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LIVE · Studio ·Vol. I ·California Residential Design-Build ·ADUs · Custom Homes · Multifamily ·License & insurance details on request ·CSLB #1156772 ·Starting $250K ·10–16% ROI ·San Francisco · HQ ·Bay Area ·Los Angeles ·LIVE · Studio ·Vol. I ·California Residential Design-Build ·ADUs · Custom Homes · Multifamily ·License & insurance details on request ·CSLB #1156772 ·Starting $250K ·10–16% ROI ·San Francisco · HQ ·Bay Area ·Los Angeles ·
GoldenStateADU
Desk 02 · Los Angeles · ADU design-build

Los Angeles ADU Builder. purpose-built for LA lots.

We design, permit, and build detached ADUs and backyard homes across Los Angeles County — Silver Lake, Mar Vista, Pasadena, Beverly Hills, Santa Monica, Burbank, Glendale, Culver City, Long Beach, and the unincorporated county.

Licensed California contractor · CSLB #1156772 · Los Angeles desk · LADBS

Begin a Los Angeles adu builder brief →← Back to Los Angeles desk

About ADU Builder in Los Angeles

Every LA lot carries its own plan-check pattern — LADBS for City of LA parcels, and separate building departments for Beverly Hills, Santa Monica, Pasadena, Culver City, and unincorporated LA County. Hillside overlays, coastal review zones, R1 versus R2 lots, alley access, and aging sewer laterals all change what your ADU costs and how fast it gets built. We walk yours before drawings begin so the scope holds up through permit, construction, and rental.

Our LA ADU work is a fixed-scope contract: feasibility, design, permits, construction, and closeout — with weekly homeowner updates and a single point of accountability from brief to keys.

Los Angeles permit notes · ADU Builder

What we resolve before drawings begin.

  • 01

    LADBS plan-check first

    We run feasibility against LADBS, LA County, and your jurisdiction's small-lot rules before the brief is signed. No surprises after deposit.

  • 02

    Setbacks, hillside, and alley access

    Hillside lots and rear-loaded alleys behave differently than flat R1 parcels. We confirm setbacks, fire separation, and access during the feasibility brief.

  • 03

    Sewer, water, and panel capacity

    Older LA neighborhoods often need lateral upgrades or a panel upsize before an ADU connects. We scope this up front so it lives in the contract, not in a change order.

ADU intel · the build stack we ship · Los Angeles spec

A 2025 LA detached ADU is 12–16 weeks of construction over 6–9 months of permit and design. The fastest path is the pre-approved-plan path — when the design fits.

The manufacturers we actually specify.

  • ZIP System (Huber)

    premium

    USA

    Structural sheathing with integrated weather barrier

    Eliminates a separate WRB step + tape system catches install errors visually. Our preferred default on ADU walls and roof decks.

  • Mitsubishi / Daikin / LG

    premium

    Japan · Japan · Korea

    Mini-split heat pumps for ADU HVAC

    Right-sized inverter heat pumps hit Title 24 and CalGreen with zero ductwork — the cleanest, cheapest HVAC for an ADU < 1,000 sf.

  • Rinnai / Navien

    workhorse

    Japan · Korea

    Tankless water heaters

    Wall-mount tankless saves 9 sq ft of floor and qualifies for SoCalGas rebates when CSA-approved gas units are still permitted; we switch to heat-pump electric where local code requires.

  • Square D / Eaton

    workhorse

    USA

    Sub-panel + load center for ADU service

    Standard 100A or 125A sub-panel from main; tap conductor sizing per CEC 705.12(B).

Material tiers · what you're actually choosing between.

MaterialLifespanInstalled in CABest forTrade-offs
2x6 stick-frame on continuous footing75+ years$340–$520 / sq ft turnkeyMost LA infill ADUs.12–16 weeks construction once permits issue.
Panelized / off-site framing kit75+ years$320–$480 / sq ftTight side-yard sites or fire-rebuilds.Crane access required; not feasible on every lot.
Modular box (Abodu / Cover / Boxabl)50+ years$300–$500 / sq ft delivered + siteworkOwners who want speed and accept the design constraint.Crane + crane-truck access required; foundation still has to be poured first.

Specification gotchas we resolve before contract.

  1. 01

    Pre-approved plans (LA + city catalogs).

    LA City, Santa Monica, Pasadena, Long Beach all maintain pre-approved plan catalogs. Plan check drops to 30 days or less when the plan is in the catalog.

  2. 02

    Utility separation (SB 9 / AB 2221 nuance).

    Separate utility meters are no longer required to permit, but they're often required for refinance or sale. We pull the right meter strategy for the owner's exit plan.

  3. 03

    Fire setbacks + sprinklers.

    ADUs under 1,200 sf often don't trigger sprinklers; over 1,200 or with specific roof tie-ins, NFPA 13D applies.

Sources · CA HCD ADU handbook (2025) · LADBS ADU information bulletin

Other Los Angeles services.

All Los Angeles services →

Los Angeles city directory · 314 cities served

ADU Builder, written for your city.

Each link opens a dedicated page calibrated to the city's permit authority, lot conditions, and price band — not a generic regional landing.

Los Angeles · ADU Builder FAQ

Questions Los Angeles homeowners ask first.

Start a Los Angeles ADU feasibility brief. We'll map LADBS plan-check, setbacks, utility upgrades, and rental income against your specific address before any drawings begin.

  1. How long does a Los Angeles ADU take from brief to keys?
    Typical LA ADU projects run 11–15 months: feasibility and design (2–3 months), LADBS plan-check (3–5 months), and construction (5–7 months). Hillside, coastal, and historic overlays add time.
  2. What does an LA detached ADU cost?
    Most LA detached ADUs we build land between $300K and $550K all-in, depending on size, finish, hillside conditions, and utility upgrades. Garage conversions typically run lower.
  3. Do I need LADBS approval for an ADU?
    Yes — every LA City ADU goes through LADBS plan-check. Unincorporated LA County and contract cities (Beverly Hills, Santa Monica, Pasadena, etc.) have their own building departments with similar but distinct workflows.
  4. Can I rent my LA ADU on Airbnb?
    Most LA jurisdictions restrict short-term rentals on ADUs and require 30-day minimum stays for the unit to count as long-term housing. We'll review your address's specific rules during feasibility.
  5. How much rental income can I expect from an LA ADU?
    Westside and South Bay LA ADUs commonly rent for $2,800–$4,500/month for 1BR units, depending on neighborhood, finish, and parking. We model the actual rent during the feasibility brief.
  6. Do you handle the entire LA ADU project?
    Yes — feasibility, architecture, structural, MEP, LADBS permitting, construction, finals, and closeout sit under one fixed-scope contract.
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.

Get started→or call +1 (510) 405-5921
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  • License & insurance on request
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