Custom kitchen and carpentry LJ Nelson Construction

Built with Care.
Built to Last.

Custom Builds & Remodels | Santa Barbara & Beyond

Building or remodeling a home is deeply personal—and a significant investment. We partner with you from early design through construction with clear communication, dependable timelines, and meticulous craftsmanship you can trust.

Featured Projects

Renovation of a Spanish style home in Santa Barbara, California

From initial concept to final details, we pride ourselves on doing things the right way.

Schulte Lane
Interior | Exterior | Kitchen | Bathrooms

Farren Road
New Build & Exterior Hardscape

Mesa Lane
Full Interior/Exterior Remodel & Addition

Who
We Are

Specializing in large remodels, additions, and ADUs, we take an intentional approach to building—combining craftsmanship, thoughtful planning, and trusted partnerships to create homes that live well and last.

Lonnie Nelson General Contracting | LJ Nelson Construction

Our
Work

We help homeowners bring complex projects to life with thoughtful planning, steady guidance, and skilled craftsmanship.

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New Construction

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Renovations

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Remodels

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ADUs

✳︎ New Construction ✳︎ Renovations ✳︎ Remodels ✳︎ ADUs

Crafted With Health
in Mind

As health-forward builders, we design homes with intention so they support your well-being, perform beautifully, and stand the test of time.

Santa Barbara Area General Contractors
Santa Barbara Area Health Forward General Contractors

Client Testimonials

Trust matters when you’re building a home. We prioritize communication, transparency, and careful execution, and our clients consistently tell us it makes all the difference.

Full Interior and Exterior Remodel and Addition Santa Barbara
  • This team is hands down one of the best general contractors in the Santa Barbara area. They exceeded our expectations in every way. During our remodel, we uncovered significant water intrusion and had to rebuild parts of the house, yet they still found a way to keep the project on schedule. Every aspect of the budget was transparent and easy to understand, and their communication was exceptional — proactive, clear, and always helpful. I strongly recommend LJN Construction for any construction project.

    — Wyatt, Santa Barbara
    Full Home Remodel

  • As a first-time builder, I couldn’t be happier with the results. What stood out most was their honesty and transparency — every question I had was answered promptly, and the team consistently went above and beyond to ensure I felt confident and satisfied at every stage. I would highly recommend LJN Construction to anyone looking for a trustworthy, skilled general contractor.

    — Lynn, Goleta
    New Build

  • We hired Lonnie and his team for what began as a simple remodel but ultimately became a complete home rebuild with an addition after structural issues were uncovered. It was a much larger project than we anticipated, yet they guided us through every step in a way that made us feel supported and confident throughout.

    One of the first things we noticed was the sense of calm Lonnie brought to the job site each day. Even with more than 40 people working at once, his steady leadership and clear communication made everything feel organized and under control. He provided proactive weekly updates so everyone understood what was coming next, which meant very few surprises along the way.

    Lonnie operates with a rare level of integrity and sets that tone for everyone on site. The project finished on an aggressive schedule, within budget, and with a relationship we truly value. We recommend Lonnie and his team wholeheartedly and are deeply grateful for the outcome they achieved.

    — Tyler, Santa Barbara
    Full Rebuild + Addition

  • Melissa and Lonnie are a great team that build high-quality projects and genuinely care about the details from beginning to end. If you're looking for a skilled, dependable company to remodel your home, I highly recommend reaching out to them.

    — Derek Isaac, Business Coach

  • As someone who has personally experienced the effects of mold exposure, finding a contractor who genuinely understands healthy building practices was really important to us. LJ Nelson Construction didn't just build us a beautiful home—they approached every decision with our long-term health in mind, from material selection to moisture management.

    Beyond the health-forward approach, what stood out was how easy they were to work with. Communication was clear and consistent throughout, and we always felt confident that our budget was being spent thoughtfully and with care. Even with a significant number of changes along the way, they stayed on timeline—which is very rare in construction projects!

    The teams level of knowledge, integrity, and follow-through is really admirable and made is feel so supported and confident. Our home doesn't just look great—it feels great to live in.

    Celsea, Santa Barbara
    Full home remodel

  • We had the pleasure of working with Lonnie and Melissa on a large remodel for one of our clients, and the experience was exceptional from start to finish. The project included four bathrooms, a full kitchen renovation, new flooring throughout, painting, and many other major updates.

    Lonnie and Melissa managed every aspect of the project with incredible organization and attention to detail. Their communication was clear, timelines were well managed, and the entire job was executed with a level of professionalism that made the process smooth for both our team and the homeowners.

    As designers, having contractors we can trust makes all the difference. Lonnie and Melissa were fantastic partners throughout the remodel, and we would gladly work with them again. We highly recommend them to anyone looking for a team that is reliable, skilled, and committed to delivering great results.”

    Jodi G. Designs
    Santa Barbara Interior Design Partner