Custom Builders · Pacific Palisades · Malibu · Los Angeles

Built once. Built right.
Built to outlast us.

Southern California's family-owned custom home and ADU builder. Trusted in the Pacific Palisades, Malibu, and the foothills for thirty-eight years.

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Three decades of homeowners, architects, and contractors trusting Caruso's to build it once and build it right.

38 Years of Five-Star Results
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Fire Rebuild Specialists

Rebuilding the Palisades.
Rebuilding Malibu.

If you lost your home in the January 2025 Palisades Fire or the December 2024 Franklin Fire, you are facing the most consequential construction decision of your life. We have spent the last year working with families in your exact position — navigating insurance, Coastal Commission permitting, hillside grading, and the realities of building back better than what was lost.

Pacific Palisades

Palisades
Fire Rebuild

From insurance reconciliation through Coastal Commission permits to final walkthrough. Built to exceed WUI fire code, supervised daily by ownership.

2,600+
Permits Issued
To Date
4–7 mo
Like-for-Like
Permit Window
Explore Palisades Rebuild
Malibu

Malibu
Fire Rebuild

Coastal Commission, hillside grading, septic and well coordination, WUI assemblies. We have built within Malibu's regulatory framework for decades.

530+
Malibu Permits
Issued
45/wk
Rebuild Center
Appointments
Explore Malibu Rebuild
What We Build

Three things, done
without compromise.

We are not a high-volume operation. We take on a limited number of projects each year because supervision, craftsmanship, and the relationships our clients are paying for cannot be outsourced.

i

Luxury
Custom Homes

From foundation to final walkthrough. We collaborate with your architect, your designer, and your vision — and we build to a standard most contractors will not quote. Our homes are built for the families who will own them in 2065.

Custom Homes
ii

Custom Built
ADUs

Detached, attached, garage conversions, two-story units across Los Angeles County. Every one fully custom, fully permitted, built to the same standard as our primary residences. We do not do prefab. We do not do shortcuts.

Accessory Dwellings
iii

Palisades &
Malibu Rebuilds

Insurance coordination, permit strategy, WUI-compliant assemblies, Coastal Commission and hillside expertise. We work with families across both fire zones — carefully, code-compliantly, and to a standard that will outlast the next fire season.

Fire Rebuilds
Why Owners Choose Us

There are a lot of contractors in Los Angeles.
Very few will still be standing in a decade.

Fewer still have the licensure history, the local relationships, and the family name on the work to make a custom build something you can sleep through.

i

Owner-supervised, every project.

Michael Caruso is on-site or in direct contact with your project lead every single day of construction. You will know his cell phone number. You will use it.

ii

Architect-flexible. Design in-house.

Bring your own architect, or work with one we trust — we collaborate with both. Our in-house design team handles 3D renderings, finish selection, and sourcing for everything you'll touch in your home, with no markups on materials passed through our team.

iii

Honest pre-construction.

We tell you what your project will actually cost — including the line items most contractors leave out of their first quote. If your budget and your scope are mismatched, we will tell you. That conversation is free.

iv

We finish what we start.

Sixteen years of spotless CSLB licensure. Family-owned for three generations. We are not going anywhere mid-project.

Recent Work

A selection of recent homes.

Private tours of completed and in-progress projects can be arranged by appointment.

Encino, California2025

Encino Development

Fully custom new construction · Contemporary architecture

Hermosa Beach2024

The Coastal Custom

Fully custom new build · Coastal architecture

Old Topanga, California2024

The Topanga Teardown

Full remodel · Down to bare studs · New roof, kitchen, baths, floors

Calabasas, California2024

The Calabasas Custom

New construction custom home · Hillside lot · Modern architecture

View All Projects
Begin a Conversation

The first conversation
is on us.

Whether you are rebuilding after the fires, planning a ground-up custom home, or evaluating an ADU on your property, we will give you an honest assessment at no cost and no obligation.

Schedule a Consultation Call (818) 321-1208
Home/Fire Rebuilds

Rebuilding what the
fires took.

If you lost your home in the January 2025 Palisades Fire or the December 2024 Franklin Fire in Malibu, you are not just choosing a contractor. You are choosing the family that will spend the next 12 to 18+ months inside the most painful financial and emotional decision of your life. We have been building custom homes in Southern California for thirty-eight years, and we know how to do this carefully.

Schedule a Free Rebuild Consultation Call (818) 321-1208
Palisades Rebuild ↓ Malibu Rebuild ↓
The Honest Numbers

Where the rebuild
actually stands.

~6,800
Structures Destroyed
in the Palisades Fire
2,600+
Palisades Permits
Issued To Date
530+
Malibu Permits
Issued To Date
10–18mo
Realistic Rebuild
Timeline

Most homeowners we meet were told their rebuild would happen on a faster timeline than what is realistic. We will give you a real timeline for your specific lot in the first meeting — based on your property, your scope, and the actual permit pathway available to you.

What to Expect

What rebuilding
actually involves.

If this is your first time building a custom home, the process is unlike anything you have managed before. Here is what to expect, in the order it will happen — for both Palisades and Malibu rebuilds.

i.

Insurance reconciliation

Before anything is built, your insurance settlement has to align with what your rebuild will actually cost. Most policies were written before construction costs in the Palisades and Malibu doubled. We prepare itemized scope-of-work documentation that reflects the true replacement cost of your home — including upgraded materials, code-mandated changes, and labor premiums that did not exist when your policy was issued.

ii.

Like-for-like vs. modified rebuild

A like-for-like rebuild qualifies for the fastest permit track and most permit fees have been waived for owners who held property before the fires. A modified rebuild that changes footprint or adds square footage is fully possible and often the right decision — but it adds permit time. We walk you through the trade-off with cost and timeline implications for both paths.

iii.

Permit strategy

Palisades rebuilds are permitted through LADBS, with the Standard Plan Pilot Program offering pre-approved single-family designs that can dramatically shorten plan check. Malibu rebuilds are permitted through the City of Malibu, with parallel fee waivers and an active Rebuild Center. We assess your lot's eligibility on day one and choose the fastest legitimate path.

iv.

Coastal Commission and hillside review

If your lot sits in the Coastal Zone, on a slope, or in a hillside grading area, your rebuild will require additional review. We have built in these conditions across Los Angeles for decades. We coordinate with licensed geotechnical engineers, civil engineers, and the relevant agencies so your project does not stall in review.

v.

Construction

Michael Caruso is on-site or in direct daily contact with your project lead from groundbreaking through final walkthrough. You will get weekly progress reports with photos. You will have a single point of contact who knows the status of every trade on your job.

vi.

Handover & warranty

Full system documentation, finish-care guides, and a one-year warranty on workmanship. We do not disappear when the keys are handed over.

Resilient Construction

Built for the next fire,
not the last one.

Every home we rebuild meets — and in most cases exceeds — California's Wildland-Urban Interface (WUI) building code.

That includes:

  • Class A fire-rated roofing
  • Ignition-resistant or non-combustible siding
  • Ember-resistant attic and foundation venting
  • Tempered glazing on exposed elevations
  • Defensible-space landscape coordination
  • Code-compliant solar and EV-ready electrical service
  • Upgraded structural assemblies for seismic and fire resistance
None of these are optional in 2026. The question is whether your contractor builds to the minimum code or builds something that will still be standing in 2065. We build the second kind.
Pacific Palisades

The Palisades rebuild,
specifically.

The Palisades Fire of January 2025 destroyed approximately 6,800 structures. The rebuild market is the single largest residential construction effort in California in decades. Here is what makes the Palisades different.

LADBS permitting

Palisades rebuilds are permitted through the Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety. Like-for-like rebuilds on the City's expedited track currently run 4 to 7 months from application to permit issuance — faster than the pre-fire standard.

Mayor Bass fee waivers

For owners who held property before January 7, 2025, most permit and plan check fees have been waived under Emergency Executive Order. We confirm your eligibility on day one and apply every waiver that applies.

Standard Plan Pilot Program

A library of pre-approved single-family home designs that can dramatically shorten plan check. Some lots qualify; many don't. We assess yours and choose the fastest legitimate path.

Coastal Commission

Properties in the Coastal Zone require additional review that adds time and complexity. We have built within Coastal jurisdiction before and know which submittal mistakes trigger automatic delays.

Malibu

The Malibu rebuild,
specifically.

Malibu is one of the most regulated places to build in California — and one of the most rewarding. The city's permitting framework, layered with Coastal Commission jurisdiction, hillside grading review, and the most stringent WUI fire code in the state, makes this a market where the cheapest contractor is almost always the most expensive contractor by the time the project finishes.

As of early 2026, the City of Malibu has issued over 530 building permits in the Franklin Fire zone, with single-family permits clearing weekly and the Rebuild Center averaging 45 appointments per week. Permits are moving — but only for projects whose contractors know how to navigate the system.

What makes a Malibu rebuild different

Coastal Commission jurisdiction. Most properties west of PCH and many properties on the inland side fall within Coastal Commission jurisdiction. Coastal development permits add complexity, time, and cost — but they are navigable when you know the process.

Hillside and slope conditions. Many Malibu lots involve significant slope, requiring geotechnical reports, retaining wall engineering, and grading permits independent of the building permit. We coordinate the entire engineering team from day one so reports do not conflict — a single contradiction between your geotech and your structural engineer can cost three months in plan check.

WUI fire code, properly enforced. Malibu's WUI code is among the strictest in California. The difference between a contractor who treats these requirements as a checklist and one who treats them as the design baseline shows up the next time a fire moves through your canyon.

Septic, water, and infrastructure. Many Malibu properties operate on septic systems and well water rather than municipal infrastructure. A rebuild often requires septic system evaluation or full replacement under current health code, plus careful coordination with County Public Works. We handle this assessment as part of pre-construction, not as a surprise change order in month four.

PCH and access. Material delivery, subcontractor scheduling, and access during construction in Malibu have to be planned around PCH realities. We build that scheduling into the project from the start.

Eligibility

If you lost your home in the Franklin or Palisades Fire, you are eligible for the City of Malibu's expedited fire-rebuild permit process and, in most cases, fee waivers for primary residences impacted by the fires. We identify your eligibility on the first day of pre-construction and apply every waiver that applies to your project.

The first conversation
is on us.

No cost. No obligation. We will look at your lot, look at your insurance settlement, look at your timeline, and tell you honestly what we think — even if we are not the right fit for your project.

Schedule a Rebuild Consultation Call (818) 321-1208
Home/Communities We Serve

The neighborhoods
we build in.

We have spent thirty-eight years building custom homes across Southern California's most demanding addresses. Our work, our subcontractor relationships, and our understanding of local permitting are concentrated in the communities below — the places where homes are not just built, but expected to belong.

Greater Los Angeles · Westside

The Westside.

The Westside is where most of our work lives. Each of these neighborhoods has its own architectural language, its own permitting personality, and its own expectations of what a custom home should be. We have built across all of them.

Beverly Hills & the Beverly Hills Post Office

The City of Beverly Hills permitting process is among the most rigorous in California, with strict design review for visible elevations and detailed enforcement of the Hillside Ordinance. We have navigated both Beverly Hills proper and the BHPO area, including hillside lots with significant grading and view-protection requirements.

Bel Air & Holmby Hills

Estate-scale construction on hillside lots, often with extensive site work, structural reinforcement, and coordination with private roads, neighbor easements, and view corridors. We are familiar with the design review boards and the unwritten standards these neighborhoods enforce.

Brentwood

From the flats to the canyons. Brentwood's mix of architectural styles — from Spanish revival to contemporary — and its layered permitting (City of LA, hillside compliance, sometimes Coastal-adjacent overlays) make it one of the most varied markets we work in.

Pacific Palisades

We have built in the Palisades for decades, and we are deeply involved in the post-fire rebuild effort. See our Fire Rebuilds page for the specifics of post-Palisades-Fire construction, or contact us about new custom builds on standing lots.

Santa Monica

The City of Santa Monica's planning process is among the most environmentally rigorous in the region, with strict requirements around density, sustainability, and historic preservation in certain districts. Coastal-adjacent properties add Coastal Commission considerations on top.

Malibu

From PCH-fronting lots to canyon hillside properties. Coastal Commission jurisdiction, hillside grading, septic and well infrastructure, and the strictest WUI fire code in California. We have built within the City of Malibu's framework for years and are actively rebuilding after the Franklin and Palisades Fires — see our Fire Rebuilds page.

Greater Los Angeles · Hillside & Foothills

The foothills.

Pasadena, San Marino & La Cañada Flintridge

Old-money neighborhoods with deep architectural traditions — Craftsman, Tudor, Spanish, Mid-Century — and design review boards that take those traditions seriously. We have built ground-up custom homes and major remodels in all three, often in coordination with historic preservation requirements.

Hancock Park & the Hollywood Hills

Hancock Park's HPOZ (Historic Preservation Overlay Zone) requires careful design review for visible exterior changes. The Hollywood Hills bring hillside grading, view corridors, and infrastructure complications. Different worlds, both familiar to us.

Toluca Lake, Studio City & Burbank Foothills

Our home base. These are the neighborhoods where we have the deepest local relationships — with city building departments, with subcontractors, and with the families we have worked for over the years.

Encino, Sherman Oaks & the Hidden Hills perimeter

Estate construction on larger lots, often involving private security coordination, gated-community approval processes, and the equestrian zoning that defines parts of the area. We work within these constraints regularly.

Beyond Los Angeles County

Ventura County & select projects further afield.

We take on a limited number of projects in Ventura County each year, primarily in coastal communities and the surrounding hillsides. For projects outside our primary service area, we evaluate on a case-by-case basis — the question is always whether we can supervise the project to the standard our clients are paying for.

If your property is in Southern California and you want to know whether we are the right fit, ask us. The first conversation is free, and we will tell you honestly — including if we are not.

Where are you
building?

Tell us about your lot and your project. We will tell you whether we are the right team for it.

Schedule a Consultation Call (818) 321-1208
Home/Custom Homes

Custom homes for owners
who refuse to compromise.

From the foundation up. Architect-collaborative. Owner-supervised. Built in Southern California's most demanding neighborhoods for thirty-eight years.

Start a Conversation

A custom home is the most consequential thing most people will ever build. The decision of who builds it should be made on evidence, not marketing. Below is the evidence.

Our Process

There are seven things every contractor claims.
Here are the four we live by.

i.

Discovery

Before we quote anything, we sit down with you and your architect — at your lot, when possible. We look at the site. We look at the plans. We look at the realistic scope of what you want, and we tell you honestly what we think it will cost. The first meeting is free, and you are not committing to anything.

ii.

Pre-construction

This is where most projects succeed or fail, and where most contractors do the least work. We put detailed effort into engineering coordination, permit strategy, subcontractor selection, and line-item budgeting before you sign the construction contract. The goal is that the budget you approve is the budget you actually pay — without the surprise change orders that derail most custom builds.

iii.

Construction

Michael Caruso supervises every project we take on. Daily on-site presence. Weekly written progress reports with photos. A single point of contact through our office concierge so you are never guessing who to call. We do not over-extend the company by taking on more work than we can supervise to this standard.

iv.

Handover & warranty

Full system documentation. Finish-care guides for every material in the home. A one-year warranty on workmanship. We answer the phone in year three the same way we did in week one.

Where We Build

Where we build.

We focus on Los Angeles and Ventura counties, with deep experience in:

  • Pacific Palisades
  • Malibu
  • Brentwood
  • Beverly Hills and the Beverly Hills Post Office
  • Pasadena, San Marino, and La Cañada Flintridge
  • Hancock Park and the Hollywood Hills
  • Toluca Lake, Studio City, and the Burbank foothills
  • Encino, Sherman Oaks, and the Hidden Hills perimeter

Design & selections, handled in-house.

Architecture is collaborative — we bring your architect or refer you to one of our vetted licensed firms. The interior side is where our in-house design team takes over.

3D photorealistic renderings before a single wall goes up. Finish selection guidance for every material in your home — flooring, cabinetry, countertops, tile, paint. Product sourcing for everything you'll touch — faucets, fixtures, towel bars, hardware, lighting, appliances. Our team helps you find pieces that fit your aesthetic and your budget, and we pass them through at our cost. No markups on materials or fixtures sourced through us.

This matters more than most clients realize. A typical custom home involves 200+ individual material and fixture decisions. Most builders push that workload onto the homeowner or onto a separate interior designer billing by the hour. We absorb it as part of our service, because the quality of those decisions determines whether the finished home actually feels like the renderings.

What our work costs.

We are not the cheapest custom builder in Los Angeles. We are also not the most expensive. What we are is the contractor whose actual finished cost is closest to the contract you signed at the beginning.

Most of our custom homes start at $1.5M and run through $15M+. Our pre-construction process tells you within the first three meetings whether your scope and your budget align — before you have spent serious money on architectural development.

If your budget and your scope do not align, we will tell you. That conversation costs you nothing.

The first conversation
is on us.

Schedule a Consultation View Recent Work
Home/ADUs

Custom ADUs.
Built like the main house.

Detached units, attached additions, garage conversions, and two-story ADUs across Los Angeles County. Every one designed to your lot, your needs, and the same standard as our primary residences. We don't do prefab. We don't do shortcuts.

Start with a Qualification Assessment

Most ADU contractors are selling you a kit. We build yours from scratch — to your lot, your existing home, your needs, and the local code.

The price difference between a real custom ADU and a prefab unit is smaller than you have been told. The difference in finished quality, neighborhood compatibility, and resale value is enormous.

i

Detached
ADUs

Stand-alone structures up to 1,200 square feet, including two-story options where lot setbacks allow. Designed to complement — not compete with — the architecture of your main house.

ii

Attached
ADUs

Additions that share a wall with the existing home, often the most cost-effective path when your floor plan supports it.

iii

Garage
Conversions

Converting an existing garage to a permitted ADU is fast, code-friendly under current state law, and often the highest-ROI option for owners who don't need additional parking.

The Qualification Assessment

Start with a Qualification Assessment.

Most ADU clients we meet have been quoted by another contractor first — and the quote left out things that turn into change orders later.

Before you sign anything with anyone, we offer a Qualification Assessment that gives you a complete picture of what your ADU will actually cost on your specific lot. The Assessment includes:

  • Site plan mapping existing utilities and routes to the proposed ADU location
  • Evaluation of your existing electrical service and load calculation to determine whether a panel upgrade is required
  • Sewer line tie-in analysis — including whether a lift station will be needed based on the depth of your existing sewer main
  • Septic system evaluation if your property is not on municipal sewer
  • Water supply route analysis
  • Gas meter capacity evaluation — and whether a second meter will be required
  • Coordination with utility providers to capture their construction requirements specific to your property
  • Local code review with the relevant city or county building department
  • Site visits by our vetted subcontractors to evaluate any conditions that could affect cost or feasibility
If the Assessment shows that an ADU isn't financially right for your property at this time, we will tell you that — and you will have spent nothing.

Request your Assessment.

Schedule an ADU Consultation
Home/Projects

Upcoming, active,
and recently completed.

A live look at our project pipeline. Drive past most of these addresses and you will see our banner up. Private tours of active and completed projects are available by appointment — there is no better way to evaluate a contractor than to see the quality of an unfinished frame.

Request a Project Tour
Coming Soon · Closed Contracts

Upcoming projects.

Pre-construction · Breaking ground 2026
Banner Up
Pacific Palisades Breaking Ground · Q2 2026

The Alphabet Streets Rebuild

Type Fire Rebuild
Size 5,200 sq ft
Architect [Studio]

Like-for-like Palisades fire rebuild on a cleared lot. Modern Mediterranean with full WUI assembly. Permits issued via LADBS Standard Plan Pilot Program. Floor plans and 3D renderings available on request.

Banner Up
Malibu Breaking Ground · Q2 2026

The PCH Hillside

Type Custom New Build
Size 6,800 sq ft
Architect [Studio]

Hillside custom home with Coastal Commission approval secured. Engineered for slope stability with custom retaining system and panoramic Pacific elevations. Renderings available.

Banner Up
Pacific Palisades Breaking Ground · Q3 2026

The Huntington Modern

Type Fire Rebuild
Size 4,400 sq ft
Architect [Studio]

Modified rebuild with expanded footprint and additional second-story square footage. Insurance reconciliation complete. Plans currently in LADBS plan check.

Banner Up
Brentwood Breaking Ground · Q3 2026

The Mandeville Estate

Type Custom New Build
Size 7,500 sq ft
Architect [Studio]

Estate-scale ground-up custom on a Brentwood canyon lot. Detached pool house and studio ADU included. Final permit issuance expected June 2026.

Currently Under Construction

Active builds.

Now framing, finishing, or in inspection
MalibuFraming · Spring 2026

Pacific Coast Modern

6,200 sq ft · Custom new build · Architect: [Studio Name]
Hillside lot with significant grading completed Q4 2025. Currently in framing with WUI Class A roofing assembly going on next month. Active site tours available by appointment.

Pacific PalisadesFoundation · Spring 2026

The Bluff House

4,800 sq ft · Fire Rebuild · Architect: [Studio Name]
Coastal-zone lot with 22-foot retained slope on the rear elevation. Foundation pour scheduled this month. WUI assembly specified throughout. Coastal Commission revisions resolved.

Beverly HillsFinishes · Spring 2026

The Hillside Contemporary

8,200 sq ft · Custom new build · Architect: [Studio Name]
Currently in interior finishes phase. In-house design team coordinating tile, cabinetry, and fixture installation. Targeting summer 2026 completion.

Live · Updated Daily

From the job site.

Real photos, taken today. Ram board on the floor, cabinets half built, framing in progress. This is what it actually looks like to build a custom home — straight from our crews via CompanyCam.

Today · 2:14 PM
Pacific Palisades
Framing · Day 47
Today · 11:42 AM
Malibu
Drywall · Day 112
Today · 9:30 AM
Beverly Hills
Cabinets · Day 198
Yesterday
Brentwood
Foundation · Day 12
Yesterday
Pacific Palisades
Rough plumbing · Day 89
2 days ago
Malibu
Tile installation · Day 156
2 days ago
Beverly Hills
Electrical inspection
3 days ago
Pacific Palisades
Window install · Day 73

Powered by CompanyCam · Photos auto-update from our active job sites

Schedule a Live Site Tour
Recently Completed

Finished work.

2023 – Early 2026
Venice, CaliforniaCompleted 2025

The Venice Modern

7,800 sq ft · 6 bed · 8 bath · New construction
Ground-up custom modern home in Venice. Two-story stucco envelope with rooftop terraces, second-story balconies, and full landscape integration. Completed 2025.

Woodland Hills, CaliforniaCompleted Early 2025

The Woodland Hills Custom

2,800 sq ft · 4 bed · 3.5 bath · New construction
Single-story custom new build with wraparound covered porch, detached three-car garage, composition shingle roof, and full driveway and site work. Completed early 2025.

Beverly Hills, CaliforniaCompleted 2025

The Beverly Hills Estate

5,400 sq ft · 5 bed · 5 bath · New construction
Two-story custom home built in 2025. Traditional architectural language with white shingle siding, slate roof, attached garage, and mature landscape — set on a hillside lot with city views.

Santa Monica, CaliforniaCompleted 2023

The Santa Monica Custom

Ground-up new construction · Two-story custom home
Framing-stage build photo from June 2023. Full two-story wood-framed envelope with second-story balconies, attached garage, and full site work on a corner lot. Completed late 2023.

Old Topanga, CaliforniaCompleted 2024

The Topanga Teardown

Whole-home remodel · Down to bare studs throughout
New roof system, new fascia, new siding, new kitchen, new bathrooms, new floors. A teardown remodel that essentially became a new build inside the original envelope.

Calabasas, CaliforniaCompleted 2024

The Calabasas Custom

New construction custom home · Calabasas, California
Modern hillside custom home in Calabasas. Architect-collaborative design with site-specific grading work, contemporary stucco and steel envelope, and integrated landscape design.

Encino, CaliforniaCompleted August 2025

Encino Development

Fully custom new construction · Encino, California
Contemporary architecture with white-stucco envelope, glass-front custom garage, integrated landscape, and a concrete-and-grass driveway. Second-floor terrace and mature privacy hedging. Completed August 2025.

Hermosa BeachCompleted 2024

The Coastal Custom

Fully custom new construction · Hermosa Beach, California
Beach-adjacent custom home with traditional coastal architectural language. White shingle exterior, gabled roofline, integrated front entry court. Built to coastal salt-air specifications with corrosion-resistant exterior assemblies.

From the Portfolio

Finished homes on Instagram.

Completed projects, beauty shots, and the moments that make every build worth it. Follow along on Instagram for new homes as they finish.

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@carusosconstruction
11K Followers · Follow Us
By Appointment

Tour an active project.

The quality of a frame tells you more about a contractor than the quality of a finished kitchen. Private tours of active and completed projects are available by appointment.

Request a Project Tour
Home/About

Three generations.
One last name on the work.

Family-owned, family-operated, and still here.

Who We Are

The Caruso family.

Caruso's Construction is a family-owned, family-operated custom home builder based in Tarzana, California. We have been building in the San Fernando Valley and Greater Los Angeles for three generations.

It started with Anthony Caruso, the grandfather. Anthony owned and operated a construction company in the San Fernando Valley — the first generation of Carusos building homes in this area. His son, Michael Caruso, took over the family business and has held a clean Class B General Contractor license for sixteen years (CSLB #946650, in continuous good standing — verifiable on the California Contractors State License Board website). Today, Ricky Caruso serves as active CEO, the third generation continuing the work in the same neighborhoods his grandfather built in fifty years ago.

Three generations. One last name on every project. Same San Fernando Valley.

We are not a high-volume operation. We take on a limited number of custom homes and ADUs each year because that is the only way we can deliver the supervision, the craftsmanship, and the relationships our clients are paying us for.

What actually sets us apart.

We are still here.

Three generations in this business. Thirty-eight years operating under the current company. Sixteen years of spotless licensure. Most of the Los Angeles contractors who were operating when Michael started are gone. We are not.

Our last name is on the work.

That is a real constraint. We cannot afford to deliver work we are not proud of, because the next conversation we have in this town will be with someone who saw our last project.

We turn down work.

We say no to projects that aren't a fit — wrong scope, wrong budget alignment, wrong timeline expectations, wrong dynamic in the first meeting. Saying no is what protects the experience of clients we say yes to.

Michael is on every job.

Not in spirit. Physically. Daily presence or daily contact, depending on phase. You will have his cell phone number.

Project management that does not let projects drift.

Most projects fail because of slow drift — a day lost here, a subcontractor missed there, a checklist not updated. We are religious about not letting that happen. Every single room of every project is photographed from every angle. Photos are reviewed daily. Checklists and to-do lists are updated daily. Subcontractors are scheduled and rescheduled aggressively. A project manager is on site every single day, keeping everyone on the same page and pushing the build forward as fast as it can responsibly move.

The result is what you would expect: our projects do not drift. They finish on the schedule we committed to.

Email and communication monitored 24/7.

Our office monitors email around the clock. We have staff working all hours of the day and night, including for clients who are out of the country, in different time zones, or building remotely. If you have a question about your project at three in the morning, someone on our team is reading it. You will not be left waiting on a Monday morning to hear back about a Friday afternoon question.

We answer the phone in year three.

The relationship doesn't end at handover. It ends when we both stop building things together — and most of our long-term clients do not stop.

CSLB License #946650, Class B General Contractor, in continuous good standing for sixteen years. Fully bonded and insured. Workers' compensation on every project.
Common Questions

The questions clients
actually ask us.

We have answered them as honestly as we can. If yours isn't here, ask us directly.

Let's meet.

Schedule a Consultation
Home/FAQ

The questions clients
actually ask us.

We have answered them as honestly as we can. If your question isn't here, ask us directly — we'll give you a straight answer.

From the day we sign a construction contract to the day you receive keys, expect 10 to 18+ months for a typical custom home in Los Angeles, depending on size, complexity, and permit jurisdiction. Plans and permits typically take 4 to 8 months from the time the architect is engaged until we have RTI (Ready-to-Issue) permits — depending on size, complexity, local city building code requirements, and owner decision-making timelines. Hillside lots, coastal-zone lots, and projects requiring multiple agency reviews run on the longer end.
As of 2026, ground-up custom construction in our service area runs roughly $500 to $1,200 per square foot depending on finish level, structural complexity, and site conditions. Coastal-zone, hillside, and high-end finish projects routinely run higher. We provide specific cost ranges in our first meeting based on your lot, your scope, and your finish expectations.
Realistically: 10 to 18+ months from the day we sign a construction contract, including permitting. Like-for-like rebuilds on the City of LA's expedited track tend to be on the shorter end; projects requiring Coastal Commission review, hillside grading approval, or significant footprint changes will run longer. We give you a specific timeline for your specific lot in our first meeting — not a generic estimate.
Yes, for qualifying homeowners. Mayor Bass's Emergency Executive Order waived permit and plan check fees for owners who held property in the affected Palisades fire areas before January 7, 2025. The City of Malibu has a parallel fee waiver for primary residences impacted by the Franklin Fire. We confirm your eligibility on day one and apply every applicable waiver.
Maybe — and probably not without a fight. Most policies were written before construction costs in the Palisades and Malibu doubled. Our pre-construction process includes preparing detailed scope-of-work documentation that reflects the true replacement cost of your home, which becomes the basis for negotiating your settlement upward where warranted. We coordinate directly with your adjuster when you want us to.
A like-for-like rebuild keeps the same footprint and square footage as your original home and qualifies for the fastest permit pathway. You can still completely redesign the interior. A modified rebuild changes the footprint or adds square footage — fully possible and often the right call, but it adds permit time. We walk you through the trade-off honestly.
In Los Angeles in 2026, a fully custom ADU typically starts at $250,000+ and runs to $700,000+ depending on size, finishes, site conditions, and any required infrastructure upgrades. We provide a specific cost range during the Qualification Assessment, after we've evaluated your lot's actual conditions — including utility runs, electrical service, sewer tie-in, and any other site-specific factors that affect the final number.
Both. We can work directly with your architect of choice, or we can refer you to one of our vetted licensed architects whose work and process we trust. The choice is yours. Where we do have a full in-house design team is on the interior side — 3D renderings, finish selection, and product sourcing for everything you'll touch in your home: faucets, fixtures, towel bars, appliances, cabinets, flooring, hardware, lighting, and the dozens of other selections most clients don't realize are coming. We help you find pieces that fit your aesthetic and your budget, and we pass them through at our cost — no markups on materials or fixtures sourced through our team.
Only licensed professionals. Every architect we recommend or coordinate with is a licensed California architect. Every structural engineer, civil engineer, and geotechnical engineer is a licensed professional engineer. Every subcontractor and vendor we bring onto your project is licensed, bonded, and insured. We do not subcontract to unlicensed crews to cut costs — that is how projects fail inspections, fail insurance reviews, and fail in court. Our license is too valuable to risk on someone else's shortcut.
Yes. CSLB License #946650, Class B General Contractor — in continuous good standing for 16 years with no suspensions, judgments, or unresolved complaints. We are fully bonded, carry general liability and umbrella coverage, and provide workers' compensation for every worker on every project. You can verify our license directly on the California Contractors State License Board website, and we will provide proof of insurance on request before any contract is signed.
We handle the entire project. As your general contractor, we coordinate every licensed subcontractor — framing, electrical, plumbing, HVAC, drywall, finish carpentry, tile, flooring, paint — under a single contract and a single point of accountability. You hire us. We hire and supervise everyone else. The only outside professionals you work with directly are your architect (whether yours or one we refer) and any specialty consultants like interior designers if you want one beyond our in-house team.
Yes. Private tours of in-progress projects can be arranged by appointment. We think this is the single most useful thing you can do before hiring any contractor — the quality of a frame tells you more than the quality of a finished kitchen.
Through our office concierge, which routes every question to the right person and tracks every answer. You will also have direct cell phone access to Michael Caruso and your project lead. You will not be guessing who to call.
Home/Contact

Let's talk.

The first conversation is free, and you are not committing to anything. Tell us a little about your project and we will be in touch within one business day.

Family-owned.
Locally based.

Whether you are rebuilding after the fires, planning a custom home, or evaluating an ADU on your property, we will give you an honest assessment at no cost and no obligation.

Office
(818) 321-1208
Email
office@carusos.construction
Service Area
Los Angeles County · Ventura County
Hours
Monday–Friday · 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
License
CSLB #946650 · General Contractor
Where We Build

Our service area.

Pacific Palisades · Malibu · Santa Monica · Beverly Hills · Brentwood · Bel Air · Encino · Tarzana · Calabasas · Hidden Hills · Studio City · Sherman Oaks · Westlake Village · Greater Los Angeles & Ventura County.

Home/Vendors & Subcontractors

Vendors and
subcontractors, introduce yourself.

We are always looking to expand our network of licensed subcontractors, suppliers, and trade partners. If you do quality work and want to be considered for upcoming Caruso's projects, fill out the form below and our office will be in touch.

Who We Want to Hear From

Trades, suppliers, and partners.

We work with licensed professionals in every trade involved in custom home construction. If your work is in any of the categories below, we want your information on file.

  • Framing, foundation, and concrete contractors
  • Electrical, plumbing, HVAC, and low-voltage
  • Drywall, insulation, and weatherproofing
  • Roofing — including WUI Class A assemblies
  • Window, door, and glazing installers
  • Cabinetry, millwork, and finish carpentry
  • Flooring — wood, tile, stone, and specialty
  • Tile, stone, and countertop fabricators
  • Painters and specialty finish applicators
  • Landscape, hardscape, and irrigation
  • Pool, spa, and water feature contractors
  • Solar, battery, and home automation
  • Geotechnical, structural, and civil engineers
  • Architects open to collaborative work
  • Material suppliers — lumber, fixtures, appliances, fixtures

What we require.

We work only with vendors and subcontractors who hold proper licensure, current insurance, and workers' compensation coverage where applicable. We pay on time. We expect quality work, professional conduct on site, and direct communication when something is not going to plan. In exchange, we offer a steady pipeline of high-end custom and rebuild projects in the best neighborhoods in Southern California.

Submit Your Information

Tell us about
your company.

Fill out the form and our office will review and reach out if there's a fit. All submissions are kept confidential.