Custom Home Builder — Malibu, CA
Marilynn & Co. is a custom home builder serving Malibu — beachfront estates, canyon retreats, and hillside homes built for one of the most demanding environments in Southern California. 32 years of experience. Fire-aware construction from a founder with 25 years on Southern California fire lines.
32+
Years Experience
500+
Homes Built
6
Counties Served
5.0
Client Rating
Malibu Custom Homes
Marilynn & Co. is a custom home builder serving Malibu and the surrounding communities of Pacific Palisades, Topanga, Calabasas, and the Malibu Colony — with 32 years of experience building homes that hold up to what the Malibu environment actually throws at them.
Malibu is one of the hardest places to build well in Southern California. The site conditions vary enormously — from flat beachfront parcels along PCH where the California Coastal Commission governs nearly every decision, to steep canyon lots in Topanga and Malibu Canyon where the grade, the geology, and the fire exposure all require experienced engineering and a builder who has dealt with those conditions before. Salt air degrades materials that would last decades inland. The Santa Ana wind corridor that runs through the Malibu canyons is one of the most active in Southern California.
We have built in Malibu across all of those conditions. Beachfront homes designed for the marine environment — materials specified to resist corrosion, glazing systems sized for the view and the wind load, indoor-outdoor connections that work year-round on the coast. Canyon homes in Topanga and Malibu Canyon where the lot has grade and the design has to work with the topography. Hillside homes above PCH where the view is the point and the structural engineering to get there is significant.
We do not build a Malibu home the same way we build one in the Pasadena foothills. The site is different, the exposure is different, and the specification has to reflect that.
We serve clients throughout Malibu including the Malibu Colony, Carbon Beach, Point Dume, Broad Beach, Trancas, Zuma, Malibu Park, Serra Retreat, Malibu Canyon, and the canyon and hillside communities above PCH, as well as Topanga, Pacific Palisades, and Calabasas.
What We Build
Full design-build services for luxury custom homes in Malibu. Design, engineering, Coastal Commission coordination, permits, and construction managed by one team from first site visit through final walkthrough.
Malibu sits inside one of Southern California's most active fire corridors. Every home we build here is specified for the fire environment — not as an upgrade but as our baseline, developed from 25+ years of Southern California firefighting experience.
Our ADU Series brings the same design standards as our custom homes to accessory dwelling units — detached guest houses, garage conversions, pool houses, and backyard studios throughout Los Angeles County.
Our Founder
Anthony Ferro spent 25 years as a Southern California firefighter. Malibu is not an abstract fire risk to him — he has worked fires in these canyons, on these hillsides, and along these ridgelines. He knows where the Woolsey Fire went and why it went there. He knows what the Santa Ana wind does to fire behavior in the Malibu terrain and which structural details are the difference between a home that survives and one that does not.
That knowledge goes into every home Marilynn & Co. builds in Malibu. Class A roof assemblies, ember-resistant venting, non-combustible exterior materials in the highest-exposure locations, landscape and grading decisions made with defensible space in mind from the first site plan. Not added at the end — built in from the start.
Beyond fire, building in Malibu requires a contractor who understands Coastal Commission requirements, knows the geology of canyon and hillside sites, and can specify materials that perform in a salt air environment over decades. That combination is what we bring to every project here.
32+
Years Building
25+
Years Firefighting
6
Counties Served
Our Work
A selection of custom homes built by Marilynn & Co. in Malibu and surrounding communities.
How It Works
01
We start with the site. Malibu parcels vary enormously — beachfront, canyon, hillside — and the project scope depends heavily on which conditions apply. We walk the property, assess what the site requires, and give you a straight picture of timeline and cost before you commit.
02
We work with your architect or ours to develop plans built around the site and around how you want to live in Malibu. Coastal Commission requirements, structural engineering for the terrain, fire-resistant detailing, and marine environment material specifications all get resolved before construction starts.
03
We manage the full permitting process — City of Malibu building permits, California Coastal Commission review where required, and any geological or grading requirements that apply. Coastal Commission review adds time. We know the process and prepare documentation that moves forward.
04
Our crews build with the same care we bring to design. We communicate throughout, surface problems early, and deliver a finished home built for the specific site it sits on.
Where We Build
Marilynn & Co. builds custom homes throughout Malibu and the surrounding coastal and canyon communities west of Los Angeles. Our team is based in the San Gabriel Valley and works throughout the region on every project.
Communities we serve near Malibu include the Malibu Colony, Carbon Beach, Point Dume, Broad Beach, Trancas Canyon, Zuma Beach, Malibu Park, Serra Retreat, Topanga, Pacific Palisades, Calabasas, Hidden Hills, and Agoura Hills.
Building in another part of Los Angeles or Southern California? We serve clients throughout LA County and across all six Southern California counties.
Common Questions
Custom home construction in Malibu typically runs between $600 and $1,200+ per square foot. Beachfront sites require marine-grade materials and Coastal Commission coordination that add cost. Canyon and hillside lots often require significant grading and structural engineering. Fire-resistant construction adds some specification cost but protects long-term value in a high-exposure market. We provide a detailed estimate during the consultation based on your specific site.
For most parcels in Malibu, yes. The Coastal Commission has jurisdiction over development within the coastal zone, which covers most of Malibu. This adds a layer of review on top of City of Malibu permitting and requires specific documentation. Marilynn & Co. manages the Coastal Commission process as part of our full permitting service.
Most custom home projects in Malibu take between 18 and 30 months from the start of the permitting process to move-in. Coastal Commission review, City of Malibu plan check, and the construction phase itself all factor in. Canyon and hillside projects with geological review requirements take longer in the pre-construction phase. We communicate the realistic timeline from the start.
Yes. Fire-resistant construction is our baseline for every home we build in Malibu — not an option. Our founder Anthony Ferro worked fires in the Malibu canyons for 25 years and that experience is embedded in how every home here gets specified. Class A roofing, ember-resistant vents, non-combustible exterior materials in high-exposure locations.
We build throughout Malibu including the Colony, Carbon Beach, Point Dume, Broad Beach, Trancas, Zuma, Malibu Park, Serra Retreat, and the canyon and hillside communities above PCH. We also serve Topanga, Pacific Palisades, Calabasas, and Hidden Hills.
Yes. Marilynn & Co. is fully licensed and insured in California with 32+ years of residential construction experience throughout Southern California including Malibu and the Los Angeles coast.
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 working through 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
