Custom Home Design-Build in Hidden Hills

Hidden Hills is a gated equestrian community in 91302 with mandatory architectural review for every new construction project and a strict design vocabulary — ranch and equestrian-traditional styles, white 3-rail equestrian fencing on perimeter, generous setbacks, no street-side garages, mature landscape buffer. Access is restricted, project logistics run through HH security, and the architectural review board enforces material and massing rules at a granular level. We've been designing here since 2016 and pulling our own permits as the GC since 2023. Real cost band: $400-$1,500/sf.

What a Hidden Hills custom home actually costs in 2026

Off real LA-area invoices in the last 18 months: $400-$700/sf for a 5,000-7,500sf equestrian-traditional or ranch on a buildable lot with HH-compliant finishes. $700-$1,100/sf with high-end finish package (wide-plank reclaimed wood, hand-set masonry, full equestrian accessory buildings, integrated AV). $1,100-$1,500/sf for estate-tier with international finishes, indoor riding ring, and full guest-house program.

HH lots typically run 1-3 acres and the design problem is making the house and equestrian accessory feel like a unified estate rather than a residence with outbuildings. We design site-to-architecture from concept.

HH estates are designed as unified site-to-architecture programs. Main residence, equestrian accessory, motor court, perimeter fencing, and landscape all read as one design intent. We design from site backward.

Hidden Hills project intake confirms ARB constraints, equestrian program scope, HH security and access requirements, and realistic timeline expectations. We're direct at intake about whether the project fits our pipeline and capability.

Hidden Hills Architectural Review Board — what passes

HH ARB enforces a specific design vocabulary. Approved styles: California ranch, equestrian-traditional, Spanish-revival ranch, Tuscan-inspired equestrian. Not approved: contemporary, modern, mid-century, or anything urban-feeling. Material vocabulary: real stone, hand-set brick, wood siding, painted clapboard, real stucco. Roofs: clay or concrete tile, wood shake (treated Class A), or standing-seam metal. White 3-rail equestrian fence on the property perimeter is mandatory. We design every HH project to ARB vocabulary from concept.

ARB material vocabulary is enforced at finish-spec level — a board member will notice a wrong stone grout color or a wrong wood-stain depth. We sample and submit at the level of detail the board reviews.

ARB material vocabulary is enforced at sample-board detail. Wood-stain depth, stone grout color, paint sheen — board members will notice. We submit physical samples and we expect 1-2 sample iterations per submittal.

ARB review cycles in HH typically run 90-150 days. Our first-cycle approval rate is above 90% because we design to the vocabulary from concept and we submit complete sample-board packages.

Equestrian accessory and the lot program

Most HH lots are 1-3 acres with equestrian use as an explicit allowance. Barn, paddock, riding ring, and tack room are common accessory programs. ARB reviews accessory placement and material. We coordinate equestrian program with the main residence so the lot reads as a unified estate, not a house and outbuildings.

Equestrian-accessory programs run from $300K (basic barn, paddock, white fence) to $2M+ (full barn with stalls, indoor riding ring, tack room, observation lounge, hay storage, manure management). We scope honestly.

Equestrian accessory pricing varies widely — basic barn with paddock and perimeter fence is $300K, full barn with stalls, indoor ring, tack room, observation lounge, hay storage, and manure management runs $1.8M-$2.5M+. We scope honestly at intake.

Hidden Hills construction logistics are uniquely constrained. Approved trade list, gated access, restricted hours, weight limits, and security check-in for every site visit. We've internalized the constraints and they don't disrupt our project flow.

Access, security, and construction logistics

Hidden Hills access is gated. All construction trades, deliveries, and visitors clear HH security. Construction hours are restricted. Truck weights and routes are enforced. We coordinate every project with HH security from day one and we maintain the approved trade list. Most projects run a dedicated on-site superintendent for security coordination.

HH security manages a hard list of approved trades and contractors. New entries to the list require ARB and HH security review — we're already on the list and our subs have been cleared for HH access since 2017.

HH security manages a hard list of approved trades and contractors. New entries require ARB and HH security review. We're on the list and our subs have been cleared for HH access since 2017.

HH security check-in protocols are part of every site visit, trade arrival, and material delivery. We've internalized these so our project flow isn't disrupted. New subs to the approved list require ARB and security clearance — we book that timing into the schedule.

How to engage

First call is 30 minutes — NDA at intake for celebrity and executive clients. We confirm lot size and ARB constraints, equestrian program, realistic budget. Site walks coordinated with HH security. CSLB #1105249, BBB A+, 200+ LA County projects since 2016.

Site walks on HH parcels are scheduled through HH security and your representative. 90-120 minutes, NDA at intake. Free, no follow-up if we're not the right fit.

Site walks are scheduled through HH security and your representative. 90-120 minutes, NDA at intake. Free, no follow-up if not a fit.

We've completed 9 HH projects since 2016 ranging from $2.4M to $8.7M in construction value. References available under NDA from current and past clients across both equestrian-active and equestrian-inactive estates.