Remodeling Contractor in Malibu

Malibu, California

What remodeling in Malibu actually involves

Malibu is the most heavily regulated place on our map, and none of it is negotiable. It is its own city with its own building department, most of the coastline sits under coastal development rules, the great majority of properties are served by private septic systems rather than sewer, and nearly the whole city is in a very high fire hazard zone. Any one of those changes a project; here you usually get all four at once.

Practically, that means the permitting phase on a Malibu remodel is longer than the construction phase on a comparable inland job — sometimes by months. We would rather tell you that on the first call than discover it together in month four. Where a scope can be kept fully interior, the path is far shorter, and we will show you where that line falls on your property before you commit to a design that crosses it.

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Remodeling work by New Cali Construction

Where we work in Malibu

Point Dume, Malibu Colony, Carbon Beach, Big Rock, Las Flores, Malibu Park and the Zuma-adjacent streets.

Our Services

What we build in Malibu

Kitchen Remodeling by New Cali Construction

Kitchen Remodeling in Malibu

Kitchens kept inside the existing envelope where possible, to stay clear of the longest parts of the coastal process.

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Bathroom Remodeling by New Cali Construction

Bathroom Remodeling in Malibu

Bathroom remodels and additions planned around the property’s septic capacity before anything is designed.

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ADU & Garage Conversion by New Cali Construction

ADU & Garage Conversion in Malibu

ADUs and garage conversions on Malibu parcels, planned against coastal, septic and fire-zone requirements together.

See adu & garage conversion →

Whole-Home Remodel by New Cali Construction

Whole-Home Remodel in Malibu

Whole-home renovations where permitting is genuinely a project phase, planned and scheduled as one.

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Fire Rebuild & Smoke Damage by New Cali Construction

Fire Rebuild & Smoke Damage in Malibu

Ground-up rebuilds and smoke and heat damage renovation, planned around Malibu’s coastal, septic and fire-zone requirements together.

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Permits & Local Rules

Who approves your project in Malibu

Malibu issues its own building permits, and a great deal of work here also requires a coastal development permit. Septic-served properties add an onsite wastewater review, and fire-zone construction standards apply almost everywhere in the city.

City of Malibu plan check — independent of LA City and LA County, with its own standards and its own timeline.
Coastal development permits commonly apply to exterior alterations and anything that changes the building envelope. Interior-only scopes are usually far simpler.
Most Malibu properties are on private septic (OWTS), so added bathrooms or fixtures can trigger a wastewater capacity review — the single most overlooked item in a Malibu bathroom addition.
Very high fire hazard zone standards drive ignition-resistant exterior materials, ember-resistant vents and rated glazing.

Local Experience

Three things we plan for on every Malibu job

01

Adding a bathroom is a septic question first

On a septic-served property, new fixtures can exceed the system’s permitted capacity. That is a wastewater review, potentially a system upgrade, and a real cost — we raise it during the estimate rather than after the tile is ordered.

02

Interior stays simple, exterior does not

A kitchen or bathroom kept entirely inside the existing envelope avoids most of the coastal process. Move a window or change a roofline and the review changes completely. We show you exactly where that boundary sits on your project.

03

Distance is part of the schedule

Malibu is a long haul from most trades and suppliers. We schedule crews in full days rather than partial ones and stage materials on site, because half-day trips up the coast are how a Malibu project quietly loses a month.

Transparent Pricing

Typical investment ranges

Every Malibu project gets its own written, line-item quote. These ranges are for planning.

Refresh

$15K - $40K

Single-room refresh — bathroom, kitchen facelift, or flooring throughout. Typically 2-4 weeks.

Renovate

$40K - $120K

Full kitchen, primary suite, or multi-room remodel with layout changes. Typically 4-10 weeks.

Transform

$120K - $500K+

Whole-home remodel or ADU build, design through final inspection. Typically 3-6 months.

Free estimates always. Every quote is line-item and locked in writing before work begins.

Recent Work

Craftsmanship you can look at

A sample of completed New Cali Construction projects across the Westside. See the full portfolio →

Completed remodel by New Cali Construction

Common Questions

Malibu FAQs

Do I need a coastal permit to remodel in Malibu?

It depends on what you are changing. Interior-only remodels frequently avoid it, while exterior alterations, envelope changes and new structures commonly require a coastal development permit. We check your parcel and scope against the city’s requirements before design, because the answer changes the timeline more than it changes the price.

Can I add a bathroom to a Malibu home on septic?

Sometimes, but it is a wastewater question before it is a construction question. Most Malibu properties use private onsite systems with permitted capacity, and new fixtures can exceed it — which means a review and possibly a system upgrade. We establish that first so nobody designs a bathroom the property cannot legally support.

Why do Malibu projects take so long to permit?

Because several approvals stack: city plan check, coastal review where it applies, onsite wastewater review on septic properties, and fire-zone construction standards. Each is reasonable on its own; together they routinely make permitting longer than construction. We give you a realistic schedule up front rather than an optimistic one.

Building in Malibu? Let's talk.

Free in-home consultation. Written line-item scope. Locked price before we start.

Get a Free Estimate (800) 216-1005

We also work nearby

Pacific Palisades Bel Air Marina del Rey Beverly Hills All service areas