Santa Monica ADU Builder.
coastal zone, rent-control savvy.
Santa Monica ADU work runs through the City of Santa Monica, not LADBS. Parts of the city sit inside the California Coastal Zone, which adds a Coastal Development Permit review on top of standard plan-check. Santa Monica also has its own rent control rules — we walk you through how they apply to a new ADU.
Licensed California contractor · CSLB #1098432 · Los Angeles desk · City of Santa Monica Building & Safety
About ADU work in Santa Monica
We build across North of Montana, Sunset Park, Ocean Park, Mid-City, and the Pico neighborhood — each with its own lot pattern, alley access, and overlay considerations.
What the Santa Monica ADU math actually looks like.
- Permit timeline
- 4–7 months (longer if Coastal)
- 1BR ADU rent (Santa Monica)
- $3,200–$4,200/mo
- Typical project cost
- $320K–$520K
What we resolve before drawings begin.
- 01
Coastal Development Permit
Parcels west of Lincoln (and parts of Pico) trigger Coastal review. We confirm at feasibility — it adds 2–4 months to the timeline when required.
- 02
Tight R1 setbacks
Santa Monica R1 lots run small. Most detached ADUs need careful rear-yard layout to keep the unit within setbacks and required open space.
- 03
Rent control on the main house
The main house may be rent-controlled even if the new ADU is not. We brief you on what this means for the property over time.
Santa Monica neighborhoods we serve
- North of Montana
- Sunset Park
- Ocean Park
- Mid-City
- Pico
Santa Monica services we deliver.
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Santa Monica · ADU FAQ
Questions Santa Monica homeowners ask first.
Start a Santa Monica ADU brief. We'll confirm Coastal Zone status, R1 setbacks, rent-control implications, and a fixed-scope contract.
Do I need Coastal Commission approval for a Santa Monica ADU?
If your parcel sits in the Coastal Zone (mostly west of Lincoln), you need a Coastal Development Permit from the city. Inland parcels skip that step.Does Santa Monica rent control apply to my new ADU?
Generally new ADUs built after the cutoff dates are not under the city's rent control ordinance — but rules evolve. We walk you through the current state at feasibility.
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.
- No obligation
- Reply within 24 hours
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