General Contractor in Pomona, CA
Pomona homeowners can hire MDG Builders, a licensed general contractor, CSLB #1040337, to design, permit and manage any of eleven home trades. The first question on every job is the lot's historic overlay and zoning module, because a Certificate of Appropriateness comes before a building permit in the city's six historic districts.
Every home trade we manage for Pomona owners
Each guide below reads Pomona's municipal code and zoning rules for one trade and links the source. Open the one that matches your project.
Kitchen Remodeling in Pomona
Which finish work skips a permit, what 1950s tract and older kitchens hide, historic district review and the 50 percent recycling rule.
See Pomona kitchen remodeling →
Bathroom Remodeling in Pomona
Permit lines for tub and vanity swaps, lead-safe work in pre-1980 homes, historic district review and Pomona's recycling rule for demolition.
See Pomona bathroom remodeling →
ADU Construction in Pomona
Size caps tied to lot size, garage conversions, historic district review, septic and the 60 day permit clock for Pomona ADUs.
See Pomona ADU construction →
Room Additions in Pomona
Coverage and setback numbers by zoning module, second stories, historic district review and fire zone pockets for Pomona additions.
See Pomona room additions →
Roofing in Pomona
Re-roof permit questions, six historic districts, small Very High fire pockets near Elephant Hill and solar permits for Pomona homes.
See Pomona roofing →
Windows in Pomona
Lead-safe work in pre-1980 homes, historic district review, the permit question, summer heat and fire pocket glass for Pomona windows.
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Flooring in Pomona
Slab moisture tests, asbestos checks under old floors, original oak in six historic districts and who approves floors in rentals and condos.
See Pomona flooring →
Painting in Pomona
No permit for ordinary repainting, but lead-safe rules for pre-1978 homes, six historic districts and stucco prep in strong sun.
See Pomona painting →
Concrete in Pomona
Driveway and sidewalk permits from Public Works, lot coverage caps, retaining wall limits and pouring in Pomona's heat and winter rain.
See Pomona concrete work →
Decks in Pomona
Which decks skip a permit, boards for Very High fire zone pockets, historic district review, deck repair limits and wood versus composite costs.
See Pomona deck building →
Fencing in Pomona
4.5 foot front yard fences, 6 foot side and rear limits, no chain-link up front, wall and pool rules and historic district review.
See Pomona fencing →Why does the age of a Pomona house change the job?
Pomona was incorporated in 1888 as a citrus-belt railroad town, and its houses are layered like rings in a tree. About 11.8 percent of units date from 1939 or earlier, and Lincoln Park alone holds 821 structures, mostly from the 1890s to the 1940s. Then came the freeway. Interstate 10 reached Pomona in 1954, a branch of the state polytechnic college opened on the Kellogg Ranch in 1956, and the population jumped 89.7 percent during the 1950s to 67,157 by 1960, much of it on former farmland. By the Census Bureau's 2024 estimates, 39.8 percent of units predate 1960, 65.7 percent predate 1980, and only about a fifth went up after 1990. Those older layers decide what we find behind the walls: original plumbing and wiring on the oldest streets, flat tract roofs and single-pane windows on the 1950s blocks, and lead paint under almost everything built before 1978.
Rules follow the layers. The city's Zoning and Development Code, adopted July 1, 2024, replaced conventional zones with 32 modular districts, and each parcel carries a bracketed code for its form, frontage and use. Six specific plans override the base code where they apply, and an -H overlay marks the Hacienda Park, Lincoln Park, Wilton Heights, Edison, Civic Center and Landmark Quarter districts, where no building permit issues until the Historic Preservation Commission or Planning approves a Certificate of Appropriateness. The Building and Safety Division enforces the 2025 state codes adopted in section 74-31, while permit fees live in a council schedule we leave you to read. Exterior jobs such as a re-roof, new windows or a repaint on a designated house should be cleared with Planning before anyone orders materials.
Zoning numbers matter as much as the code book. Front yard fences in the single-unit districts stop at 4.5 feet with at least half the face open above 3 feet, chain-link is banned in front and side yards, and side and rear fences stop at 6 feet, tighter than the state's 7 foot exemption, as the Pomona fencing guide shows. Impervious coverage caps of 70 to 75 percent count every slab, so a bigger patio or concrete driveway eats into what is left for a room addition or deck. A detached ADU is limited to 800 square feet or less under the city's first track, and larger units depend on lot size. Fire is a minor but real factor: roughly one percent of the city, mostly around Elephant Hill in Spadra, falls in a Very High zone.
We work as the general contractor. MDG Builders, CSLB #1040337, prepares the scope and drawings, files the paperwork, sequences the trades and walks the finished work with you, while licensed subcontractors handle the physical labor on a kitchen, bathroom or flooring job. Pomona's code asks for at least 50 percent of remodel waste to be recycled or reused, so demolition is planned around that. If you are weighing us against other cities' rules, see the service areas and the hubs for Pasadena, Glendale and Los Angeles. Claremont, La Verne, San Dimas and Diamond Bar border Pomona; they have no pages here yet.
- Pomona was incorporated in 1888, and 65.7 percent of its housing units were built before 1980.
- Six historic districts carry an -H overlay, and the Certificate of Appropriateness comes before the building permit.
- Front yard fences in single-unit districts are capped at 4.5 feet, with at least half open above 3 feet.
- Chain-link is banned in front and side yards, and side and rear fences stop at 6 feet.
- A detached ADU of 800 square feet or less is approved ministerially, with 4 foot side and rear setbacks.
- The city requires 50 percent of remodel and demolition waste to be recycled or reused.
Pomona contractor questions, answered
Who issues building permits in Pomona?
The Building and Safety Division of the Development Services Department. It enforces the 2025 California building codes, the 2025 Wildland-Urban Interface Code and the 2024 Los Angeles County Fire Code under municipal code section 74-31. Permit fees are set by council resolution, so confirm the current schedule with the counter before budgeting.
How do I know if my Pomona home is in a historic district?
Ask Planning to read the zoning map for your parcel, where historic districts show an -H suffix and landmarks outside districts carry -HL. The six districts are Hacienda Park, Lincoln Park, Wilton Heights, Edison, Civic Center and Landmark Quarter. In them, no building permit for a historic resource issues until its certificate is approved.
What are the fence rules in Pomona?
In single-unit districts a front yard fence can reach 4.5 feet, set back 3 feet, with at most half solid above 3 feet. Side and rear fences are limited to 6 feet. Chain-link is banned in front and side yards, and barbed wire is not allowed. Historic districts add review for fences visible from the street.
How big can an ADU be in Pomona?
A new detached ADU of 800 square feet or less is allowed with a building permit, with 4 foot side and rear setbacks. Larger units depend on lot size: on lots under 7,200 square feet, 850 square feet for a studio or one bedroom and 1,000 for two or more, and up to 1,200 on bigger lots.
Which Pomona remodeling jobs skip a permit?
Finish work such as painting, tiling, carpeting, cabinets and counter tops is on the state exempt list, and Pomona lists no amendment to it. Moving plumbing, gas or electrical lines is not exempt, nor is a window swap or re-roof. Exempt work still has to meet zoning and historic review, so ask the counter.
Does lead paint rule apply to my Pomona house?
Probably, because 65.7 percent of Pomona units were built before 1980. EPA's lead-safe rule covers paid work that disturbs paint in homes built before 1978, and window replacement is always covered. The contractor firm must be EPA certified and follow lead-safe practices. Ask for the firm's certification number before signing.
Do I need a permit to replace a driveway in Pomona?
Yes, if it connects to a street where curb and sidewalk exist. Section 46-116 requires a permit from the Public Works Director, with a deposit held until the driveway is finished to specification. The floor through the sidewalk must be at least 6 inches thick and stay 6 feet from a fire hydrant.
Can MDG Builders manage a project in Pomona?
Yes. Pomona is in Los Angeles County, which is within our service area. MDG is a licensed general contractor, CSLB #1040337, that designs, permits and runs the project while licensed subcontractors do the trade work. Before you sign, request each subcontractor's license number and certificate of insurance and check the license on the CSLB website.
Tell us about your Pomona project
Share the address, the trade and what you want changed. We check the parcel for a historic overlay or specific plan first, then call you to explain the review that applies.