The median home in Manhattan Beach reached $4.4 million in early 2026. At that level, buyers arrive with a specific expectation: the kitchen connects to the outdoor environment. The primary bath reads at the level of the property. The rear yard functions as an outdoor room, not a leftover space behind the house. These expectations are not aspirational. They are the market standard. A property that falls below them — a kitchen that does not open to the outdoors, a bathroom finishes that belong in a different price bracket, an outdoor environment that was never designed — sits longer and sells lower than comparable homes that meet the standard. Stout Design Build has worked on Manhattan Beach properties for over 30 years. Tom’s CSLB licenses span general construction (B), landscape contracting (C-27), and pool installation — the full scope of a Manhattan Beach remodel. Katherine Karges brings over 20 years of Southern California garden design to every outdoor scope. One team. One contract
Permitting in Manhattan Beach
All permits run through the City of Manhattan Beach Community Development Department — not LADBS. The City operates its own independent building and planning process. Plan check for standard residential projects runs three to five weeks. Structural work, grading, and coastal zone implications add time.
Â
Properties west of Valley Drive sit in Manhattan Beach’s coastal zone. Work involving new structural elements, grading, or significant new impervious surface may require a Coastal Development Permit under the California Coastal Act alongside standard City permits. We identify coastal zone status at the site visit and file both applications at the same time. Manhattan Beach protects mature trees throughout the city — particularly along Elm, Pine, and Walnut Avenues in the Tree Section. Exterior work affecting a protected tree requires a Tree Protection Plan or Removal Acknowledgement before permits are issued. We assess every project property for protected trees before design begins.
Our Remodeling Services
Full Home Renovation
Complete interior renovations across Manhattan Beach — Sand Section walk streets to Hill Section estates off Laurel Avenue. Structural work, electrical updates to the 2025 California energy code, plumbing reconfiguration, and finish work — all managed under one contract. Sand Section lots near The Strand run as small as 1,350 square feet total. Hill Section properties carry substantial outdoor footprints. We design for the specific home, not a standard template applied across all lot sizes
Kitchen Remodeling
Kitchens designed to open toward the outdoor living environment. At the $4.4 million median, buyers expect that connection — a kitchen that stops at the back wall of the house reads as a design failure at this market level. We create indoor-outdoor transitions that make the kitchen and the outdoor dining area function as one composition. Materials specified for coastal humidity near the Sand Section
Bathroom Remodeling
Walk-in showers without thresholds, freestanding tubs, heated tile floors, and dual vanity configurations — designed at the standard the surrounding market commands. Hill Section bathrooms with ocean views toward Catalina get design treatment that takes advantage of that orientation. Tree Section bungalows get renovations that match the neighborhood’s upward trajectory.
ADU and Garage Conversions
California AB 2221 created real opportunity for Manhattan Beach homeowners with detached structures. Proximity to LAX, downtown Los Angeles, and the beach makes demand from permitted ADUs consistent. We handle design, City permitting, and full construction. Coastal zone properties require additional review — we identify and manage this at the site visit.
Outdoor Living and Landscape Integration
We design the interior and the outdoor environment as one project from the first meeting. Covered patios, outdoor kitchens, fire features, pool surrounds, and coastal planting developed alongside the interior scope. Hill Section properties carry the lot dimensions for full resort-scale outdoor environments. Sand Section walk streets require creative thinking within constrained footprints. We design for both
The Four Neighborhoods and What They Require
Sand Section
Walk streets near The Strand and Marine Avenue. Lots run small. Coastal zone permitting applies west of Valley Drive. Salt-resistant materials required on exterior work exposed to marine air. Indoor-outdoor flow on constrained footprints is the design challenge — we solve it.
Hill Section
Off Manhattan Beach Boulevard and Laurel Avenue. Larger lots, natural grade, and Catalina views. Hill Section renovations often combine interior work with terraced outdoor living, pool installation, and a complete landscape redesign. The lot dimensions support it. Structural engineering is part of any hillside exterior scope
Tree Section
Elm, Pine, and Walnut Avenues. Protected trees shape the exterior construction sequence. Homes range from beach cottages to contemporary rebuilds. The Veterans Parkway Greenbelt runs north to south through this section. We assess all protected trees before design begins and incorporate root zone protection into every construction plan
East Manhattan Beach
East of Sepulveda. Larger lots, more suburban character, quieter pace. Manhattan Village is the city's only gated community with its own HOA review process. We prepare HOA submission packages and run the review concurrently with City permits.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Manhattan Beach use LADBS?
What is the coastal zone and which properties are affected?
How are protected trees handled?
Begin Your Green Journey
We’d love to hear from you. Fill in your details and let’s start planning your perfect outdoor space.