General Contractor in Santa Monica
Any Santa Monica project that crosses trade lines and requires a building permit needs a licensed general contractor to carry it through. Much of the housing stock here dates to the early and middle twentieth century, a reflection of the city’s origins as a seaside resort incorporated in 1886, and roughly 73 percent of units are renter-occupied, so a significant share of the work involves apartments, condominiums and older small houses in neighborhoods like Ocean Park and Montana Avenue, where original kitchen footprints leave little room to maneuver. Updating spaces like those typically pulls in framing, plumbing, electrical and finishes under one permit. Horizon Construction and Remodeling is a California Class B general building contractor serving Santa Monica, and we manage the drawings, the subcontractors and every inspection through the City of Santa Monica Building and Safety Division until the final sign-off.
Services We Offer
Room Additions & ADUs
Whole Home Remodels
New Construction
About Working with a General Contractor in Santa Monica
How We Manage a General Contracting Project in Santa Monica
Every project with a general contractor in Santa Monica begins with a site visit and a written scope of work. Because so much of the local housing stock dates to the early and mid-twentieth century, that first look often turns up conditions worth documenting before drawings are drafted. We prepare plans in-house, bring in a structural engineer or energy consultant when the work requires one, and put together a contract that spells out the full scope, payment schedule, and start and completion dates. Selections are confirmed before construction begins, so no tile or fixture decision stalls the crew mid-job.
Plan submission goes to the City of Santa Monica Building and Safety Division, and we handle plan-check responses and pull the permit under our license. For work on a designated landmark, we account for the Certificate of Appropriateness process through the Landmarks Commission before any permit can move forward. One project manager sequences every trade, orders materials ahead of need, and calls for each required inspection. Any change you request receives a written change order showing its effect on cost and schedule before that work proceeds. At the end, we close out the permit, collect lien releases, and walk the finished job with you.
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Permits for a general contractor project in Santa Monica go through the City of Santa Monica Building and Safety Division. If your property carries a landmark designation, there is an additional step before any permit can move forward: the Landmarks Commission must issue a Certificate of Appropriateness under Chapter 9.56 of the municipal code, and no city department may act until that approval is in hand. Santa Monica has a significant stock of early and mid-twentieth century buildings, and some of those structures in areas like Ocean Park or along Montana Avenue carry historic status. We identify that possibility at the start of a project so the drawings and the schedule reflect it before a contract is ever signed.
In California, a Class B general building contractor license covers projects that involve at least two unrelated building trades, or any framing or carpentry work on a structure people live or work in. A specialty licensee can do excellent work within a single trade, but cannot legally act as the prime contractor on a multi-trade remodel. Before you sign with anyone, look up the license number on the Contractors State License Board website. The record needs to be active, in the correct classification, and in the company’s legal name. It will also show 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 in writing and include a description of the work, a payment schedule tied to work actually performed, approximate start and completion dates, and specific consumer notices, including your right to cancel under certain conditions. Under Business and Professions Code 7159.5, the down payment a contractor may request is capped by state law, and progress payments cannot run ahead of completed work. A contractor pressing for a large sum up front is a clear warning sign worth taking seriously.
Two other rules come up on most jobs in Santa Monica. Subcontractors and suppliers who are not paid can record a mechanics lien against your property even if you 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 payments go out is the standard protection. Separately, work that disturbs painted surfaces in a home built before 1978 falls under the EPA Renovation, Repair and Painting rule, which requires a certified firm. Horizon 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 Santa Monica
Horizon has held a California Class B General Building license since 2009, which means the license number on your contract is the same one used to pull permits through the City of Santa Monica Building and Safety Division. We are bonded, and specialty trade portions of any project are handled by appropriately licensed subcontractors we coordinate directly. There are no separate firms to chase and no divided accountability.
Santa Monica’s housing stock skews older, and a large share of the city’s units are in apartments, condominiums and smaller houses built during the early and middle twentieth century. That kind of construction presents real coordination challenges on whole-home remodels, room additions, ADUs and structural work, which are exactly the project types a Class B general contractor is built to manage. When trades need to be sequenced correctly and a single project manager is answerable for the full scope, mistakes that cost time and money are far less likely to slip through.
If your property falls within a designated landmark category, Santa Monica typically requires a Certificate of Appropriateness from the Landmarks Commission before any permit can move forward. We account for that review as part of the planning process, so nothing catches your project off guard mid-schedule. Contact us to request a free estimate and talk through what your project actually involves.
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General Contractor FAQ
Do I need a general contractor for my project in Santa Monica?
For any project that requires a building permit, involves two or more unrelated trades, or touches framing, California generally requires a contractor holding the right license classification, and for multi-trade work that means a Class B general building contractor. An owner-builder exemption exists, but it puts every inspection, scheduling decision and potential employer obligation for hired workers squarely on you. In Santa Monica, where a large share of the housing stock dates to the early and mid-twentieth century and permits run through the City of Santa Monica Building and Safety Division, that administrative load adds up fast on a remodel or addition. Most homeowners find that managing it alongside everything else is effectively 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 Santa Monica Building and Safety Division and carries responsibility for every inspection from foundation and framing through rough trades to final sign-off. If an inspector flags an issue, we correct it and schedule the re-inspection. We close out the permit once the work is complete, which puts everything on record with the city and matters when you refinance or sell. For older properties near Ocean Park or along Montana Avenue that carry landmark status, we factor in the Certificate of Appropriateness process before any permit can move forward.
How long does a general contractor project take?
How long a project takes depends on what is being built and how the local permitting process unfolds. In Santa Monica, permits go through the City of Santa Monica Building and Safety Division, and if your property is a designated landmark, a Certificate of Appropriateness from the Landmarks Commission must be secured before any permit can be issued. Design and engineering for a larger remodel or addition can take several weeks to a few months, and plan check may add several more weeks depending on the department’s workload and the number of correction rounds. Construction on a single-room remodel typically runs several weeks, while a whole-home remodel, addition, or new build usually takes many months. Once the scope is clearly defined, we give you a realistic schedule, not a guarantee.
What drives the cost of a general contractor project?
Cost is driven first by scope and structure. Adding square footage, relocating walls or altering a roofline pulls in engineering, framing and additional inspections, and the same is true for electrical service upgrades, aging plumbing replacement or compliance with current Title 24 energy requirements. In Santa Monica, where much of the housing stock dates to the early and middle twentieth century, original systems often need addressing before finish work can begin. Site conditions, including soil, slope and access, factor in as well, and so do your material selections. The single most avoidable cost driver is changes made after construction starts, which is why we lock in decisions early.
How much can a contractor ask for up front?
California law caps the down payment a contractor may collect on a home improvement contract, and after that initial payment, the schedule is supposed to reflect work actually completed rather than run ahead of it. A contract that demands a large share of the total before a single wall is opened is a warning sign worth taking seriously. In a city like Santa Monica, where so much of the housing stock dates to the early and middle twentieth century and projects range from Ocean Park apartments to older bungalows near Montana Avenue, clear payment terms matter. Our contracts follow Business and Professions Code 7159.5, tie each payment to a defined stage of completed work, and include the consumer notices the statute requires.
Do you use subcontractors?
Yes, like nearly every general contractor, we bring in licensed specialty subcontractors for certain trades, and those subs work on our schedule and under our direct supervision. We take responsibility for their work, pay them and our suppliers on time, and provide lien releases as each payment goes out, so a preliminary notice is routine paperwork rather than a concern. In a city like Santa Monica, where so much of the housing stock dates to the early and mid-twentieth century and the majority of units are renter-occupied, coordinating multiple trades efficiently matters even more. You work with one project manager throughout, not a rotating list of separate contacts.
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Horizon is a licensed Class B general building contractor serving Santa Monica and the surrounding Los Angeles County communities.