Pasadena Craftsman
Bungalow Heaven, Pasadena
Two-story Craftsman echo with steel-string sleeping loft and mature-oak siting.
- Type
- Detached ADU + Loft
- Size
- 1,000 sq ft
- Cost
- $415K
- Permit-to-CofO
- 13 mo
01 — Brief
The brief.
Two-story Craftsman echo with steel-string sleeping loft and mature-oak siting.
The owner came to the studio with a 1,000 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 $415K and delivered the Certificate of Occupancy in 13 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 $415K 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
$50KShare12%Design, structural + Title 24 engineering, plan check and city fees.
Site & utilities
$58KShare14%Excavation, foundation, sewer/water taps, sub-panel and trenching.
Hard construction
$274KShare66%Framing, envelope, MEP rough-in, finishes, fixtures and appliances.
Contingency held
$33KShare8%Reserved for unforeseen conditions; unspent balance returned at close.
03 — Timeline
13 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
14 wk
Site survey, schematic design, structural concept, fixed-fee proposal.
- Phase 02
Plan check & permit
14 wk
LADBS plan check, corrections cycle, school + utility fee clearance.
- Phase 03
Construction
23 wk
Foundation, framing, envelope, MEP rough-in, finishes and fixtures.
- Phase 04
Inspections & CofO
6 wk
Final inspections, punch list, owner orientation, Certificate of Occupancy.
04 — Neighborhood
Bungalow Heaven, Pasadena.
Bungalow Heaven, Pasadena sets the constraints for this build — setbacks, mature-tree protection, and the rhythm of the surrounding street frontages all shape the massing. The detached adu + loft 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 Bungalow Heaven →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 1,000 sq ft program.
- Revisit
Front-load Title 24 review
Energy compliance corrections added late in plan check stretched the calendar. On the next detached of comparable size, we'll lock the Title 24 envelope before the first plan-check submittal rather than during corrections.
- 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