The questions worth asking
before you commit.

WDC takes on four project types: ground-up custom home construction, full home renovation, ADU construction, and full backyard projects — all in Los Angeles. Every project runs under a single design-build contract. WDC does not take on repairs, cosmetic refreshes, or commercial work. The minimum scope is a comprehensive engagement where architecture, permitting, and construction are held by one team under one contract.

WDC operates throughout Los Angeles and surrounding municipalities — Beverly Hills, Santa Monica, Brentwood, Sherman Oaks, Valley Village, Pacific Palisades, Thousand Oaks, and all City of Los Angeles jurisdictions. Each city runs its own building department with distinct permit environments. WDC maintains active working relationships with LADBS, Beverly Hills Building & Safety, Santa Monica Building & Safety, and the City of Thousand Oaks.

WDC is a design-build firm, not a general contractor. The distinction is accountability: WDC holds both design intent and construction execution under one contract. Clients work with one project manager from permit through certificate of occupancy — not as the bridge between a separate architect and a separate GC. The relay-race between design and construction, where errors travel unchecked from drawing to field, is the failure pattern WDC was built to eliminate.

WDC was founded in San Francisco — a market defined by dense-lot construction, complex permitting environments, and clients with exacting specification standards. That operational foundation shaped the firm’s systems and site discipline. WDC brought those practices to Los Angeles with a team of 18+ construction professionals operating under one company standard across all projects and jurisdictions.

Yes. When an architect is already engaged, WDC coordinates with them through construction rather than competing with them at the back end. WDC extends upstream into design coordination — reviewing drawings for buildability and flagging structural or MEP conflicts before they reach the field. Catching an issue in drawings is significantly cheaper than catching it in framing. WDC does not mark up design coordination in this arrangement.

Yes. WDC coordinates the full project team — architect, structural engineer, interior designer, and all trade contractors — under a single point of accountability. Clients have one project manager rather than independently managing the interface between designer and contractor. Construction documentation, RFI responses, field changes, and inspection scheduling all flow through one team.

WDC manages the complete permit process from initial submission through certificate of occupancy — including plan check coordination, correction response, and inspection scheduling. WDC files and tracks permits with each city directly: LADBS for City of Los Angeles jurisdictions, Beverly Hills Building & Safety, Santa Monica Building & Safety, and City of Thousand Oaks for Ventura County projects. Clients do not manage permit logistics.

Yes — and coordinating both projects simultaneously is often more efficient than sequencing them. WDC manages full home renovation and ADU construction under one permit set and one construction schedule where site conditions allow. Combined phasing reduces total project duration, consolidates site disruption, and in many cases reduces overall cost relative to two separate mobilizations.

Yes — and phasing the backyard after the home reopens is often the right sequence. Active construction during a primary remodel makes the outdoor environment disruptive for months. Completing the backyard after the family has moved back in also allows the program to respond to how the home actually lives post-renovation, rather than locking outdoor decisions before interior use patterns are established.

From first contract to certificate of occupancy, a ground-up custom home in Los Angeles typically spans 28–47 months. Design runs 6–9 months, permit review 4–8 months, and construction 18–30 months. Coastal zone projects (Pacific Palisades, west Santa Monica) and hillside properties requiring geotechnical review extend the permit phase. HOA architectural review in Beverly Hills adds further time. WDC produces a property-specific schedule before any commitment is made.

A full structural home remodel in Los Angeles takes 12–18 months from contract to certificate of occupancy under typical conditions. Projects in coastal zones (Santa Monica, Pacific Palisades), hillside areas, or Historic Preservation Overlay Zones face additional permit review that extends the timeline. WDC delivers a property-specific schedule before construction begins — tied to your property’s actual permit path, not a market average.

A garage conversion ADU on a standard Los Angeles lot takes 6–11 months from contract to certificate of occupancy. Detached ADUs requiring new foundation work run 9–14 months. Coastal zones, hillside parcels, and fire-designated properties extend the permit phase. WDC delivers a property-specific schedule at the start of every ADU engagement — not a generic estimate applied before your lot is assessed.

Ground-up custom homes in Los Angeles typically range from $700–$1,800 per square foot of finished construction, depending on lot complexity, structural conditions, and finish specification. A 5,000 sq ft hillside home with significant grading generally runs $4M–$8M+ in hard construction costs — separate from design, engineering, permit, and landscape fees. WDC’s Discovery phase produces a high–low cost range tied to your specific property before design begins.

Full home renovation cost in Los Angeles is determined by structural scope, finish specification, and permit complexity — not square footage applied before the property is assessed. WDC establishes a detailed, line-item cost picture during the feasibility and design phase. The Discovery engagement produces a high–low range tied to your specific property before any construction commitment is made.

Hardscape and outdoor structures range from $80–$200+ per square foot of finished outdoor area, depending on materials and structural complexity. Pools start around $120K–$180K for a standard gunite design and scale with shape, finish specification, equipment selection, and cabana. WDC’s Discovery phase produces a property-specific high–low cost range before any commitment is made.

Ground-up construction requires a building permit from LADBS or the relevant municipal department. Additional approvals often include: a Coastal Development Permit for properties near the Pacific Coast; CEQA review for significant new construction; hillside grading and geotechnical engineering sign-off; HOA architectural review for Beverly Hills estates; compliance with Historic Preservation Overlay Zones (HPOZs) in Hancock Park, Hollywood, and other designated areas; and Beverly Hills Fire Department review on major structural projects. WDC maps every applicable requirement during Discovery.

Under current California ADU law, replacement parking is generally not required when converting an existing garage to an ADU. This exemption applies across most WDC service areas in Los Angeles and Ventura County. WDC confirms the specific requirements for your property, zone, and jurisdiction during the initial feasibility assessment — requirements vary by location and should be verified project by project.

Under SB 543, effective 2026, ADUs at or under 750 square feet are exempt from school developer fees in California. For ADUs above that threshold, school fees apply and are calculated at permit issuance. WDC incorporates applicable fees into the initial project estimate so there are no surprise costs at permit stage.

Properties in California’s Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone (VHFHSZ) must use ignition-resistant construction materials for all exterior work — Class A roofing, non-combustible or fire-rated siding, and ember-resistant venting. These are regulatory requirements under California Title 24, not optional upgrades. WDC identifies fire zone designation for every project and specifies code-compliant exterior materials from the design phase, before drawings are submitted for permit review.

A Coastal Development Permit (CDP) is issued by the California Coastal Commission and is required for construction within California’s coastal zone. In Santa Monica, properties generally west of Lincoln Boulevard may require a CDP in addition to City Building & Safety permits. CDP review adds 2–4 months to the permit timeline and runs concurrently with the city permit process where possible. WDC identifies coastal zone status at the start of every Santa Monica project and manages CDP coordination where required.

Hillside properties — including Brentwood canyons, the Hollywood Hills, Sherman Oaks hillside zones, and Thousand Oaks foothill parcels — require grading permits, geotechnical reports for foundation and retaining wall work, and in Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones, ignition-resistant exterior construction per California Title 24. Some hillside areas carry additional setback and height restrictions tied to slope gradient. WDC identifies all hillside-specific requirements during the feasibility assessment.

A Full Backyard Project covers pools, spas, cabanas, hardscape, pavilions, outdoor kitchens, drought-tolerant planting, irrigation, evening lighting, and integrated fencing — designed and built as one architectural composition. Indoor-outdoor continuity is the design priority: the threshold between inside and outside is treated as an architectural moment, not a contractor handoff. Every element is specified and executed by one team under one contract.