CUSTOM HOME BUILDING
High-Performance, Wildfire-Resilient Custom Homes Built with Precision and Intent
At Bur Oak Building Co., custom means intentional, not just unique.
We build luxury custom homes in Los Angeles and Southern California for clients who value precision, long-term performance, and a deeply collaborative process.
Our projects are often complex: hillside sites, wildfire-prone zones, modern architecture, and high-performance building requirements. We step in early, often before drawings are finalized, to help protect the vision, manage risk, and ensure the home is built correctly from the inside out.
From initial concept through final move-in, we operate with thoughtful craftsmanship, clear communication, and an uncompromising respect for how the home should perform over decades, not just at delivery.
WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT
1
PERSONAL GUIDANCE
You’ll work directly with Bur Oak, not layers of middle management.
We take the time to understand how you live, how the home will be used, and where performance, durability, and long-term risk matter most. That early clarity allows us to guide critical decisions before they become expensive or irreversible.
This is a true boutique partnership built on access, transparency, and trust.
2
STRATEGIC PLANNING
We collaborate closely with your architect and design team from the earliest stages, providing real-time feedback on:
-
Feasibility and constructability
-
Material selection and long-term durability
-
Wildfire exposure and risk mitigation
-
High-performance envelope and mechanical strategy
-
Budget alignment and realistic timelines
Our role is to align architectural intent with building science, site conditions, and construction reality so design ambition and execution remain fully aligned.
3
HANDS-ON CONSTRUCION
Every Bur Oak custom home is staffed with:
-
A dedicated site superintendent
-
A focused project manager
-
Direct oversight from our founder
We intentionally take on fewer projects so each home receives the attention it deserves. The result is tighter coordination, higher accountability, and craftsmanship that cannot be achieved at volume.
4
HIGH-PERFORMANCE BUILDING
High-performance construction is not an upgrade. It is our baseline.
Our custom homes are designed and built using building science principles that address:
-
Moisture control and long-term durability
-
Airtightness and controlled ventilation
-
Wildfire resilience and ember defense
-
Energy efficiency and indoor air quality
-
Reduced maintenance and long-term resilience
This approach is especially critical in Los Angeles, where wildfire exposure, marine layer humidity, complex microclimates, and increasingly strict codes demand smarter systems, not just better finishes.
Our building science methodology informs every decision, from envelope assemblies to mechanical systems, ensuring your home performs as well as it looks.
5
A BOUTIQUE APPROACH
We’re not chasing volume. We’re focused on doing it right.
That means taking on fewer projects, building real relationships, and delivering homes that are both beautiful and deeply durable.
Our founder brings years of experience managing custom residential projects ranging from $5 million to over $20 million, combining hands-on construction knowledge with high-level project management. That background shapes how we build today, with precision, performance, and personal attention at the core of every project.
AREAS WE COMMONLY BUILD
-
Pacific Palisades
-
Malibu
-
Brentwood
-
Beverly Hills
-
Bel Air
-
Santa Monica
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Do you design custom homes?
No. Bur Oak Building Co. is a custom home builder, not a design firm. We collaborate closely with architects and designers selected by the client and often engage early to provide technical guidance, constructability input, and building science feedback that supports the design intent.
When should a builder be involved in the process?
Ideally, during schematic design or early design development. Early builder involvement allows us to advise on constructability, performance strategy, wildfire considerations, material selection, and realistic budgeting before key decisions become difficult or costly to change.
What types of custom homes do you specialize in?
We specialize in architect-led, high-end custom homes that require careful coordination and technical execution. This often includes hillside properties, wildfire-exposed sites, modern architecture with large glazing systems, and homes where long-term durability and performance are priorities.
Do you build in wildfire or WUI zones?
Yes. Many of our projects are located in wildfire-prone or Wildland Urban Interface areas. We address this through non-combustible assemblies, ember-resistant detailing, fire-aware roof and envelope strategies, and coordinated mechanical systems that go beyond minimum code requirements.
How is Bur Oak different from other custom home builders?
We approach construction as an integrated system rather than a checklist. Structure, envelope, mechanical systems, drainage, and material transitions are coordinated together from early design through construction. This reduces hidden risk and improves long-term performance, especially in complex custom homes.
What role does building science play in your projects?
Building science informs how we manage moisture, air movement, heat, and durability throughout the home. It influences wall and roof assemblies, ventilation strategy, material selection, and detailing. This approach helps prevent long-term issues that often appear years after construction is complete.
Do you limit the number of projects you take on?
Yes. We intentionally limit the number of active projects to ensure each custom home receives focused attention, direct oversight, and consistent coordination. Quality, clarity, and execution take priority over volume.
What project sizes do you typically work on?
Our experience includes custom residential projects ranging from approximately five million dollars to over twenty million dollars. Project fit is determined by complexity, expectations, and alignment rather than size alone.
Can you work with my existing architect or design team?
Yes. We regularly work with both established and emerging architects and designers. Our role is to support the design through thoughtful planning, technical coordination, and honest feedback that helps the project succeed.
Do you offer early consultations or plan reviews?
Yes. We are open to early conversations, plan reviews, and pre-construction discussions for clients who value clarity, foresight, and long-term performance. These discussions often help set the right direction before construction begins.
