El Segundo Tree-Section
El Segundo
Pocket studio nestled under existing magnolia canopy — zero tree removal.
- Type
- Detached Studio
- Size
- 520 sq ft
- Cost
- $235K
- Permit-to-CofO
- 9 mo
01 — Brief
The brief.
Pocket studio nestled under existing magnolia canopy — zero tree removal.
The owner came to the studio with a 520 sq ft program and a hard cost ceiling. We responded with a fixed-fee feasibility document inside one business day, then locked the contract at $235K and delivered the Certificate of Occupancy in 9 mo.
Architecture, structural and Title 24 engineering, plan check management, and construction were all handled in-house under a single P&L — no coordination tax, no finger-pointing on corrections.
02 — Cost
Where the $235K went.
Allocation derived from the contract budget and reconciled against the studio's published methodology — see the full cost breakdown for category-by-category methodology.
Soft costs
$28KShare12%Design, structural + Title 24 engineering, plan check and city fees.
Site & utilities
$33KShare14%Excavation, foundation, sewer/water taps, sub-panel and trenching.
Hard construction
$155KShare66%Framing, envelope, MEP rough-in, finishes, fixtures and appliances.
Contingency held
$19KShare8%Reserved for unforeseen conditions; unspent balance returned at close.
03 — Timeline
9 mo, four phases.
The breakdown below tracks the actual permit-to-CofO calendar. Read more about the studio's standard schedule on the process page.
- Phase 01
Feasibility & design
10 wk
Site survey, schematic design, structural concept, fixed-fee proposal.
- Phase 02
Plan check & permit
10 wk
LADBS plan check, corrections cycle, school + utility fee clearance.
- Phase 03
Construction
16 wk
Foundation, framing, envelope, MEP rough-in, finishes and fixtures.
- Phase 04
Inspections & CofO
4 wk
Final inspections, punch list, owner orientation, Certificate of Occupancy.
04 — Neighborhood
El Segundo.
El Segundo sets the constraints for this build — setbacks, mature-tree protection, and the rhythm of the surrounding street frontages all shape the massing. The detached studio reads as quiet from the curb and generous inside, which is the brief we hold to on every detached we deliver in the area.
See the city desk for El Segundo →05 — Field notes
What we'd repeat — and what we'd revisit.
First-hand notes from the project lead, recorded at closeout. Published as part of our standing commitment to ship lessons, not just photos.
- Repeat
Pre-stage the panel upgrade
LADWP-coordinated sub-panel work was scheduled before framing closed, which kept rough-in inspection on the original calendar. We'd protect the same buffer on every detached build at this 520 sq ft program.
- Revisit
Order long-lead finishes earlier
Two finish materials arrived inside the punch-list window, which compressed final inspections. We're now placing finish POs at the start of construction on builds of this scope.
- Owner brief
Allow one design review per phase
Owners who held a single, prepared review per phase — feasibility, plan check, construction, closeout — kept the schedule and budget inside the contract. The reverse pattern (frequent informal changes) is the most common cost driver we see.
06 — Plates