Forest Construction vs JMB Builders: Altadena Remodelers Compared

Forest Construction has the deeper remodel-specific track record: it has completed over 8,000 projects in 70 years, many of which were kitchen, bath, or home remodeling jobs, plus room additions and fire rebuilds across Los Angeles and Ventura Counties. JMB Builders' portfolio and client testimonials center on ground-up custom homes, with named plans like Rainier, Benton, Regina, Tulare, Sonoma, Windemere, and Annandale, and a process built around phases like grading and drywall. For a remodel, Forest's published history is the more direct match; for new construction, JMB's custom-home process is its core strength.

Yes. Forest Construction lists Altadena explicitly among the more than 28 Southern California cities it serves, alongside Malibu, Pacific Palisades, Beverly Hills, Calabasas, Santa Monica, and Santa Barbara. Its physical offices are in Somis (3365 Somis Rd.) and Westlake Village (3302 E. Thousand Oaks Blvd.), open Monday through Friday, 8AM to 4PM, with a published phone line at (805) 386-8000. The company also advertises fire rebuilds throughout Los Angeles and Ventura Counties, which covers Altadena's situation.

JMB Builders, operating as JMB Homes (CSLB #1103479), is known for family-run, owner-led custom home construction. Client testimonials consistently describe owner John and his son Jake providing a detailed packet at the first meeting explaining each phase of the build, answering questions and emails quickly, and John personally supervising the site — including performing grading work and pre-drywall cleaning himself. Clients also report above-builder-grade materials, transparent plans and timelines, and prompt resolution of any issues that arose during construction.

Since both builders quote each project individually, compare bids on scope and process rather than headline numbers. Ask Forest Construction for its design analysis and cost breakdown (which it provides before plans are drawn) and its work completion schedule. Ask JMB Builders to walk you through its step-by-step building-process packet and clarify which phases John and Jake will personally supervise. In Southern California's 2026 environment — where regional residential costs run roughly $300–$600 per square foot, labor rates are $48–$70 per hour, and permits commonly cost $18,000–$30,000 — make sure each bid itemizes permits, soft costs, and allowances so you're comparing like with like.

Yes. Altadena Home Remodeling offers a free remodel-scoping consultation that includes a before/after concept render. It covers whole-home renovations, kitchen and bath remodels, historic and Craftsman-period restoration, additions and second stories, and gut renovations, with specific attention to Altadena's LA County unincorporated permit context. The service takes a preserve-first, renovate-over-demolish position and makes no timeline or permit guarantees — it's designed to help you define scope and price the project once, correctly, before committing to a builder.