General Contractor in Rancho Palos Verdes, CA
A general contractor in Rancho Palos Verdes works inside a City that designates every address a Very High fire zone, bans new homes, additions and garages across about 715 acres of the Portuguese Bend slide, and sets a 16 foot by-right height for views. MDG Builders, CSLB #1040337, runs all eleven trades under those limits.
Eleven Rancho Palos Verdes guides, one for each kind of job
Each guide below applies the Peninsula's fire label, slope rules, view limits and 1960s housing to a single trade, and links the City pages it leans on. Open the one that matches your project.
Kitchen Remodeling in Rancho Palos Verdes
Over-the-counter kitchen permits, Planning and geology triggers, 1960s tract surprises, Mira Vista homes and landslide area limits on additions.
See Rancho Palos Verdes kitchen remodeling →
Bathroom Remodeling in Rancho Palos Verdes
Emailed permits, a Very High fire zone city, 1967 median homes, shower pan inspections and HOA letters for Rancho Palos Verdes bathrooms.
See Rancho Palos Verdes bathroom remodeling →
ADU Construction in Rancho Palos Verdes
An ordinance HCD found non-compliant, state law in the meantime, the landslide-area ban, fire flow tests and geology review for ADUs.
See Rancho Palos Verdes ADU construction →
Room Additions in Rancho Palos Verdes
The landslide-area ban, a 16 foot by-right height, certified silhouettes, geology review and County Fire for Rancho Palos Verdes additions.
See Rancho Palos Verdes room additions →
Roofing in Rancho Palos Verdes
Citywide Very High fire zone, over-the-counter re-roof permits, radiant barrier trigger, landslide area runoff and 1960s hillside tract roofs.
See Rancho Palos Verdes roofing →
Windows in Rancho Palos Verdes
Planning sign-off before the permit, a tempered pane in every new window, U-factor 0.30, bedroom egress and 1967 median homes.
See Rancho Palos Verdes window replacement →
Flooring in Rancho Palos Verdes
Whether a floor job needs a permit, slab moisture on clay soil, 1960s hillside homes, HOA approval and work hours.
See Rancho Palos Verdes flooring →
Painting in Rancho Palos Verdes
No City painting permit rule found, HOA and CC&R color approval, pre-1978 lead rules, Paul R. Williams homes and stucco prep on the Peninsula.
See Rancho Palos Verdes painting →
Concrete in Rancho Palos Verdes
Grading tiers, the 35 percent slope line, the landslide ban, retaining walls, Coastal Zone limits and what concrete work costs.
See Rancho Palos Verdes concrete work →
Decks in Rancho Palos Verdes
The landslide ban, City Geologist review, 35 percent slopes, view rules, fire zone decking and deck repair details.
See Rancho Palos Verdes deck building →
Fencing in Rancho Palos Verdes
Planning's fence and wall permit, the 6 or 7 foot building line, 42 inch fronts, view findings, hedges, slopes and landslide area limits.
See Rancho Palos Verdes fencing →What should a Rancho Palos Verdes owner understand before a general contractor starts?
The Peninsula was ranch country long before it was suburbs. The General Plan says a few cattle ranchers and sheepherders held it at the close of the 19th century, Japanese families farmed the southern slopes in the early 1900s, and Frank Vanderlip bought 16,000 acres in 1913 for an exclusive residential colony. Great Lakes Carbon bought 7,000 acres from the Vanderlip family in July 1953 and turned to a master plan, and the building boom followed. Voters formed the city in 1973, the Peninsula's fourth, and Eastview joined on January 5, 1983. Census Bureau 2024 five-year tables count 16,723 housing units. About 38 percent went up in the 1960s, 84.2 percent predate 1980, and the median year built is 1967. Roughly 76 percent are single-family detached, and the median owner-occupied value is $1,609,400. Few homes have been added lately, so a kitchen remodel, a bathroom remodel or new flooring usually opens walls with original wiring and pipes, and demolition needs South Coast AQMD clearance, with lead or asbestos testing possible.
Fire comes first in the permit paperwork. The City's Building & Safety application carries a banner saying the entire city is a Very High Fire Severity Zone under Government Code 51177. The County's copy of the 2025 CAL FIRE map tells a narrower story, with 73 of 213 land sample points (34.3 percent) in the Very High class, but we follow the City's wording because that is what the permit counter applies. One consequence is glass: any window changeout needs at least one tempered pane, and the City's window handout, revised January 29, 2026, says a building permit is required for every window and exterior door replacement. We did not read the State's own exemption list, so confirm that point with the Building & Safety Division before you assume otherwise. A window replacement goes by email, a roof through the eTrakit portal, and structural plan check through GoPost. If more than half the roof sheathing is replaced, the checklist also asks for a radiant barrier. The dollar figures we quote on these pages are limited to the City's building inspection lines and the City Geologist's fees, because we did not read the Planning or plan check schedules.
The ground and the view decide what can be built at all. About 715 acres of the Greater Portuguese Bend Landslide Complex are under Ordinance 692, a permanent prohibition since September 18, 2025 on new residential structures, additions, new garages and new or repaired pools. Owners may replace or repair within the same footprint, height and setbacks under a Landslide Exception Permit, which shapes any room addition, deck or concrete slab there. Elsewhere, a City Geologist Category 1 review comes before plan check for additions, decks, retaining walls and pools, and land seaward of Palos Verdes Drive West and South sits in the Coastal Zone, where most new development needs a Coastal Permit. The 1989 voter-approved view ordinance sets 16 feet as the by-right height, allows up to 26 feet only through a Height Variation, and regulates foliage that blocks a neighbor's view, which is why a fence filing includes a foliage check. Construction runs Monday to Friday 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., per the City's code as summarized on its pages.
Housing law is moving, and we flag it. On September 8, 2026 the State Department of Housing and Community Development wrote that Ordinance 681, the City's ADU ordinance from June 2024, does not comply with State law. The City replied that it will amend Chapter 17.10, with adoption expected around February 2027, and meanwhile reviews applications under State law, so an ADU needs a current answer from Planning. The Municipal Code itself was not read for these guides and no outside mirror of it was used, so each rule is credited to the City page that states it. Weather is milder than the inland valleys: the nearest rain station, 4.4 miles from the city's center point, records 12.32 inches a year, 82 percent of it from December through March, and Torrance's airport averages 5.8 days at 90 degrees F or higher. Those are lowland readings, not bluff measurements, but they favor a coat of paint and most exterior work outside winter, subject to your HOA's color rules. MDG designs, permits and manages the job as the licensed general contractor, while licensed specialty subcontractors carry out each trade, and our subcontractor article explains that split. Nearby hubs include Torrance, Redondo Beach and Carson; Lomita and Hermosa Beach are next door as well.
- The Census median year built for the city's 16,723 homes is 1967, and 84.2 percent predate 1980.
- Ordinance 692 has barred new homes, additions and garages across about 715 landslide acres since September 18, 2025.
- A house may reach 16 feet by right, and a Height Variation can allow up to 26 feet after nine findings.
- The County's copy of the 2025 CAL FIRE map put 34.3 percent of 213 land sample points in Very High, though the City labels all of it Very High.
- The nearest rain station records 12.32 inches a year, with 82 percent falling from December through March.
- HCD's September 8, 2026 letter found the City's ADU ordinance out of line with State law, with an amendment expected by about February 2027.
Cities near Rancho Palos Verdes we also build in
What owners ask before hiring a general contractor on the Peninsula
Is all of Rancho Palos Verdes in a Very High fire zone?
By the City's designation, yes. Its permit application says the entire city is a Very High Fire Severity Zone under Government Code 51177. The County's copy of the 2025 CAL FIRE map shows 34.3 percent of 213 land sample points as Very High, so ask Building & Safety about your own address.
Can I add a room or a garage in the Portuguese Bend landslide area?
No, not as new construction. Ordinance 692 permanently bars new residential structures, additions and new garages across about 715 acres. You may replace, restore or repair within the existing footprint, with the same square footage, stories and setbacks, under a Landslide Exception Permit. Confirm your parcel with Planning at (310) 544-5287.
How tall can I build a house or addition in Rancho Palos Verdes?
Sixteen feet is the by-right height in single-family zones. A Height Variation permit can allow up to 26 feet with nine findings, and the Director may send it to the Planning Commission if a view could be affected. Certified silhouettes and early talks with neighbors are part of the process.
Where do I get a building permit, and which portal do I use?
Apply through the Building & Safety Division at the City's permit page, (310) 544-5280. Re-roof, plumbing, electrical and solar permits use eTrakit, structural plan check uses GoPost, and nonstructural kitchen, bath and window changeouts go by email. Always check first whether Planning or geology review comes ahead of the permit.
What is the City Geologist review and what does it cost?
It is a separate gate for additions, decks, retaining walls, pools and similar work. A Category 1 review costs $503 and decides whether a soils report is needed; reviewing that report is Category 2 at $1,860. The geologist's acceptance has to come before plan check moves forward, so budget the time.
Do replacement windows need a permit in Rancho Palos Verdes?
Yes, according to the City's window and door handout revised January 29, 2026, which requires a building permit for every window and exterior door replacement. At least one pane in each changeout must be tempered. We did not read the State's exemption list, so confirm with Building & Safety.
Is the City's ADU ordinance changing?
Yes. HCD found Ordinance 681 out of compliance with State ADU law on September 8, 2026, and the City told HCD it will amend Chapter 17.10, with adoption expected by about February 2027. Until then it reviews applications under State law. Ask Planning which standards apply to your lot before drawing plans.
Does my Rancho Palos Verdes project need a Coastal Permit?
Possibly, if the lot lies seaward of Palos Verdes Drive West or South. That land is the Coastal District under the City's certified Local Coastal Program, where most new development needs a Coastal Permit and appealable areas can go to the Coastal Commission. Inland lots are outside that rule, though fire and geology review still apply.
Describe your Rancho Palos Verdes project
Give us the neighborhood, what you want built or replaced and whether an association is involved. We look at the slope, fire, view and coastal questions first, then phone you with the order of approvals.