Guide33°46′ N · 118°22′ W
A new house here starts with the lot, the light and the view.
Building new on the Peninsula is the chance to design entirely around the site: the bench of the lot, the line of the view, the afternoon sun and the wind off the water. It is also the largest project most families ever take on, so it helps to see the whole path before stepping onto it.
What it costs
The Peninsula's value, per square foot.
At a premium finish on a flat lot, our estimator puts new construction at roughly $608–$1,485 per square foot in Rancho Palos Verdes, $621–$1,518 in Rolling Hills and $639–$1,562 in Palos Verdes Estates. Malibu, Laguna Beach, Newport Beach and Beverly Hills all run higher for the same house.
A sloped lot adds roughly a fifth for foundations, retaining walls and access, and luxury finishes add about a third.
- Rancho Palos Verdes$608–$1,485 per sq ft
- Rolling Hills$621–$1,518 per sq ft
- Palos Verdes Estates$639–$1,562 per sq ft
- Sloped lotAbout 22% added for site work
From lot to keys
The path, in order
Know the lot
Survey, soils report and the city's and association's rules for the parcel. These shape everything that follows.
Design around the site
Place rooms for view, light and privacy; work with the natural bench of the lot rather than against it.
Price the design while it is still flexible
Bring the builder in during design, not after, so scope and budget stay one project.
Approvals
City permit plus any committee or association review. For new homes, about twelve weeks of design and the city's review come before construction.
Build and inspect
Foundations and site work first, then the shell, systems and finishes, with city inspections along the way.
Design notes
What makes a Peninsula house work.
Indoor-outdoor living is the reason most people build here, so terraces, wide glass and outdoor rooms deserve as much design attention as the interior. Shelter outdoor spaces from the prevailing breeze, shade west-facing glass against the afternoon sun, and choose cladding, windows and hardware made for salt air.
- Terraces sheltered from the wind off the water
- Shade for west-facing glass
- Coastal-grade windows, cladding and hardware
- Drainage designed with the landscape from the start
Common questions
New home questions
How long does it take to build a new home here?
Plan on design and approvals taking months before construction, and construction itself taking longer than any remodel. Our timeline planner shows the phases for your city and size.
How firm are these figures?
Figures are planning ranges from our cost estimator (2024 Southern California base rates, adjusted for each city and finish level). They are not a bid; a site visit and drawings set the real number.
Next
Price your house before you draw it.
Run new construction through the cost estimator for your city, size and finish level.