Architecture-led design-build for mid-century renovation, hillside additions, and ground-up replacement in Colfax Meadows, Fryman, and Tujunga Village.
By Jacob Bachar · Founding Builder · Updated May 2026 · 8-minute read
Studio City · Colfax Meadows · Fryman · Tujunga Village
Studio City renovation work pivots on a single architectural reality: the mid-century volume. Open-plan post-and-beam construction, butterfly and shed-roof geometries, hillside-perched glass walls — the Studio City flatlands and the canyons above hold one of LA’s densest concentrations of preserved and restorable mid-century residential architecture. WDC engages a limited number of Studio City projects per year — full-home restorations, hillside additions, ADU + JADU conversions, and (selectively) tear-down replacements where the original is past restoration. We hold the line on the architectural register where it earns its keep, modernize the systems behind the walls, and carry the project from Discovery brief through final walkthrough with one principal. We design it, we permit it, we build it.
Studio City permits run through LADBS — the same department that handles Los Angeles proper. This is the standard track most LA builders are accustomed to, but Studio City’s architectural register adds layers most jobs don’t. The neighborhood’s mid-century housing stock — concentrated in Colfax Meadows, the streets between Coldwater and Laurel Canyon, and the hillside enclaves around Fryman — was built with open-plan structural systems that don’t tolerate naive remodeling. Removing a wall in a post-and-beam home isn’t a casual scope; it’s a structural decision that touches the original architect’s load path.
Hillside work in upper Studio City — Fryman Canyon, the streets above Mulholland — triggers LA City’s Hillside Ordinance and frequently County coordination on grading and geotech. WDC scopes these reviews in Discovery, before any design dollar is committed.
The Studio City buyer profile skews toward design-aware homeowners — many in the entertainment industry, often working with their own architect. WDC’s design-build model accommodates either path: we hold the design seat for clients who want a single-point engagement, or we coordinate with an external architect-of-record where the design team is already in place. Either way, one principal owns the schedule.
Removing a wall in a post-and-beam home isn’t a casual scope — it’s a structural decision that touches the original architect’s load path.— Jacob Bachar, Founding Builder
II · How WDC Works in Studio City
How WDC Works in Studio City
01 Discovery2–4 weeks · fixed fee. 90-minute conversation, site visit, feasibility memo. Hillside Ordinance applicability scoped if relevant. Refundable against design.
02 Design12–16 weeks. Schematic through construction documents. Mid-century structural systems read carefully; design intent held against budget.
03 Permit8–14 weeks. LADBS submittal. Hillside Ordinance review where applicable. Revision cycles managed directly by WDC.
04 Build28–48 weeks. One project manager, weekly site reports, monthly OAC, transparent change-order log. Same team end to end.
III · Frequently Asked
Frequently Asked
Do you do tear-down replacement of mid-century homes?
Selectively. We restore where the original architecture earns its keep — meaning the design intent, structural system, and material spec are worth preserving. Where the existing structure is past restoration and the lot supports a more ambitious replacement, we do ground-up new construction with a contemporary or mid-century-derived register. Discovery scopes both paths.
How does the Hillside Ordinance affect my project?
If your lot is in an LA City hillside area — Fryman, the streets above Mulholland, anything with a slope band trigger — your project goes through Hillside Ordinance review. That adds grading review, often geotech, and longer plan check timelines. We scope this in Discovery so the schedule and budget reflect it from day one.
Can WDC work alongside our existing architect?
Yes. Where you have an architect already on the project, WDC takes the builder-of-record seat: we coordinate with the design team, hold the construction schedule, and carry the project through permit and build. Where you want a single point of contact across design and construction, our design-build model holds both seats.
How long does a Studio City full-home renovation take?
Discovery → Design → Permit → Build runs 16–28 months for a full-home renovation on an existing foundation. Hillside additions and ground-up replacements run longer — typically 24–36 months from contract signing.
What does Discovery cost in Studio City?
Discovery is a 90-minute fixed-fee conversation followed by a written feasibility memo, refundable against design phase. Memo includes zoning + setback summary, Hillside Ordinance applicability, preliminary scope, and a budget envelope you can stress-test.
Do you handle ADU + JADU conversions in Studio City?
Yes. ADU and JADU work in Studio City typically integrates with full-home renovation projects — we design and build the primary residence and the ADU as a coordinated scope, with one permit set, one schedule, and one project manager.
Apply for Discovery · Studio City
Considering a mid-century renovation, hillside addition, or replacement build?
Discovery is a 90-minute fixed-fee conversation followed by a written feasibility memo. Refundable against the design phase. The principal reviews every application personally.
Jacob leads design-build engagements across Los Angeles — full-home renovations, ground-up new construction, and architecturally-led restoration. Architectural Digest PRO Directory. Los Angeles office: (818) 590-5206, Monday–Friday 8–5.
Licensed in California · CSLB #1096552 · AD PRO Directory 2025 + 2026 · (818) 590-5206 · Mon–Fri 8–5
ENGAGEMENT · BY APPLICATIONREVIEWED BY THE PRINCIPAL · WITHIN 48 HOURS
A NOTE BEFORE APPLYING
Apply for Discovery.
WDC engages a limited number of full-home projects per year. Applications are reviewed personally by the principal — not by an intake coordinator, not routed to a sales pipeline. Discovery is a 90-minute conversation, fixed fee, with a written feasibility memo whether or not we proceed together.
01
Submit the application below. Real address, real budget envelope.
02
If the project is a fit, the principal responds within 48 hours.
03
Discovery scheduled at the WDC office or your residence. Fixed fee.
04
Feasibility memo delivered within seven days. Engagement decision yours.
