Custom Home Builder — Laguna Beach, CA
Marilynn & Co. is a custom home builder serving Laguna Beach — hillside estates, coastal homes, and canyon retreats in one of the most architecturally distinctive communities in Southern California. 32 years of experience. Fire-aware construction from a founder who has worked these hills.
32+
Years Experience
500+
Homes Built
6
Counties Served
5.0
Client Rating
Laguna Beach Custom Homes
Marilynn & Co. is a custom home builder serving Laguna Beach and the surrounding communities of Laguna Hills, Laguna Niguel, Dana Point, and Aliso Viejo — with 32 years of experience building homes in one of Southern California’s most demanding and architecturally distinctive coastal communities.
Laguna Beach is not a straightforward place to build. The topography is steep — many of the most desirable lots in town sit on hillsides with significant grade, and getting a home onto one of those sites requires grading plans, retaining systems, and structural engineering that a builder without hillside experience will underestimate. The city’s architectural review process is among the most involved in Orange County — Laguna Beach cares about what gets built and how it fits the existing character of the neighborhood, and the Design Review Board has real teeth. Getting through that process requires preparation and familiarity with what the board is looking for.
The fire exposure here is also real. The hillside terrain above Laguna Beach — Laguna Canyon, Aliso and Wood Canyons, the open space that borders the residential neighborhoods on three sides — creates a fire environment that has produced destructive events before and will produce them again. Every home we build in Laguna Beach is specified with that in mind.
We have built in Laguna Beach across the full range of what the city offers — oceanfront homes below PCH, hillside homes with canyon and ocean views, contemporary homes in the flats near the village, and estate properties in the upper residential areas. We build to the site and to the client, not to a formula.
We serve clients throughout Laguna Beach including the Village, Arch Beach Heights, Top of the World, Temple Hills, Three Arch Bay, Woods Cove, Emerald Bay, and the hillside communities above the canyon, as well as Laguna Hills, Laguna Niguel, Aliso Viejo, Dana Point, and San Clemente.
What We Build
Full design-build services for luxury custom homes in Laguna Beach. Design, engineering, city architectural review, Coastal Commission coordination, permits, and construction handled by one team from start to finish.
The hillside terrain surrounding Laguna Beach creates serious fire exposure for a significant portion of the city's residential neighborhoods. Every home we build here is specified for that environment — developed from 25+ years of Southern California firefighting experience.
Our ADU Series brings the same construction standards as our custom homes to guest houses and accessory structures — well suited to Laguna Beach properties where a guest cottage or rental unit adds real value.
Our Founder
Anthony Ferro spent 25 years as a Southern California firefighter before founding Marilynn & Co. He has worked fires in the Laguna Beach area — in the canyon terrain above the city, in the hillside corridors where fire moves fast and the residential neighborhoods sit directly in the path. The 1993 Laguna Beach firestorm destroyed nearly 400 homes. The terrain and the conditions that produced that fire have not changed.
That history is why every home Marilynn & Co. builds in Laguna Beach gets specified the same way: Class A roofing, ember-resistant vents, non-combustible exterior materials where the exposure warrants it, and site planning that accounts for defensible space from the start. It is not a premium option. It is the only responsible way to build in this specific community.
Beyond fire, what Anthony brings to every project in Laguna Beach is the same thing he brings everywhere — straight talk about cost and timeline, a team that builds what was designed, and a finished home that holds its value in a market that rewards genuine quality.
32+
Years Building
25+
Years Firefighting
6
Counties Served
Our Work
A selection of custom homes built by Marilynn & Co. in Laguna Beach and coastal Orange County.
How It Works
01
We start with the site. Laguna Beach lots are varied — flat parcels near the village, steep hillside sites above the canyon, oceanfront properties subject to Coastal Commission review. We walk the property, assess what it requires, and give you a straight picture of timeline and cost before you commit to anything.
02
We work with your architect or ours to develop plans built around the site and the city's architectural standards. Laguna Beach architectural review has specific expectations. We know what the board looks for and prepare documentation that addresses it upfront rather than in response to comments.
03
We manage the full permitting process — City of Laguna Beach planning, building permits, architectural review board submissions, and Coastal Commission review where required. Every layer gets managed by our team.
04
Our crews build with the same care we bring to design. We communicate throughout, surface problems before they get expensive, and deliver a finished home built for the specific site and the specific community it sits in.
Where We Build
Marilynn & Co. builds custom homes throughout Laguna Beach and the surrounding south Orange County communities. Our team is based in the San Gabriel Valley and works throughout the region on every project.
Communities we serve near Laguna Beach include Laguna Hills, Laguna Niguel, Laguna Woods, Aliso Viejo, Dana Point, San Clemente, San Juan Capistrano, Monarch Beach, Emerald Bay, Three Arch Bay, and the broader south Orange County coastal market.
Building in another part of Orange County or Southern California? We also serve Newport Beach and clients across all six Southern California counties.
Common Questions
Custom home construction in Laguna Beach typically runs between $600 and $1,100+ per square foot. Hillside lots with significant grade require retaining systems and structural engineering that add cost. Oceanfront and near-coastal sites carry Coastal Commission requirements and marine-grade material specifications. The architectural character Laguna Beach is known for also tends to push toward higher-quality finishes and exterior materials. We provide a detailed estimate during the consultation based on your specific site and program.
Yes. The City of Laguna Beach has an active Design Review Board that reviews proposed new construction and significant renovations. The review process has specific expectations about how new homes relate to the existing neighborhood character, massing, and materials. Marilynn & Co. manages the design review submission as part of our pre-construction process and prepares documentation that addresses the board's criteria from the start.
For projects within the coastal zone, yes. A significant portion of Laguna Beach falls within Coastal Commission jurisdiction. We manage that process as part of our full permitting service.
Most custom home projects in Laguna Beach take between 18 and 30 months from the start of permitting to move-in. City permitting, design review board submissions, Coastal Commission review where applicable, and construction all factor into the timeline. Hillside projects with significant grading add pre-construction time. We communicate the realistic schedule from the start.
Yes. The hillside terrain above Laguna Beach creates serious fire exposure for much of the city's residential neighborhoods. Fire-resistant construction is our baseline for every home we build in Laguna Beach — Class A roofing, ember-resistant venting, non-combustible exterior materials where the site warrants it.
We build throughout Laguna Beach including the Village, Arch Beach Heights, Top of the World, Temple Hills, Three Arch Bay, Woods Cove, Emerald Bay, and the hillside communities above Laguna Canyon. We also serve Laguna Hills, Laguna Niguel, Dana Point, and San Clemente.
Hear from homeowners who've transformed their properties with Marilynn & Co.
"Marilynn & Co. handled everything from permits to final inspection. The attention to detail was incredible, and the finished home exceeded what we imagined when we first broke ground."
Sarah M.
Manhattan Beach
"After getting quotes from five contractors, Marilynn & Co. came back with the most thorough plan and the most transparent pricing. The project finished on time and on budget. That does not happen often in LA."
Michael R.
Orange County
"The construction quality is unlike anything we have seen. Professional, responsive, and they delivered exactly what they said they would. We would build with them again without hesitation."
Jennifer L.
Los Angeles
Get Started
Whether you are ready to break ground or still in the early planning stages, we want to hear about your project. Consultations are free and there is no obligation.
Phone
(909) 599-0033
Address
5135 N Valley Center Ave
Covina, CA 91724
