Straight answers on building in Los Angeles

Look for a contractor with a strong portfolio of completed work, verifiable reviews, an active CSLB license and insurance, and a clear written process for scope, pricing and changes. Ask to see a sample proposal: it tells you how changes and allowances will be handled before you sign. 1 Degree Construction holds CSLB License #1075129 (B – General Building).

A general contractor is responsible for building your project: coordinating design and engineering, processing permits, scheduling and supervising every trade, ordering materials, keeping the job on budget and standing behind the work. As a design-build general contractor, 1 Degree Construction handles all of this under one contract with a dedicated project manager.

With design-build, one company coordinates design and construction under one contract, so pricing feedback shapes the design as it develops. With architect-first (design-bid-build), you complete drawings with an independent architect and then bid them out to builders. Each has real advantages; we compare them side by side on our comparisons page.

Use the license lookup on the Contractors State License Board website (cslb.ca.gov). It shows whether a license is active, its classification, and its bond and workers’ compensation records. 1 Degree Construction holds License #1075129, classification B (General Building Contractor).

No. We are set up to run defined, permitted construction projects with a dedicated project manager. For repairs and small fixes, a handyman or a specialty trade is usually a better match.

After a visit to your property you receive a written proposal with a base scope, priced options, allowances for selections you will make later, and the assumptions and exclusions behind the price. Changes are written up with their scope, price and schedule effect before work on them proceeds. How we price, in detail.

An allowance is a set budget in the contract for something not yet selected, such as tile, plumbing fixtures or lighting. When you choose, the actual cost is compared with the allowance: anything over is added by a written change order you approve, and anything under is credited back to you.

For home improvement contracts, California law limits the down payment to $1,000 or 10% of the contract price, whichever is less. After the deposit, progress payments should follow completed work tied to milestones written into the contract.

Usually because they don't price the same thing. Bids differ in what they include in the base scope, the size of allowances, what they exclude (permit fees, hidden conditions, design), and how much project management and documentation they carry. Compare proposals line by line rather than by the bottom number.

A fixed-price contract gives you a set price for a defined scope, with changes priced as change orders. Cost-plus passes through actual costs plus a fee, which suits scopes that can’t be defined up front but leaves the final number open. See the full comparison.

Our pricing guide gives an honest planning range by project type. A consultation and written proposal turn that range into a number for your house.

Yes. Design, engineering, Title 24 and permit processing can be included in your scope. Government and agency fees are listed separately in your proposal.

Usually, once the work goes beyond cosmetic replacement. Moving or adding plumbing, new electrical circuits, gas lines, and changes to walls or windows generally need a building permit. In the City of Los Angeles that means LADBS; Santa Monica, Beverly Hills, Culver City and West Hollywood run their own building departments. Check with the department for your address before work starts.

Plans are reviewed by the city before work can start, and reviewers often return corrections that need revised drawings or engineering. Review times depend on the agency and its workload. Correction rounds are a normal part of permitting for additions, new homes and structural remodels.

Title 24, Part 6 is California's Building Energy Efficiency Standards. New homes, additions and many alterations must show compliance, usually with energy calculations prepared during design. The 2025 edition of the standards took effect on January 1, 2026.

An addition enlarges your main house. An accessory dwelling unit (ADU) is a separate, self-contained living unit on the same lot, detached or attached, and follows California’s ADU rules. Addition vs ADU, compared.

It depends on the scope, permits and material selections. During planning we provide a detailed schedule, and a dedicated project manager keeps every phase on track.

Timelines vary with scope and materials such as cabinets, countertops and appliances. Your proposal includes an estimated sequence, and your project manager keeps selections on schedule so long-lead items are ordered early.

For smaller or phased scopes it is often workable; for whole-home remodels with major systems or structural work, moving out is usually more practical. We talk it through at the consultation, plan the phasing around how you will live, and protect and seal off occupied areas.

Hidden conditions such as water damage, termite damage, outdated wiring or earlier work that wasn't done to code are common in older Los Angeles homes. If we find something, we stop that part of the work, show you photos, explain the options and price the fix in a written change order before going further.

We build a selections schedule early and ask for long-lead choices first, so orders go in before they're needed. If a delay happens anyway, we resequence work where we can and tell you what it means for the schedule.

Yes. As a full-service general contractor and custom home builder, we handle flooring and tile along with every other phase of construction, from demolition through finish work.

Yes. We build custom homes from design and permits through construction and final walkthrough, including rebuilds on cleared lots in Pacific Palisades. Custom home building.

We are based in Studio City and build across West Los Angeles: Santa Monica, Brentwood, Pacific Palisades, West Hollywood, Mar Vista, Culver City, Mid-City, Beverly Hills, Venice and Hollywood, with select projects in the San Fernando Valley.