Irvine, CA
Home Builder in Irvine, CA for Village Homes and Remodels
Hardey Builds is a home builder in Irvine, CA for the city's planned villages, from early Turtle Rock and University Park homes to Woodbridge and Northwood, with every surface finished by hand. Call (562) 257-8121.
Remodels, Kitchens and Finishes
Home Remodeling in Irvine for Homes Built to a Master Plan
Irvine homes were designed as part of a larger plan, and many share similar layouts within each village. Home remodeling in Irvine is often about making a well-built but familiar floor plan feel entirely your own. Our whole home remodeling service opens walls, refines the flow and replaces builder finishes with materials chosen piece by piece.
Kitchens from the 1970s and 1980s usually have the most to gain. Our approach to kitchen remodeling in Irvine rethinks the layout, and our cabinet installation and countertop replacement work brings in fine materials and coordinated finishes.
For owners who want a quieter refresh, interior finish work updates lighting, plumbing fixtures, trim and hardware. Families who want a guest house or a suite for a parent can also ask about an ADU. The city reviews these units under state law and its own application process.
Turtle Rock, University Park, Woodbridge and Northwood
Irvine's villages each tell a different part of the city's story. University Park and Turtle Rock opened in 1965 as the first villages on the Irvine Ranch, and Turtle Rock was its first hillside village. Their success led the Irvine Company to plan Woodbridge, which now spans about 2.7 square miles with roughly 9,600 homes.
Northwood stands apart. Building began there in the early 1970s. It is the one Irvine community built independently of the Irvine Company, and most of its homes went up between 1977 and 1979.
The age of a village tells us a lot before we walk in. A 1960s Turtle Rock home may need updated systems along with its new kitchen, while a late 1970s Northwood house often has a sound shell and a layout ready to open up. Hillside lots in Turtle Rock bring their own access and drainage planning.
HOA Review and Irvine Design Guidelines
Most Irvine villages have homeowners associations, often in several layers. Their CC&Rs and design rules govern exterior changes. Windows, doors, roofing, colors and additions are common examples. Those approvals usually need to be in hand before city plans move forward.
We build that step into the schedule. Before drawings are final, we review your association's guidelines, prepare what the architectural committee needs to see and adjust the design to its standards. Inside the home, where HOA rules rarely reach, you have more freedom to change layouts and finishes.
Our design sense suits Irvine: modern and sophisticated, warmed by wood beams, natural stone and large window bays where the guidelines allow. Each surface gets the care of a tile craftsman. The home fits the street outside and feels personal within.
Since 2005
City Permits and ADUs
Irvine Building Permits and ADU Applications
Building permits in Irvine run through the Community Development Department at City Hall, 1 Civic Center Plaza. The city also offers building and safety services online. For ADUs and junior ADUs, it requires a Residential Accessory Dwelling Unit application and an ADU Verification Form. Since January 1, 2025, it has also offered a pre-approved ADU plans program under state law.
Hardey Builds runs the whole sequence: HOA approval where needed, plans, submittal, plan check replies and inspections. You see where the project stands at each stage, and the paperwork stays with us.
Review time depends on scope, HOA timing and how complete the first submittal is. We walk through each factor during your private consultation.
Why Irvine Owners Hire a Home Builder in Irvine, CA Based Nearby
Among the home builders in Irvine, Hardey Builds brings a background that began with craft. Mike Hardey founded the company in 2005 as a master tile craftsman, and the team now brings over 20 years of construction and remodeling experience from its base in Huntington Beach, a short drive from Irvine's villages.
That makes us a natural home builder in Irvine, CA for owners who want one team to answer for the work. We stay with you from planning and design through permits, building, cleanup and the final walkthrough. Communication stays calm and clear, and you always know what happens next.
The first consultation is complimentary, and the company holds California Contractor License #864044. For owners who prefer it, financing through Wisetack is available, and we will explain how it applies to your project.
Other South County and Coastal Cities We Serve
Irvine borders several cities where we also build and remodel. Each one has its own permit office, housing stock and local review. Some lean coastal and some lean suburban, and the plan changes to match. The same team, process and standard of finish travel with us to each one:
Wherever your home sits, we plan the design and approvals around the rules that apply to that address. An Irvine HOA review and a Laguna Beach design review ask very different questions. Working as a home builder in Irvine, CA and in the cities nearby, we prepare for each one before drawings are final.
Irvine Homeowner Questions
Monday to Sunday, 7:00 AM to 10:00 PM
(562) 257-8121Do I need HOA approval before remodeling my Irvine home?
For exterior changes, usually yes. Most Irvine villages have homeowners associations whose CC&Rs and architectural guidelines cover windows, doors, roofing, colors and additions. Interior remodels are less often restricted. Hardey Builds reviews your association's guidelines early, prepares the submittal for the architectural committee and builds that approval into the schedule before city permits.
What forms does Irvine require for an ADU?
The City of Irvine requires a completed Residential Accessory Dwelling Unit application and an ADU Verification Form for every ADU and junior ADU, along with plans and a development standards checklist. The city also runs a pre-approved ADU plans program. We prepare the full package, coordinate HOA review where it applies and manage construction through the final inspection.
Are older Turtle Rock homes good candidates for a remodel?
Many are. Turtle Rock opened in 1965 as Irvine's first hillside village, so its homes often have strong views and lots with character, along with original systems that are ready for updating. A remodel can open the plan toward the view, modernize the kitchen and baths and improve efficiency, while drainage and access on sloped lots get planned from the start.
Irvine Consultations
Make Your Irvine Village Home Your Own
Your Irvine home was built to a plan. A considered remodel makes it fit yours instead, within the rules your village sets. Call Monday to Sunday, 7:00 AM to 10:00 PM, or share your project details and we will arrange a time to meet.