Leucadia has resisted being smoothed over, and the building stock shows it: old cottages, eucalyptus, deep lots, and additions that happened whenever somebody had the money. It makes for interesting remodels and occasionally surprising demolition.
We work throughout Leucadia on beach cottage renovations, additions, accessory dwelling units, and kitchen and bath remodels — with the coastal permitting handled as part of the job.
- Permitting authority
- City of Encinitas Development Services
- Coastal status
- Entirely within the California Coastal Zone
- ZIP codes
- 92024
- Neighborhoods we work in
- North Coast Highway 101 corridor · Beacon’s Beach area · Grandview · Leucadia Roadside Park area
What we find in Leucadia homes
Small 1930s–1960s cottages and bungalows predominate, frequently on lots deep enough to support a detached ADU or a substantial addition. Many have post-and-pier foundations, undersized electrical services, and previous additions of varying quality. It is common to find two or three eras of construction in one house, which is why we open things up carefully and price contingency honestly.
Permitting and planning in Leucadia
Leucadia is part of the City of Encinitas and sits inside the Coastal Zone, so a Coastal Development Permit is generally required for exterior work under the city’s Local Coastal Program. The deep lots here make Leucadia one of the better ADU markets in North County, subject to the city’s setback, height, and coastal requirements.
What we build in Leucadia
Home Remodeling & Renovation
From a single-room addition to a full interior and exterior renovation, we guide the project from concept to completion.
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Kitchen Remodeling
A well-designed kitchen is the social center of your home. We handle design, cabinets, counters, lighting and flooring.
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Bathroom Remodeling
Thoughtful planning and attention to detail are the keys to any bathroom remodel — more light, more storage, more usable space.
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Custom New Home Construction
From the first planning conversation to the day you move in — a custom home built to your site, your preferences, and your budget.
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Design-Build
One entity, one contract, one continuous flow of work from first concept through final completion.
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Commercial Remodel & Tenant Improvements
Complete build-outs for office, retail, and industrial space — partition walls, custom millwork, and precision trim carpentry.
Learn moreRemodeling in Leucadia: common questions
Is my Leucadia lot big enough for an ADU?
Many are — the deep lots along and east of the 101 are well suited to detached units. What decides it is setbacks, height limits, the location of the existing structures, and how far the utilities have to run. A site visit answers it quickly.
What should I expect when remodeling an old Leucadia cottage?
Expect to find previous work that was not permitted, foundations that need attention, and electrical that needs replacing. None of it is unusual. We budget contingency for it explicitly instead of pretending a 1940s cottage will open up cleanly.
Can you keep the character of the house while modernizing it?
Yes, and in Leucadia that is usually the right call. Keep the massing, the porch, and the window rhythm; replace the systems, structure, and insulation. The house still reads as itself and actually works.
What our clients say about Surfside Developers
We specialize in helping our customers receive the biggest return on their investment — and we’d welcome the chance to give you a custom evaluation of your home.
“The quality of the finished work was great, delivered on time, and within our overall budget. What more can you say than that?”
Our experience with Surfside Developers has been outstanding. They came highly recommended to us by our trusted real estate agent assisting us in a remodel of our recently purchased home. With past contractors our experience has always been a hit or miss proposition, and so we were very nervous about committing to a major renovation on the order of $70K plus. Nevertheless, we were very confident of the plan upon our very first meeting with the owner, Derek Wattenbarger. Derek listened intently to our vision of what we wanted the remodel to accomplish and faithfully carried out the plan. And just as important, Derek provided great insight and advice to improve the execution of our plan when he saw opportunities to do so, as well as cautioning us when some of our original ideas were not economically feasible or may have contained an unforeseen downside. All through the process, Derek was completely straightforward, transparent, and respectful. Communication was terrific. All calls, emails, texts, etc. were returned promptly. He even introduced us to all of the various sub-contractors so that we had an opportunity to establish a relationship with them and communicate the details to the next level. Finally, and probably most importantly, the quality of the finished work was great, delivered on time, and within our overall budget. What more can you say than that? Highly recommended!
Jack and Sue SerrinoDel Mar, California“Derek has done over 25 jobs for my clients over the years and I hope to continue to do business with him in the future.”
Derek has been by far the best contractor I have ever worked with and his ability to listen to my clients and react to their needs is above what I had ever expected. Derek being classically trained and professionally educated shows. Derek’s knowledge of both the practical and the possible allow him to do both small and large scale jobs and for that there is nothing I will not refer his way. Derek has done over 25 jobs for my clients over the years and I hope to continue to do business with him in the future!
Seth O’ByrneSan Diego, CaliforniaBuilding in Leucadia?
Tell us about the project and we'll set up a free consultation at the property — no pressure, no obligation.