FAQs
HOW CAN WE HELP YOU?
What kind of projects do you take on?
Kitchens, bathrooms, room additions, ADUs, whole-home renovations, and rebuilding after structural or water damage. We also handle construction repairs and the trades that sit inside those jobs, like drywall, tile, painting, roofing and electrical. What we'll take on is decided after we see the details, not before. Send us what you're planning and our team looks at the scope, the property and your timing, then tells you straight whether we're the right fit. Sometimes the answer is no, and you'll hear that early rather than three weeks in.
Which areas do you serve?
Yes, absolutely! Shulmen Construction LA proudly serves homeowners and businesses throughout Los Angeles and surrounding high-end neighborhoods. Our service area includes Beverly Hills, West Hollywood, Hancock Park, Beverlywood, Bel-Air, Brentwood, Westwood, Pacific Palisades, Hollywood Hills, and more. We specialize in jobs that require a local expert, someone who knows the architectural styles, permit regulations, and property values of the LA area. Whether you’re in need of drywall installation, water damage restoration, roofing, remodeling, or a custom ADU build, we bring deep knowledge of the local market and fast response times. If you’re located within about five miles of Beverly Hills or Pico-Robertson, we’re likely already helping your neighbors. If you’re unsure whether we serve your location, just give us a call, we’re happy to confirm.
How do I get an estimate, and does it cost anything?
Call (310) 717-0432 or send us your project details. We'll talk it through, then come see the property. The first consultation for a construction project is free. We look at the space, talk about what you want, and give you a written proposal at no cost. Inspections work differently. An inspection is billed work, and what it costs depends on how far it goes, because checking one suspected leak and doing a full property condition report aren't the same job. We'll tell you which one your situation needs, and the price, before anything starts.
Are your contractors licensed and insured?
Yes. Shulmen Construction LA holds California contractor license number 1077837, classification B, General Building, issued to Shulmen Inc. The license is current and active, and it is backed by a $25,000 contractor's bond. We also carry general liability insurance, and we're glad to provide a certificate of insurance on request before work begins. You don't have to take our word for it: you can verify the license yourself against the state's own record at the CSLB.
Do you work with real estate agents, designers and architects?
Yes, all the time. Agents getting a property ready to sell, designers who need their drawings built the way they drew them, and architects and engineers on projects that call for them. We're the general contractor, and we run the build from start to finish. We have the architects, the engineers and the trades a project needs, so the pieces fit together instead of landing on your desk as separate problems. If you're an agent working toward a closing date, we can scope the repairs an inspection turned up and give you a real answer on timing before you commit to anything.
What happens when you find something unexpected behind the walls?
We stop, document it, tell you, and price it before continuing. Concealed conditions are normal in older Los Angeles homes: outdated or unsafe wiring, water damage or rot, failed waterproofing, termite damage, and framing that was modified without permits. When we find one, you get photographs, an explanation of what it means for the project, and a written change order with the cost and schedule impact. Nothing gets added to your bill without your written approval first.
What makes Shulmen Construction LA different?
We're family-owned and owner-led. The person who prices your project is the person accountable for building it. You won't get handed from a salesperson to a project manager you've never met. In practice that shows up in three places. One point of contact for the whole job. You hear about problems when we find them, not at the end. And the work you'll never see gets the same attention as the work you will.
What affects what a project costs?
Scope first, then conditions, then finishes. The things that move the number most: how much structure you're changing, whether plumbing, electrical or HVAC has to move, the finish level you pick, what shape the existing house is in, and how hard the site is to get into. Two kitchens the same size can land far apart on price when one keeps the plumbing where it is and the other doesn't. Permits add time and money too, and how much depends on which city you're in. We'd rather walk you through all of this before pricing than hand you a number that quietly assumes the cheapest version of every decision.
Quality control runs through the job, not at the end of it. That means checks on site while the work is happening, walkthroughs with you at the stages that matter, and coordination with city inspectors on permitted work. City inspections land at set points: foundation, framing, rough electrical and plumbing, and final. We schedule those and we're there for them. At the end we walk the job with you and work through a punch list before we call it finished.
How will I know what's happening while you're working?
You'll get updates without having to chase them, including progress photos on bigger jobs. We confirm the milestones you actually care about, like demo finishing, inspection dates and material deliveries. If something slips, you hear it when we find out, not when it becomes obvious. And if a decision is waiting on you, we'll lay out the options and what each one costs before the job stops.
Do you build ADUs, and what's involved?
Yes. Detached units, attached units, garage conversions and junior ADUs. An ADU is a full construction project, not an add-on. It needs zoning review, permits, utility connections, foundation and framing, and a final inspection. What your lot allows comes down to its size, the setbacks and what's already built on it. Worth knowing before you start: state law gives cities 60 days to approve or deny an ADU permit, but the real numbers in Los Angeles run longer. Analysis of state data by UC Berkeley's Terner Center found LA County ADU applications averaged around 147 days from application to permit, and roughly 260 days for properties inside the Coastal Zone. We plan around the real number, not the legal one, and we walk the property first to tell you what's realistically buildable before you spend money on design.
Do you handle construction repairs and preventative inspections?
Yes, for homeowners, property owners, agents and property managers across greater Los Angeles. These are construction issues, not odd jobs: water getting in, drywall damage, structural concerns, roof and exterior defects, plumbing-related damage, electrical safety, stucco cracks, drainage. A preventative inspection is usually worth doing before you sell, after heavy rain, before starting a remodel, or when you're seeing leaks, cracks or moisture that won't go away. If repairs are needed, our licensed team tells you what they are and does the work.
What should I have ready before we talk?
Nothing, really. But a few things make the first visit much more useful. Helpful to have: photos of the space as it is now, any drawings or plans you already have, a rough budget range, your timing and whether it's fixed, and anything you already know about the property, like past leaks, permit history or HOA rules. If you're working with a designer or architect, tell us at the start so we can coordinate from the beginning instead of halfway through. If you have none of that, it's fine. Plenty of projects start with one photo and a question.
Do I need permits, and who handles them?
Most of what we build needs them. Structural changes, additions, ADUs, new electrical or plumbing, and re-roofing generally do. Cosmetic work like painting or swapping finishes generally doesn't. We handle permitting as part of the project: preparing the submission, dealing with plan check, and scheduling inspections. Worth knowing early: Los Angeles isn't one jurisdiction. If you're in the City of Los Angeles, permits go through LADBS. Beverly Hills and West Hollywood are separate cities with their own building departments and their own timelines. Some addresses also carry rules that aren't obvious from the zoning. Properties in the Mulholland Scenic Parkway Specific Plan area need Design Review Board approval on top of the standard permit, and historic preservation overlay zones add their own review. Plans get rejected over this regularly, usually because nobody checked at the start. We check first. And most permit delays aren't the city being slow, they're applications that went in incomplete and sat waiting for missing paperwork.
Can you assist with pre-sale home inspections or repairs?
Yes. This is one of the most common reasons people call us. An inspection report comes back with a list, and most of it is construction work: roof and flashing problems, water damage, drywall, stucco cracks, drainage, structural items, electrical safety issues. We scope what's actually on the report, tell you what matters and what doesn't, and get it done on a timeline that works with your escrow. For sellers, that means fixing the things that kill deals. For buyers, a second opinion and honest pricing on what the report turned up. The useful part is usually knowing which items you can safely leave alone.
Who actually runs my project day to day?
One point of contact, from the first walkthrough to the final inspection. That person coordinates the trades, runs the schedule, deals with inspectors and answers your questions. Behind them is the rest of the team. We have the architects, the engineers and the trades a project needs, and we bring in whichever ones yours calls for.
What's in your proposal, and what can change later?
The proposal lays out the scope, the materials and finishes it assumes, the trades involved, a schedule, and the price for that scope. What a proposal can't cover is what nobody can see yet. Until walls, floors or roofing are opened, what's behind them is a guess, and older LA homes hide plenty: out-of-date wiring, water damage, failed waterproofing, termites, framing that somebody changed without a permit. Where we suspect something, we say so in the proposal instead of letting it surprise you later. Anything we find after that gets priced and approved by you in writing before we touch it.
Can I stay in the house while you work?
Often yes, depending on what we're doing. One-room work like a bathroom or kitchen is usually liveable if there's another bathroom or somewhere to set up a temporary kitchen. Expect noise, dust and people in the house on working days. Whole-home renovations, structural work, and anything that cuts water or power to the whole house for long stretches usually aren't. You'll get an honest answer at the walkthrough, not after you've already turned down other options. If you do stay, we contain the dust, protect the routes we walk through, and clean up at the end of each day.
What types of properties do you work on?
Residential across Los Angeles: single-family homes, estates, duplexes, townhomes and condos. That covers 1920s Spanish and Craftsman houses with the framing and systems of their era, mid-century homes, and new builds. Older houses need a different approach, because original framing, plaster, galvanized plumbing and knob-and-tube wiring all change how a remodel gets planned. Condos bring their own rules, since HOA approval, building restrictions and shared systems affect what can be done and when.
How do I choose the right contractor in Los Angeles?
Check the license first, then the fit. Anyone you're considering should hold a current California license in a classification that covers your work, and you can verify that yourself at the CSLB in about a minute. After that: ask for recent projects like yours, ask who'll actually be on site every day, and ask how change orders get handled, because that's where most jobs go wrong. Compare proposals on scope, not on the headline number. A lower price usually means less scope or cheaper finishes, not a better deal. And pay attention to how someone communicates before you hire them. It rarely improves afterward.
How do we get started?
Call (310) 717-0432 or send us your project details, and we'll set up a time to see the property. Tell us what you're thinking of doing, where it is, and roughly when. We'll tell you honestly whether it's the kind of work we take on. If it isn't, we can usually point you somewhere better.