General Contractor in Simi Valley, CA
A general contractor in Simi Valley works through two City approvals, a Zoning Clearance from Planning and then a building permit from Building & Safety, under Ventura County fire and air district rules rather than Los Angeles County's. MDG Builders, CSLB #1040337, manages all eleven trades on Simi Valley homes.
Eleven Simi Valley guides, from kitchens to roofs
Each guide below applies the City's permit steps, the fire and hillside overlays and the age of the local housing to one trade. Pick the job you are planning and read what Simi Valley asks of it.
Kitchen Remodeling in Simi Valley
Zoning Clearance before the permit, exempt finish work, 1960s and 1970s tract kitchens, seismic wall rules, oak trees and hillside lots in Simi Valley.
See Simi Valley kitchen remodeling →
Bathroom Remodeling in Simi Valley
Zoning Clearance then permit, 1960s and 1970s tract baths, seismic wall rules, condo shutoffs and the 2025 fan and light requirements.
See Simi Valley bathroom remodeling →
ADU Construction in Simi Valley
State law first, the City's July 2023 ADU Guide, garage conversions, Ventura County Fire forms, hillside slopes and protected oaks.
See Simi Valley ADU construction →
Room Additions in Simi Valley
Zoning Clearance then building permit, stamped plans for two stories, seismic wall rules, expansive soil footings, hillside slopes and protected oaks.
See Simi Valley room additions →
Roofing in Simi Valley
The 10 percent permit line, Class A in high fire hazard areas, Ventura County Fire zones, protected oaks and sheathing inspections for Simi Valley roofs.
See Simi Valley roofing →
Windows in Simi Valley
A building permit even for like-for-like windows, Title 24 labels, fire hazard zone glass, 1960s and 1970s frames and HOA questions.
See Simi Valley window replacement →
Flooring in Simi Valley
Tract homes from the 1960s and 70s, asbestos checks, exempt finish work, slab moisture, garage conversions, 100 degree days and flooring costs in Simi Valley.
See Simi Valley flooring →
Painting in Simi Valley
No permit for ordinary paint, EPA lead-safe rules for 1960s and 1970s tracts, Ventura County Rule 74.2, stucco prep and valley heat in Simi Valley.
See Simi Valley painting →
Concrete in Simi Valley
Zoning Clearance for front yard paving, 50 percent landscaping, curb cuts, protected oaks, expansive soil footings, wall limits and concrete costs in Simi Valley.
See Simi Valley concrete work →
Decks in Simi Valley
The 30 inch permit line, Ventura County fire hazard zones, hillside and oak rules, patio cover standards, deck repair and deck costs in Simi Valley.
See Simi Valley deck building →
Fencing in Simi Valley
The 7 foot permit exemption versus the 6 foot zoning cap, 42 inch front yards, banned chain link, protected oaks and hillside rules for Simi Valley fences.
See Simi Valley fencing →What should a Simi Valley homeowner know before hiring a general contractor?
Simi Valley is mostly a city of 1960s and 1970s tract houses. It was incorporated on October 10, 1969, on a second try after a 1966 attempt failed, and by Wikipedia's account the first tract housing arrived in 1957 and 1958 on land that began as the Rancho Simi grant of 1795. The census count climbed from 8,110 in 1960 to 59,832 in 1970 and 100,217 in 1990. That explains why Census Bureau ACS 2024 1-year estimates put the median year built at 1979 and show about 52 percent of the city's 45,201 housing units (margin of error plus or minus 2,169) dating from before 1980, against 19 percent since 2000. About 74 percent of units are single-family detached, 74.0 percent of occupied units are owner-occupied and the median owner-occupied value is $868,900. Homes of that age mean original tub surrounds and supply lines in a bathroom remodel, old tile and glue to test before new flooring, pre-1978 paint under a repaint, and tired windows and roofs. Wikipedia names Wood Ranch as the newest major development as of 2025.
Approvals run in two steps. The City says home improvements normally need a Zoning Clearance from Planning first and a building permit from the Building & Safety Division second, with extra limits possible in a Special Flood Hazard Area. Building & Safety takes plan check and inspection questions at (805) 583-6723, Monday to Friday 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., plans go in as PDF files through the Online Customer Self Service Portal, and the stated review goal is 20 to 25 working days. Window replacement needs a building permit but no Zoning Clearance. Painting, tile, carpet, cabinets and counter tops are exempt finish work under SVMC 8-5.03(a)(8), as the code is published by gocodebook, a third party, though plumbing, electrical and mechanical changes behind that work still need permits, which matters for a kitchen remodel. A fence up to 7 feet skips the building permit while zoning caps most at 6 feet, and front yard paving for a driveway or patio pour needs a Zoning Clearance, with at least half the front yard kept landscaped. A deck above 30 inches needs a permit, so a deck starts with the same two steps, and a room addition adds stamped plans once it rises past one story.
Land and fire sort the lots next. Simi Valley's fire authority is the Ventura County Fire Protection District, whose board adopted the State Fire Marshal's 2025 local responsibility area zone maps by Ordinance 33 on May 20, 2025, effective July 1, 2025; a parcel in two zones takes the higher one, and we could not confirm how the City itself adopted them. The City has adopted the 2025 California Wildland-Urban Interface Code, and its own Patio Cover City Standard calls for Class A roof covering on patio covers in a High Fire Hazard Area. Wikipedia reports that the Woolsey Fire began on November 8, 2018 on the Santa Susana Field Laboratory property and burned 96,949 acres, and that the Easy Fire of October 30, 2019 burned 1,806 acres and nearly surrounded the Reagan Library. Parcels outside the valley floor boundary fall under the Hillside Performance Standards in SVMC 9-32, mature native oaks about 5 inches across are protected even in a single-family yard, and the Simi and Santa Susana faults put the city in Seismic Design Category D or E, where local amendments bar stucco and gypsum from acting as shear walls. A new ADU adds the City's July 2023 ADU Guide, which Planning says is being updated. Zoning text here comes from Zoneomics, an undated third-party copy.
Weather and neighbors finish the picture. The nearest NOAA 1991 to 2020 normals station with temperatures is Woodland Hills Pierce College, 11.5 miles southeast, which records 16.41 inches of rain a year, 13.67 of them from December through March, and 115.3 days at or above 90 F; Simi Valley's own readings can differ. Paint and coatings fall under the Ventura County Air Pollution Control District's Rule 74.2, not the South Coast district's. Santa Clarita, Agoura Hills, Calabasas and the Los Angeles neighborhoods of Chatsworth and West Hills are in Los Angeles County with their own building departments and rules, so see the Santa Clarita, Agoura Hills, Calabasas and Los Angeles hubs for their rules; Moorpark and Thousand Oaks are neighboring Ventura County cities. MDG Builders holds CSLB #1040337 as the contractor of record: we draw up the scope, handle the filings, schedule licensed specialty subcontractors and walk the completed job with you. Every subcontractor's license number and certificate of insurance are yours for the asking, and you can read how that arrangement works in our subcontractor article and our guide to checking a license.
- Simi Valley was incorporated on October 10, 1969, on a second try after a failed 1966 attempt.
- About 52 percent of housing units were built before 1980, and the median year built is 1979.
- Ventura County Fire Ordinance 33, effective July 1, 2025, adopted the 2025 local fire hazard zone maps.
- A mature native oak about 5 inches across is protected, even in a single-family yard.
- Fences up to 7 feet skip the building permit, but zoning caps most at 6 feet.
- The nearest NOAA station with temperatures, 11.5 miles southeast, counts 115.3 days a year at or above 90 F.
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Simi Valley contractor and permit questions, answered
Does a home improvement in Simi Valley need a Zoning Clearance and a building permit?
Most do, in that order. The City says home improvements normally need a Zoning Clearance from Planning and then a building permit from Building & Safety. Painting, tile, carpet, cabinets and counter tops are exempt finish work, and window replacement needs only the building permit, so ask which approvals your scope triggers.
Who handles permits and inspections in Simi Valley, and how long does plan check take?
Building & Safety, part of the Department of Environmental Services, handles both at (805) 583-6723, Monday to Friday 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The City's stated goal is 20 to 25 working days per plan review, depending on workload. The City's site blocked our tools, so we read stamped Wayback copies; confirm details by phone.
Is my Simi Valley home in a fire hazard severity zone?
Check your address on the Ventura County Fire Protection District's map viewer, because zones are set parcel by parcel and a parcel in two zones takes the higher one. The district adopted the State Fire Marshal's 2025 local responsibility area maps by Ordinance 33, effective July 1, 2025. We could not confirm how the City adopted them.
Can I remove an oak tree from my Simi Valley yard?
Only with a Tree Removal Permit if it is a mature native oak. Other trees in single-family yards are not protected, but a native oak with a trunk roughly 5 inches across counts as mature, and the Director inspects first. Pruning that does not endanger the tree is exempt. This reads a third-party copy of the code.
Do hillside rules apply to my Simi Valley lot?
They apply if your parcel lies outside the City's valley floor boundary, in any zone. Development must stay off natural slopes of 20 percent or more except as allowed, and an application needs a slope map signed by a civil engineer or land surveyor. We did not read the boundary exhibits, so ask Planning where your parcel falls.
Are Simi Valley's ADU rules up to date?
Treat the numbers as provisional. The City's ADU Guide is dated July 2023, and Planning's page notes that the ADU ordinance and standards were being updated. SB 9 two-unit projects fall under Ordinance 1352, effective December 18, 2023. Confirm current sizes and setbacks with Planning before anyone draws plans.
Which air district rules apply to paint and coatings in Simi Valley?
The Ventura County Air Pollution Control District's rules apply, not the South Coast district's. Its Rule 74.2 covers architectural coatings, was revised November 10, 2020 and was approved into the state plan by EPA effective April 5, 2023. We did not open its limits, so we print no VOC figures; ask your painter which products comply.
How tall can a fence be in Simi Valley, and does paving need approval?
Most property line fences outside the front setback top out at 6 feet by zoning, though the building code lets fences up to 7 feet go without a permit. Inside the front setback a solid fence stops at 42 inches. Front yard paving needs a Zoning Clearance, and half the yard must stay landscaped.
Describe your Simi Valley project
Tell us the street, the trade and what you want changed. We look at the parcel for hillside, oak, fire zone and flood questions first, then explain by phone which of Simi Valley's approvals your scope is likely to meet.