General Contractor in Calabasas
Any Calabasas project that crosses trade lines and requires a building permit calls for a licensed general contractor to carry it through from drawings to final sign-off. Most homes here are two-story hillside or gated tract builds from the 1970s through the 1990s, a housing stock that grew up across planned subdivisions well before the city officially incorporated on April 5, 1991, making Calabasas the newest city in Los Angeles County. Those older homes typically feature a large but dated kitchen centered on an island with a formal split from the family room, and updating a layout like that pulls framing, plumbing, electrical, and finishes into one coordinated job. Horizon Construction and Remodeling is a California Class B general building contractor that manages remodels, additions, and new construction in Calabasas, handling permits, trades, and inspections throughout.
Services We Offer
Room Additions & ADUs
Whole Home Remodels
New Construction
About Working with a General Contractor in Calabasas
How We Manage Your Project From Start to Finish
Every project with a general contractor in Calabasas begins with a site visit to your home and a written scope of work. We prepare drawings in-house, bringing in a structural engineer or energy consultant when the work requires one, and we put together a home improvement contract that clearly states the payment schedule, start date, and completion date. Because many Calabasas homes are two-story hillside or gated tract properties built between the 1970s and 1990s, we pay close attention to structural and site conditions early. If your project places any work near a protected oak tree, we flag that before construction begins, since the City of Calabasas Oak Tree Ordinance can require a separate oak tree permit ahead of any ground disturbance.
All material and fixture selections happen before crews arrive so nothing stalls progress on site. We submit plans to the City of Calabasas Building and Safety Division, respond to plan-check comments, and pull every required permit under our license. One project manager sequences demolition, framing, and all subcontracted specialty trades in the correct order, calling for each inspection as the work advances. Any change you request receives a written change order showing the cost and schedule impact before that work proceeds. At the end, we close out the permit, collect lien releases, and walk the finished project with you.
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Permits for remodeling work in Calabasas go through the City of Calabasas Building and Safety Division, and the process reflects the specific character of this city. One detail that catches some homeowners off guard is the Oak Tree Ordinance, codified under Section 17.32 of the municipal code. If your project footprint comes close to a protected oak, an oak tree permit may be required before construction can begin. Many of the hillside and gated tract homes built here between the 1970s and 1990s sit on lots where mature oaks are present, so this is not a rare situation. We account for factors like that during drawing and scheduling, before a contract is signed, rather than finding out at plan check.
Understanding the license structure matters before you hire anyone for a multi-trade remodel. In California, a Class B general building license covers projects that involve at least two unrelated building trades, or any framing or carpentry, on a structure where people live or work. A specialty licensee, such as a C-10 electrician or a C-36 plumber, can perform excellent work within one trade but cannot act as prime contractor on a job that crosses trade lines. Before signing with any contractor in Calabasas, look the license number up on the Contractors State License Board website. Confirm the license is active, held in the right classification, and listed in the company’s legal name. The record also shows whether a bond and workers’ compensation coverage are currently on file.
Home improvement contracts in California are governed by Business and Professions Code 7159. The contract must be written and must include a description of the work, a payment schedule tied to work actually completed, approximate start and completion dates, and specific consumer notices that include your right to cancel under certain conditions. Under Business and Professions Code 7159.5, the down payment a contractor can collect is capped by state law, and progress payments cannot run ahead of completed work. If a contractor requests more money up front than state law allows, treat that as a warning sign.
Two additional rules come up on most projects. Subcontractors and suppliers who go unpaid can record a mechanics lien against your property even when you have paid the general contractor in full, which is why preliminary notices often arrive during a project. Paying on the contract schedule and collecting lien releases as each payment goes out is the standard protection. Separately, if your home was built before 1978, any work that disturbs painted surfaces falls under the EPA Renovation, Repair and Painting rule, which requires the firm performing that work to hold EPA Lead-Safe Firm certification. Horizon Construction and Remodeling Inc. is an EPA Lead-Safe Certified Firm.
Other Remodeling Services We Offer
A kitchen remodel touches more trades than any other room in the house: layout, cabinetry, plumbing, electrical, ventilation and finishes. Horizon designs and builds kitchen remodels under one contract, from the measured layout to the final inspection.
Whether you envision a classic Southern California pool or a fully customized backyard oasis, Horizon Construction & Remodeling delivers the highest level of quality and service. Our comprehensive pool design and remodeling services cover everything from layout and decking to built-in BBQs and final touches like landscaping. Let Horizon be your trusted partner in transforming your backyard into the perfect outdoor retreat.
If you are planning a complete bathroom remodel or simply want to change your tub, shower, update your plumbing fixtures, or make the space more efficient, our team at Horizon will help you through the process with expert advice, professional craftsmanship, and affordable options with beautiful results. Learn more about our bathroom remodeling services.
Transform your space with our expert interior work services. We offer a comprehensive range of solutions — from space planning and custom design to the selection of high-quality finishes and materials. Our team of experienced professionals works closely with you to create a space that’s both functional and stylish, tailored to your unique needs, goals, and budget. Whether you’re updating a single room or overhauling your entire interior, we bring precision, creativity, and craftsmanship to every project.
At Horizon, we believe your home is more than just four walls — it’s where life happens. It’s the place you relax, gather with family and friends, and create lasting memories. That’s why we offer a full range of exterior work services designed to elevate your outdoor living space. From patios and hardscaping to custom decks and exterior renovations, we help turn your vision into a dream yard that complements your lifestyle and enhances curb appeal.
At Horizon Construction & Remodeling, our expert team includes a dedicated design and planning division that works hand-in-hand with licensed architects and structural engineers. We take care of everything — from detailed plans and blueprints to securing city permits — so you don’t have to deal with delays or red tape. Our goal is to streamline the process and provide a fully approved set of documents that aligns with both your vision and city regulations, saving you time and stress.
Why Choose Horizon Remodeling For General Contractor in Calabasas
Horizon has carried a California Class B General Building license continuously since 2009 and remains bonded. The license number on your contract is the same one used when permits are pulled through the City of Calabasas Building and Safety Division, so there is no gap between who planned the work and who is accountable for it.
We work design-build, meaning drawings, engineering coordination, permitting, and construction all sit under one contract with a single project manager. That structure matters most on the jobs a general contractor is built for: whole-home remodels, room additions, ADUs, structural changes, and ground-up new construction. In Calabasas, where many hillside and gated tract homes from the 1970s through the 1990s carry dated layouts and aging infrastructure, a sequencing mistake between trades is expensive. Having one point of accountability keeps that from happening.
Permits in Calabasas can involve considerations beyond a standard building application. If your project sits near a protected oak, the city’s Oak Tree Ordinance may require a separate oak tree permit before construction begins, and that kind of coordination is exactly what a design-build general contractor handles on your behalf.
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General Contractor FAQ
Do I need a general contractor for my project in Calabasas?
For any project that pulls a building permit, crosses two or more unrelated trades, or touches the framing, California generally requires a contractor holding the right classification, and a multi-trade job calls for a Class B general building contractor. You can take on an owner-builder role at your own residence, but that puts scheduling, inspections, and potential employer obligations for any hired workers squarely on you. In Calabasas, where many gated tract homes from the 1970s through the 1990s sit on hillside lots that may also trigger an oak tree permit through the City of Calabasas Building and Safety Division, most homeowners find that managing all of it amounts to a second full-time job.
Who pulls the permit, and who deals with the inspector?
Yes, Horizon pulls permits directly under our license through the City of Calabasas Building and Safety Division and carries responsibility for passing every inspection from foundation and framing through rough electrical, plumbing, and mechanical work to final sign-off. Many of the hillside and gated tract homes built here before the city incorporated in 1991 have never had permitted work done, so a clean, closed permit record can matter significantly when you refinance or sell. If an inspector flags anything, we correct it and schedule the re-inspection ourselves.
How long does a general contractor project take?
How long a general contractor project takes in Calabasas depends on the scope of work and what the City of Calabasas Building and Safety Division requires at plan check. Design and engineering for a larger remodel or addition can run several weeks to a few months, and plan check may add several more weeks depending on reviewer workload and correction rounds. In the hillside and gated-tract neighborhoods that define most of Calabasas, an oak tree permit under the city’s Oak Tree Ordinance may also be needed before work begins near a protected tree. A single-room remodel typically runs several weeks in the field, while a whole-home remodel, addition, or new home usually takes many months. Once the scope is clearly defined, we provide a realistic schedule rather than a promise.
What drives the cost of a general contractor project?
Cost in a Calabasas general contracting project is driven first by scope and structure. Homes in areas like Calabasas Hills and The Colony are often set on sloped lots, and any work that moves walls, adds square footage, or alters a roofline brings in engineering, framing, and additional inspections. Updating older electrical service, replacing dated plumbing, or meeting current Title 24 energy requirements adds to the total. Soil conditions, hillside access, and fire-zone requirements also factor in, as do your finish selections. Changes made after construction begins are the most avoidable cost driver, which is why we lock in selections before work starts.
How much can a contractor ask for up front?
California law caps the down payment a contractor can collect on a home improvement contract under Business and Professions Code 7159.5, and every payment after that is supposed to reflect work that has actually been completed. A contract demanding a large portion of the total before a crew sets foot on site is a warning sign worth taking seriously. Our agreements follow the statute, tie each payment to a defined stage of the project, and include the consumer notices required by law. For homeowners in Calabasas updating a dated kitchen or reconfiguring the layout of a hillside tract home built in the 1980s, that structure means you always know what you are paying for and why.
Do you use subcontractors?
Yes, like nearly every general contractor working in Calabasas, we use licensed specialty subcontractors for certain trades, and those subs work on our schedule and under our direct supervision, which means we are responsible for their work on your project. We pay subcontractors and suppliers on time and provide lien releases as payments go out, so a preliminary notice from a supplier is routine paperwork rather than a concern. Throughout the job, you deal with one project manager, not a scattered list of separate trades.
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Horizon is a licensed Class B general building contractor serving Calabasas and the surrounding Los Angeles County communities.