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City of Santa Monica, California

Home Improvement Contractors in Santa Monica, CA

Every trade we cover, for homes in Santa Monica. Tell us the project once and we connect you with licensed, insured contractors for it through one national line - and you compare written scopes. The median Santa Monica home dates from 1968, so most jobs start with what is already there.

  • Written scope before work starts
  • No obligation on quotes
  • Local permit knowledge
  • Clear change-order process
Sourced local data

About homes in Santa Monica

Census and NOAA figures for the city of Santa Monica in Los Angeles County, not the metro, with a source for each.

1968Median year built1U.S. 1980
73%Built before 198017% built since 2010
1965Owner-occupied median year built1rentals 1968
19%Detached single-family166% in 5+ unit buildings
28%Owner-occupied156% statewide
$1,756kMedian home value1California median $735k

The median home in the city of Santa Monica was built in 1968, older than the U.S. median of 1980 and older than the California median of 1976.1 Older housing stock means a contractor's first job is finding what is behind the finish - wiring, plumbing and roof decking - before a price is final. The stock is old by national standards: 73% of Santa Monica's housing units were built before 1980 (U.S. 50%), and only 7% since 2010.1 Owner-occupied and rented homes in Santa Monica are of similar age: median build years 1965 and 1968.1

Most housing units in Santa Monica are not detached houses: 66% are in buildings of five or more units and only 19% are detached single-family homes.1 With most units in multi-family buildings, condo and HOA approvals sit alongside the permit for interior work. Renters are the clear majority in Santa Monica: only 28% of occupied homes are owner-occupied (56% statewide).1 The median owner-occupied home in Santa Monica is valued at $1,755,500 (ACS), above the California median of $734,700.1 Home values above the state median tend to support fuller scopes; the written scope should still separate must-do from nice-to-have.

Freezing nights are rare: the nearest NOAA station (Santa Monica Muni Ap) averages 0 nights a year at or below 32°F.2,3 With few freezing nights, water and sun rather than ice are what exterior details are built against. Hot days are uncommon: about 5 days a year reach 90°F.2,3 Annual precipitation is low, about 13 inches.2,3 Low rainfall shifts the wear to UV and heat, which age finishes and sealants.

Heating dominates the year: about 1,388 heating degree days against 613 cooling degree days (base 65°F).2,3 In a heating-led climate, insulation and air sealing carry most of the energy-code weight for any work that opens the envelope. Santa Monica is about 0 miles from the ocean or Gulf coast in a straight line.4,5 Proximity to salt air makes fastener grade and corrosion protection part of every exterior quote.

Santa Monica sits in IECC climate zone 3B (Hot-Dry).6 Building permits in Santa Monica are normally issued by the city building department.7,8

Share of Santa Monica housing units by year built
Before 194013.5%
1940-195923.2%
1960-197936.7%
1980-199914.4%
2000-20095.6%
2010 or later6.7%
Sources and notes (8)
  1. U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (ACS 2020-2024 5-year (released 2026-01))
  2. NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, nearest station (1991-2020 normals (published 2021))
  3. NOAA NCEI normals station inventory (1991-2020)
  4. U.S. Census Bureau Gazetteer files (2025)
  5. U.S. Census Bureau TIGER/Line coastline (2025)
  6. Guide to Determining Climate Zones by County: Building America and IECC 2021 Updates (PNNL-33270) (September 2022 (IECC 2021 county map))
  7. U.S. Census Bureau population estimates (Vintage 2024)
  8. U.S. Census Bureau geographic code files (2020)
  9. Climate figures are for NOAA station Santa Monica Muni Ap, 2.7 miles from the place center; housing figures are ACS ACS 2020-2024 5-year with 90% margins of error in the source tables.

Get a free Santa Monica quote

Written scope, no obligation. Call now or email and we will get back to you.

Service area

Santa Monica and nearby

Requests for Santa Monica and the surrounding California area go through our national line. Call (844) 624-3161 with the address and the project and we confirm whether we have a contractor who can take it on.

Nearest places with a page

Straight-line distances between place centers, not drive times.

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Questions

Santa Monica questions

How much does home remodeling cost in Santa Monica, CA?

Most home remodeling projects in Santa Monica, CA land between $25,550 and $134,900, depending on scope, access and material grade. That is an estimated range for planning, not a quote - call (844) 624-3161 and we will scope your job properly.

Do I need drawings before calling?

No. If you have them, good - if not, we start from what you want to change and work back to what the house allows.

How old are the homes in Santa Monica?

The median home in the city of Santa Monica was built in 1968, older than the U.S. median of 1980 and older than the California median of 1976. The stock is old by national standards: 73% of Santa Monica's housing units were built before 1980 (U.S. 50%), and only 7% since 2010. Those are Census figures for the whole housing stock, including apartments, not a statement about any one house.

What is the Santa Monica climate like for exterior work?

Freezing nights are rare: the nearest NOAA station (Santa Monica Muni Ap) averages 0 nights a year at or below 32°F. Hot days are uncommon: about 5 days a year reach 90°F. Annual precipitation is low, about 13 inches. NOAA 1991-2020 normals for the nearest station; a contractor still assesses the actual site.

Get a free Santa Monica quote

Written scope, no obligation. Call now or email and we will get back to you.