A Contractor Built for the Way Westlake Village Homeowners Think About Their Homes
Westlake Village is not a community where homeowners settle for average work. The homes here reflect decades of thoughtful investment, from the original 1970s and 1980s builds around Westlake Lake to the custom estates in North Ranch and the hillside properties bordering Lake Sherwood. Every neighborhood has its own architectural character, its own HOA requirements, and its own expectations for what construction quality looks like. Nicodemus Construction has been building and remodeling homes across Southern California for more than three decades, and we understand what it means to work in a community where the standards are high and the details matter.
David Nicodemus personally manages every project from first consultation through final walkthrough. No sales reps, no project managers you have never met, no middlemen. You work directly with the licensed general contractor who writes your estimate, pulls your permits, coordinates your subcontractors, and is on site when decisions need to be made.
The Homeowner Updating a Kitchen or Bathroom That Has Not Changed in 25 Years
This is the most common project we take on in Westlake Village. The home was built in the 1980s or early 1990s, the layout still works, but the finishes are two decades past their prime. Oak cabinetry has darkened. Tile countertops have cracked grout lines. The master bath still has a builder-grade fiberglass shower surround. The homeowner wants a space that feels current without gutting the entire house.
Our kitchen remodeling process starts with the layout and works outward through cabinetry, countertops, tile, lighting, and appliance integration. In Westlake Village kitchens, we frequently remove soffits to create full-height upper cabinets, open walls between the kitchen and family room, replace fluorescent box lighting with recessed cans and pendant fixtures, and install large-format porcelain or natural stone countertops. We also upgrade the electrical panel, replace outdated plumbing, and bring everything behind the walls up to current code while the space is open.
Bathroom renovations follow the same approach, addressing structural and mechanical issues behind the walls before any finish work begins. In master bath remodels, we regularly convert tub-shower combos into walk-in showers with frameless glass enclosures, install freestanding soaking tubs, add heated tile floors, replace single vanities with double-sink floating vanities, and upgrade ventilation to prevent the moisture problems that plague older bathrooms in this area.
The Family That Needs More Space but Does Not Want to Move
Westlake Village is the kind of community people stay in. The schools are strong, the neighborhoods are safe, the commute works, and the home has appreciated significantly since purchase. But the family has outgrown the floor plan. Two kids now share a bedroom. There is no dedicated home office. The primary suite feels small compared to what the rest of the house offers.
We build room additions that expand the home’s footprint while preserving its architectural character and roofline proportions. A second-story addition over a garage. A ground-floor primary suite extension into the backyard. A new bedroom wing that ties into the existing hallway without making the floor plan feel patched together. Every addition requires structural engineering, foundation work, and a permit process that accounts for setbacks, lot coverage ratios, and HOA design guidelines.
For homeowners who need a separate structure entirely, accessory dwelling units have become one of the fastest-growing project types across Los Angeles and Ventura Counties. California’s ADU laws have streamlined the permitting process, and a detached ADU in Westlake Village can serve as a home office, guest house, in-law suite, or rental unit. We handle design, engineering, permitting, and construction as a single scope of work.
The Buyer Who Purchased a Lot or a Teardown
Vacant lots and teardown-ready properties in Westlake Village are rare, but when they come to market, they attract buyers who want to build exactly what they envision rather than remodel someone else’s choices. Custom home construction from site evaluation through certificate of occupancy is one of the most complex residential projects a contractor can take on, and it requires someone who can coordinate architects, structural engineers, civil engineers, and every trade contractor through a process that typically spans 12 to 18 months.
David manages that entire process. He is the single point of accountability from the day the soils report is ordered through the day the city signs off on final occupancy. In Westlake Village, custom homes must comply with specific architectural guidelines depending on the neighborhood. North Ranch has its own design review committee. Properties near the lake have setback and drainage requirements that affect site planning. Hillside lots require geotechnical reports and engineered foundation systems. None of this is unusual for us, because we have built custom homes across the region in communities with similar or greater regulatory complexity, including Santa Barbara where architectural review boards and historic preservation standards govern nearly every exterior decision.
The Homeowner Who Wants to Live Outdoors Year-Round
Westlake Village averages more than 280 sunny days per year, and the mild climate makes outdoor living a genuine extension of the home rather than a seasonal luxury. We design and build custom pools, patios, outdoor kitchens, decks, and complete backyard living environments that are built to the same standard as the interior of the home.
Pool construction in Westlake Village often involves working on sloped lots that require retaining walls, engineered drainage, and careful grading to protect the home’s foundation. We build gunite pools in freeform, geometric, and infinity-edge designs with integrated spas, water features, and automated equipment systems. Surrounding hardscape typically includes natural stone or porcelain paver patios, built-in barbecue islands with granite or quartzite countertops, pergolas or solid-roof shade structures, fire pits, and landscape lighting designed for both function and atmosphere.
Understanding Westlake Village’s Split Jurisdiction
Westlake Village is one of the few communities in Southern California that straddles a county line. The city’s incorporated area lies within Los Angeles County, but properties just north and west fall within the City of Thousand Oaks in Ventura County. Some homeowners do not realize which jurisdiction governs their property until they apply for a permit and discover they filed with the wrong agency.
Properties within the incorporated City of Westlake Village permit through LA County Building and Safety. Properties on the Ventura County side permit through the City of Thousand Oaks Community Development Department. The codes, fees, plan check timelines, and inspection processes differ between the two. David has pulled permits across both counties for decades, including extensive work throughout Ventura County where we complete the majority of our residential construction projects, so navigating the jurisdictional split is routine for us.
HOA Architectural Review and What It Means for Your Project
Nearly every neighborhood in Westlake Village has an HOA, and most require architectural review approval before the city permit process can begin. North Ranch, Westlake North, Lakeview Estates, and the communities surrounding Westlake Golf Course all have design committees that review exterior modifications including roofing materials, stucco colors, window styles, fencing, and landscaping.
We prepare HOA submittal packages with material samples, color selections, scaled elevation drawings, and scope-of-work descriptions that give the committee everything they need to approve the project on the first review cycle. Starting this process before filing for permits prevents the scheduling conflicts that delay projects by weeks or months. We have managed similar HOA-governed projects in Camarillo where communities like Spanish Hills and Mission Oaks have their own architectural review processes, so the workflow is familiar.
Neighborhoods We Work In Across Westlake Village
North Ranch. Gated community with large lots, custom and semi-custom homes, and its own architectural committee. Projects here tend to be larger in scope: full kitchen and bathroom renovations, primary suite additions, pool and outdoor kitchen construction, and whole-house remodels that update 1980s interiors to current standards while preserving the home’s curb appeal and resale value.
Westlake North and Lakeview Estates. Established neighborhoods with lake views and mature landscaping. Many homes are approaching 40 years old and need mechanical upgrades alongside cosmetic renovations. We frequently replace polybutylene plumbing, upgrade electrical panels, and improve insulation and HVAC efficiency during remodeling projects in these areas.
Berwick and Lakeshore Tract. More modest lot sizes with homes from the late 1970s and 1980s. Room additions and ADU construction are popular here as homeowners maximize their property’s potential. Interior remodels often focus on opening floor plans, updating kitchens and bathrooms, and replacing worn flooring and dated fixtures throughout.
Lake Sherwood and the Surrounding Hillsides. Unincorporated Ventura County properties with larger acreage, hillside terrain, and custom homes. Construction here requires geotechnical reports, grading permits, and fire-hardening measures similar to what we handle in Malibu where fire zone and coastal commission regulations demand specialized construction experience.
Based in Oxnard and Serving the Entire Region
Our office is in Oxnard, where we have completed hundreds of projects across the city’s beachfront and inland neighborhoods. Westlake Village is a natural extension of our service area, and the quality expectations here align with how we approach every project regardless of location.
Whether you are updating a kitchen in North Ranch, building a pool overlooking the lake, adding an ADU for rental income, or constructing a custom home on a hillside lot near Lake Sherwood, the first step is a direct conversation with David. No obligation, no sales pressure. Just a licensed contractor with 30 years of experience who will look at your property, listen to what you want, and tell you exactly what it will take to get there.