What does an ADU cost in Los Angeles?

Detached new construction across LA County typically runs $300–$425 per finished sq ft all-in. A turnkey 800 sq ft detached ADU lands around $250,000–$425,000 depending on finishes, site work, and utility conditions.

How long does LADBS permitting take?

Standard-plan LADBS ADU permits clear in roughly 8–14 weeks once a complete plan set is submitted. Custom designs add 2–6 weeks for plan check and corrections; we manage the response cycle as part of the design-build engagement.

Can I build a garage conversion in LA?

Most permitted, structurally sound LA garages can be converted into a legal ADU. State law overrides most local zoning restrictions for converted garages, which is why this is often the fastest path to keys.

Will an ADU reassess my property taxes?

Only the new ADU is reassessed at current market value — your existing home keeps its Prop 13 protected base. On a $325K detached ADU that translates to roughly $3,400–$4,000 of additional annual property tax.

What rental income can an LA ADU produce?

Long-term 1-bed / 600 sq ft units rent for roughly $1,900–$3,100 per month across LA depending on neighborhood. After management and a 5% vacancy assumption, net yield-on-cost typically lands 10–16%.

How do I verify my LA ADU contractor is licensed?

Look up the license on the California Contractors State License Board portal at cslb.ca.gov/onlineservices. Confirm the classification is B (general building), the bond is current, and workers' compensation is active. Cross-check with BBB and LA County Consumer Affairs for complaint history.

Desk 02 · Southern California

Los Angeles ADU Builder.

From feasibility to keys — and even your first tenant. An experienced California design-build team that designs, permits, and builds accessory dwellings, additions, custom homes, and small multifamily across Los Angeles County, with fixed-price contracts.

CSLB #1156772 · License & insurance details on request

Begin a Los Angeles project →Browse LA city pages →

LA permit room · LADBS

Built around LADBS, LA County, and Southern California lot conditions.

Silver Lake bungalows, Mar Vista lots, Pasadena historic overlays, Beverly Hills hillside setbacks, Santa Monica coastal review, Burbank, Glendale, Culver City, and the unincorporated county — each carries its own plan-check pattern. We map yours during a feasibility brief before drawing begins, so the LA rental income math is grounded in the actual permit path your address sits on.

LA cities we serve.

All LA city pages →

Market Pulse · San Francisco ADU Desk

Live · LA Desk

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ADU·RENT·1BR

$2,648

Median asking rent for a new 1-bedroom LA ADU.

LADBS·PERMIT·DAYS

Average LADBS standard-plan ADU permit issuance time.

BUILD·COST·PSF

$385

Typical turnkey detached ADU build cost per finished sq ft.

ADU·CASH·ROI

13.6%

Owner cash-on-cash ROI assuming 25% down, current rates.

BACKYARD·INQUIRIES

Inbound homeowner consults per week, citywide.

OPEN·SLOTS

8 wk

Weeks until next available crew start across LA ADU builders.

Feed · last 24h

07:11LADBSStandard plan queue cleared faster than 30-day avg — turnaround tightening.
10:28RENTSilver Lake 1BR ADU asks crossed $2,800 — 3rd weekly print above trend.
13:45COSTLumber index −1.8% w/w; framing bids softening across LA County.
16:02RATESHELOC blended rate held at 8.6% — financing window stable.
19:19DEMANDMar Vista & Culver inquiries up 14% — empty-nester cohort.
22:36WARNConcrete supplier lead times stretched to 11 days — schedule risk.
01:53POLICYAB 1033 condo-conversion: detached ADU starts +22% YoY in LA City.

Demonstration desk — values seed from realistic LA County ADU ranges and drift client-side. No live connections.

Los Angeles service hubs.

Each LA service has its own page with LADBS permit notes, costs, and FAQ.

ADU & Conversions

Detached ADUs, garage conversions, JADUs.

Ground-Up Construction

New construction and hillside builds.

Development & Investor

Small multifamily and 2–6 unit feasibility.

Los Angeles Small Multifamily & 2–6 UnitOpen hub →

Renovation & Additions

Home additions, kitchens, baths, whole-home.

Trades & Building Systems

Roofing, siding, decks, foundation, framing, retrofits.

Commercial & Property Services

TI buildouts, HOAs, property management — by request.

LA city landings · region-isolated

Los Angeles cities — dedicated pages.

Every city page links only to Los Angeles services and the Los Angeles desk — never routed across regions.

№ — LA build conditions

Monday, July 13

01 · Daylight today

14h 05m

Peak 14h 16m · trough 9h 44m

Dec 21Jun 21

02 · Build season window

Peak season · framing & dry-in

LA permits issue year-round at LADBS

JanJulDec

Desk 02 · Southern California

Los Angeles desk.

Consultations by appointment in Los Angeles County.

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Service area: Los Angeles desk — consultations by appointment
Los Angeles County
Direct line: +1 (323) 483-4705
Lead consultant: Daniel AvrahamLA Principal · Feasibility lead
At this desk: In-person consults by appointment · English · Hebrew · Spanish

Book this desk →Or call +1 (323) 483-4705 →

CSLB #1156772 · License & insurance details on request

Los Angeles County

Los Angeles FAQ

Questions LA homeowners ask first.

Cost, timing, permits, and rental income — anchored in LADBS and LA County practice.

What does an ADU cost in Los Angeles?
Detached new construction across LA County typically runs $300–$425 per finished sq ft all-in. A turnkey 800 sq ft detached ADU lands around $250,000–$425,000 depending on finishes, site work, and utility conditions.
How long does LADBS permitting take?
Standard-plan LADBS ADU permits clear in roughly 8–14 weeks once a complete plan set is submitted. Custom designs add 2–6 weeks for plan check and corrections; we manage the response cycle as part of the design-build engagement.
Can I build a garage conversion in LA?
Most permitted, structurally sound LA garages can be converted into a legal ADU. State law overrides most local zoning restrictions for converted garages, which is why this is often the fastest path to keys.
Will an ADU reassess my property taxes?
Only the new ADU is reassessed at current market value — your existing home keeps its Prop 13 protected base. On a $325K detached ADU that translates to roughly $3,400–$4,000 of additional annual property tax.
What rental income can an LA ADU produce?
Long-term 1-bed / 600 sq ft units rent for roughly $1,900–$3,100 per month across LA depending on neighborhood. After management and a 5% vacancy assumption, net yield-on-cost typically lands 10–16%.
How do I verify my LA ADU contractor is licensed?
Look up the license on the California Contractors State License Board portal at cslb.ca.gov/onlineservices. Confirm the classification is B (general building), the bond is current, and workers' compensation is active. Cross-check with BBB and LA County Consumer Affairs for complaint history.

Begin

Begin your projectin twenty minutes.

A short feasibility review of your lot — what you can build, roughly what it costs, and how long it will take. Free of charge. No sales call afterwards unless you ask for one.

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