New & Custom Home Builders in La Jolla, CA
Build your custom home in La Jolla, CA
How much does it cost to build a home in La Jolla, CA?
The cost to build a custom home in San Diego County will vary based on many different factors. Lot location and size, permits and fees, and specific design choices will all impact the all-in cost to build a custom home in La Jolla. We estimate that the cost to build a home in La Jolla is approximately $400 - $600 per square foot, including some modest allocations for improvements and soft costs. If you’re interested in learning more about the cost breakdown, you can read our article about how much it costs to build a home in San Diego. If you would like an estimate for your project, use our Land/Build Calculator.
How much does land cost in La Jolla, CA?
La Jolla has many different neighborhoods, including Birdrock, La Jolla Heights, and La Jolla Village, which primarily span between the I-5 freeway and the coast. In this area you’ll find coastal lots as well as in-fill lots within established communities. Lots in La Jolla are on the generally on the smaller side and range from 0.1 - 0.5 acres. A significant amount of the new construction in La Jolla is from tear-downs of older homes that are then redeveloped into luxury new properties. We estimate that a straightforward lot with minimal improvements will cost somewhere in the range of $1,500,000 - $2,000,000. This price is largely dependent on the lot’s distance to the coast.
Land in La Jolla includes the following zip codes: 92037, 92039, 92092, 92093
If you would like an estimate for your project, use our Land/Build Calculator.
Why La Jolla, CA is a great place to live
La Jolla is a coastal suburb in the northern part of San Diego with a population of nearly 30,000. Due to its population and footprint, La Jolla gives off a dense suburban feel and is a great place for families, offering multiple local parks and highly-rated public schools. In La Jolla, there are also lots of high-end entertainment and dining options that are bound to impress anyone. La Jolla also has easy access to several gorgeous local beaches, and is a short drive from downtown San Diego.
Things to do in La Jolla, CA
With its close proximity to the beach, La Jolla has plenty of outdoor activities to explore, as well as vibrant local culture. The most iconic local beach is La Jolla Cove, perfect for ocean activities or relaxing on the beach. The shore is part of an ecological reserve with plenty of local wildlife to see when snorkeling. There are also plenty of world-class restaurants within walking distance of the cove, so you can grab a meal after a tiring day of swimming or spending time in the sun.
To learn more about the local marine life, visit the Birch Aquarium. The aquarium offers many indoor exhibits where you can see and learn about local marine wildlife up close, and outside there are “tide pools” where you can actually touch some of the ocean life. The aquarium does important research and conservation work as well as providing educational programs, so by visiting you are also supporting the beautiful wildlife of the San Diego area. The aquarium also has an amazing ocean view from the rear patio.
To immerse yourself in artwork and local culture, take a trip to the internationally renowned Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego in La Jolla. With a gorgeous ocean view, the museum displays an impressive collection of modern art in a variety of mediums. The museum celebrates local artists as well as others from around the world.
On weekends, you can stock up your fridge at the Open Aire Farmers’ Market, the biggest farmers’ market in San Diego. Each Sunday, nearly 150 of the best farmers, artisans, and food vendors in the San Diego area gather to provide shoppers with fresh locally grown produce, international food, and unique handcrafted gifts. From beaches to restaurants to museums, La Jolla has so much to offer beyond this list, so your exploring will truly never cease.
What's the process to build a custom home in La Jolla, CA?
The process of building your custom home with Buildable is straightforward when working with our team and our dialed process. We break down the process into 3 phases: Locate, Design, and Build.
Locate Phase
During the locate phase, we will be finding the perfect location for your dream home. Our real estate team will provide you with a shortlist of options right for the project.
There are more properties than what you see on the web. Through Buildable’s proprietary Active Search process, we reach out to vacant landowners to create off-market opportunities. At any given time we may have 5-10 of these Buildable exclusive lots.
Once in contract, we will perform due diligence on the property to reduce risk and identify challenges. This includes the creation of a Land Report, which contains a 28-point audit to ensure you have all the relevant information to proceed with confidence. This step will also inform the land negotiation process.
Design Phase
During the design phase, we will procure the right designer and customize the home around all of your must-haves. We will identify the home requirements and develop a thorough plan and estimate to ensure we stay within the budget and on time.
There are many options when designing a home, and you don’t always need an Architect. We will help develop a strategy that fits your needs.
Build Phase
We will be building your dream home to your exact specifications. The building process is straightforward but will require decisions at key times during the journey. Buildable aims to make the process smooth, easy, and adaptable to the level of effort and attention you desire.
How long does it take to build a custom home in La Jolla, CA?
Typically, in La Jolla, building a home requires about 12 months, but that’s only the construction of your home. The custom home construction timeline also includes finding the land, designing the home, developing plans, and permitting.
So, how long does it take to build a custom home accounting for all the steps? Building a custom home in La Jolla can take around 24 months when you factor in finding the land, designing the home, and building it. If you want to learn more about the time it takes to build a custom home, read our article How Long Does It Take To Build A Custom Home in San Diego?
Is La Jolla, CA subject to coastal commission development permits (aka Coastal Zone)?
In some areas close to the water, you may be subject to additional permits, costs, and time to build your home. Lots subject to this requirement can change block by block, so part of our Land Report will be to review this aspect of the land so you will be aware and level set on expectations. We can also aim to avoid these zones in our search.
How to choose the best custom home builder in La Jolla, CA?
Finding a quality builder in La Jolla can be challenging because customers have trouble vetting them. At the beginning of a project, you won’t have the scope of the home tightly defined enough for an accurate estimate. Most builders will provide you with cost estimate ranges by square footage. The other complication is that you also need to include the improvement costs that are specific to the lot, as that will be a unique driver of cost. Buildable is an A & B licensed General Contractor and will guide you through the design to achieve your budget.
Once you have plans, you can bid out your project to get a real sense of costs. Ignore the builders who provide a “foot in the door” price far lower than other bids. You must know everything that's part of the bid, including your fixtures, finishes, and appliance specifications. That’s the only way to make an apples-to-apples comparison between bids.
If you would like to learn more about picking a homebuilder, read our article on how to Hire a builder.
Build your home with Buildable
Building a home in La Jolla takes an immense amount of time and effort, and can appear overwhelming to those who start the journey alone. However, building a home can be straightforward when you approach the process with experts by your side who can guide you through every step.
At Buildable, all of the people you need to have a stress-free home build will work with you to create the home of your dreams. Read about our team, talk to us, and get the answers to questions you may have about starting the custom home building process in La Jolla.
How is Buildable different from other custom home builders?
Buildable manages the process from start-to-finish. First, we help you locate and purchase the land ensuring that it’s capable of supporting your vision. Second, we help you design your home through a variety of cost-effective options. The most important part is having our experienced engineering team guiding you through the design process to ensure a cost-effective balance to meet your goals. Third, we bring your dream home to life by assembling quality craftsman/women to build your vision.
We are the innovators of this approach — no one else offers a similar guided process from start-to-finish.
Our Service Areas in San Diego
Buildable operates within 60 miles of San Diego proper, but we do consult nationally. If you would like to learn more about where we work, simply check out our San Diego custom home builders service area.
Nearby service areas in San Diego include: