything else runs through LADBS. Flat single-family lots fall under the Baseline Mansionization Ordinance, and because houses share blocks with multi-unit buildings, window placement and privacy come up often in design.
Services
Construction & Remodeling Services in Valley Village
From ground-up homes to kitchens, here is how each of our services applies to Valley Village properties.
Custom Home Building in Valley Village
In Valley Village, a custom home usually means replacing an older one-story house on a level lot with a new two-story design. The Specific Plan's 30-foot height limit and the city's floor area cap together define the envelope, so we model both before your architect settles on a roof form. New homes also have to meet Title 24, which has required solar PV on most new single-family houses since 2020, and permit applications filed from January 1, 2026 fall under the 2025 Energy Code. We manage demolition, utility disconnections, grading and construction under one contract.
ADU Construction in Valley Village
Valley Village's level lots make a detached ADU fairly direct to site, usually in the rear yard where an old garage or lawn sits now. State rules protect an ADU of at least 800 square feet on 4-foot side and rear setbacks, and a detached unit can usually be as large as 1,200 square feet. Height is normally capped at 16 feet, rising to 18 feet within a half mile of major transit. With a G Line station at Laurel Canyon and Chandler, some lots may qualify for the taller limit, and we check yours before design. Units under 750 square feet are exempt from impact fees.
Garage Conversions in Valley Village
Detached garages at the back of Valley Village's 1940s and 1950s lots are natural candidates for a studio, office or rental ADU. Because the garage becomes an ADU, the city cannot require replacement parking for it. The work is mostly in the shell: we level or replace the slab where needed, add insulation and egress windows, build a bathroom with a new sewer connection, and upgrade the electrical service so both the house and the converted unit are properly supplied. A careful look at the old framing comes first, since it often sets the budget.
Room Additions in Valley Village
A ground-floor addition keeps a Valley Village ranch house on one level while adding a primary suite, family room or larger kitchen. Ranch houses here were built low and wide, so an addition usually extends toward the rear yard, and the roof has to carry over it without awkward transitions. We check the lot's remaining floor area under the Baseline Mansionization Ordinance first, then design footings, framing and the roof tie-in together so the new room reads as part of the original house.
Second-Story Additions in Valley Village
Second stories are one of the main ways Valley Village owners gain space without giving up the yard. The Specific Plan limits single-family homes to 30 feet in height, so plate heights and roof pitch for the new floor are set with that figure in mind from the start. Structurally, post-war houses often need new footings and shear walls to carry the added load, and a structural engineer confirms the scope before drawings are final. We also place upper-floor windows with neighbors in mind, since a second story looks down into adjacent yards.
Garage Construction in Valley Village
A new garage on a Valley Village lot may replace a small one-car structure from the 1940s or 1950s, and many owners now pair it with an ADU above or beside it. We lay out the garage and driveway around the existing curb cut where possible, frame and finish the building to match the house, and prepare the electrical for car charging. When an ADU is part of the plan, state ADU rules set its size and setbacks, while the garage portion follows the city's accessory building standards.
Whole-House Remodeling in Valley Village
Whole-house remodels in Valley Village often involve 1930s to 1950s houses that may still run on original wiring, galvanized pipe or an undersized electrical panel. We rebuild the systems first, then rework the layout, since many ranch plans hide the kitchen behind walls that can now open with a beam. Owners of the older Spanish and period cottages often want that character kept, so we restore arched openings and original windows where they are sound while bringing everything behind them up to current code.
Kitchen Remodeling in Valley Village
Post-war kitchens in Valley Village were small and closed off by current standards. Opening one to the living area usually means removing a bearing wall and installing a beam, relocating gas and plumbing, and adding circuits for today's appliances. Some households also plan their kitchens around particular cooking or dietary practices, with separate sinks, ovens or prep zones, and we set the plumbing, gas and cabinetry layout to support that from the start rather than adapting it later.
Bathroom Remodeling in Valley Village
In a Valley Village ranch house, a bathroom remodel often goes hand in hand with a layout change, such as turning a hall bath into a primary bath or borrowing space from a closet. We replace old drain and supply lines, build proper waterproofing behind tile, add exhaust fans vented outdoors, and install curbless showers where the slab or floor framing allows. In the older cottages, we can keep the proportions of a period bath while rebuilding everything behind the walls.
Fire Rebuilds in Valley Village
After a house fire in Valley Village, the rebuild has to meet today's rules, which can include the Specific Plan's 30-foot height limit, current floor area limits and the energy code, even if the original house predates all of them. We work with your insurance adjuster on the scope, document what can be saved, and handle demolition, permits and reconstruction through LADBS so the lot goes from a damaged house to a certificate of occupancy under one contract.
Junior ADUs (JADU) in Valley Village
A junior ADU fits well in a Valley Village house with an attached garage or a spare bedroom near a side door. It is capped at 500 square feet inside the existing walls, needs an efficiency kitchen and a separate entrance, and either the house or the JADU has to be the owner's home. It is a smaller step than a detached ADU for housing a parent or adult child close to the shops on Magnolia and Laurel Canyon and the G Line on Chandler.
SB 9 Lot Splits & Duplexes in Valley Village
SB 9 can allow a second primary unit or an urban lot split on a qualifying Valley Village single-family lot. A split has to leave two parcels that are each 1,200 square feet or more and no smaller than 40 percent of the original, and the owner signs an affidavit committing to live in one unit for three years. New buildings still answer to the Specific Plan's height limit where it applies, so we confirm eligibility and the buildable envelope before design begins.
Patios, Decks & Outdoor Living in Valley Village
Valley summers run hot, and a solid patio cover or pergola off the family room can turn a flat Valley Village backyard into space that gets used through the season. We build attached covers engineered to the house's wall and roof framing, freestanding pergolas, outdoor kitchens with gas and power, and paved terraces or low decks that step down from older raised floors. Drainage is planned with the new paving so water moves away from the house and toward approved outlets.
Why Choose Us
Why Valley Village 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 Valley Village 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 Valley Village project.
Care for Your Street and Your Neighbors
Large projects happen next door to people who live there. We plan staging, dumpster placement, deliveries and working hours around Valley Village rules, keep the site secured at the end of each day, and give you notice before loud or disruptive phases such as demolition, concrete pours or crane lifts, so you can give your neighbors a heads-up too.
Nearby Service Areas
We Also Build Near Valley Village
FAQ
Building in Valley Village: Common Questions
Does the Valley Village Specific Plan affect a single-family addition?
For single-family work, the part of the Specific Plan that usually matters is its 30-foot height limit. Most of its other rules govern apartment and commercial projects. Since March 2019, City Planning has not required a separate Specific Plan compliance review for single-family projects that fully meet the plan, so a compliant addition goes through the normal LADBS permit path.
How large can an ADU be on a Valley Village lot?
Los Angeles has to allow an ADU of at least 800 square feet with 4-foot side and rear setbacks, and a detached ADU can generally reach 1,200 square feet. Height is typically limited to 16 feet, or 18 feet within a half mile of major transit. We confirm what your specific lot allows once we review its size, existing structures and location.
Should I add a second story or build a new house?
It depends on the condition of the existing house and how much floor area the lot allows. If the foundation and framing need heavy work to carry a second floor, a new house can make more sense. We compare both paths with engineering input and the Specific Plan's height limit in view before you commit to design.
What should I check before hiring a contractor?
Start with a CSLB license lookup, which also shows bond and workers' comp status. Any home improvement job over $500 needs a written contract in California, and the deposit cannot exceed $1,000 or 10 percent of the price, whichever is lower. Later payments should follow the work completed or materials delivered.
Start Your Project
Start Your Valley Village 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]