ADU pricing
What an ADU costs in Los Angeles, all in.
Most ADU bids start from a price per square foot, set before anything is designed, and grow as decisions get made. We publish our prices. Here is what each model costs, what the price covers, and what we price after we see your lot.
Prices by model
$165,000 to $360,000, depending on the model.
| Model | Rooms | Size | Starting price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Model S | Studio, 1 bath | 325 sq ft | $165,000 |
| Model 1 | 1 bed, 1 bath | 497 sq ft | $195,000 |
| Model 2 | 2 bed, 1-2 bath | 749 sq ft | $270,000 |
| Model 3 | 3 bed, 2 bath | 996 sq ft | $360,000 |
Starting prices are all-in for design, permitting and construction with standard finishes. Finish upgrades and site work are priced on top, and you see both before you sign. City permit fees are billed at cost. Model 1 and Model 2 are approved standard plans in the City of Los Angeles.
What the price covers
What's in the price, and what we price after the site visit.
Included in the starting price
- Design: stamped architectural and structural plans, and the Title 24 energy report
- Permits: we prepare the submittal and run it with the city through approval
- Standard finishes, with optional upgrades
- Slab-on-grade foundation
- Equipment, labor and materials for typical utility connections
- Construction by a licensed contractor: framing, plumbing, electrical, insulation, roofing and finish installation
- A one-year workmanship warranty
Priced after the site assessment
- Utility upgrades, such as a larger electric service or a new water line
- Foundation work beyond a standard slab
- Demolition of existing structures
- Site clearing
- Landscaping
- Any finish upgrades you choose
Site work
What can change the number for your lot.
Site work and utilities generally run $15,000 to $35,000. These are the items we look for on the site assessment, and each one is priced before you sign, not discovered during construction.
Electric panel
Most homes have a 100 amp panel. Running a house and an ADU usually takes 200 amps, so many lots need an upgrade.
Fire sprinklers
Some lots require sprinklers, which can also mean a larger water line to the property.
Methane mitigation
Lots near an oil well can need methane mitigation before the slab goes in.
Slope
We build on sloped lots. Grade changes the foundation and retaining work, and we price it after the assessment.
Septic
We can tie into an existing septic system. A capacity evaluation, and any upgrade it calls for, are arranged and paid for separately.
Existing structures
Removing a garage, shed or slab to make room is priced as demolition and site clearing.
City fees
What the city charges for an ADU permit.
City permit fees are not in our price. Your city sets them, and we bill them to you at cost. They cover the city's plan check and permit issuance, plus impact fees on an ADU over 750 sq ft. The amounts vary by city; these are the typical totals for each model.
Model S · 325 sq ft
Typically $3,000 to $8,000
Plan check and permit issuance. Under 750 sq ft, so no impact fees.
Model 1 · 497 sq ft
Typically $3,000 to $8,000
Plan check and permit issuance. Under 750 sq ft, so no impact fees.
Model 2 · 749 sq ft
Typically $5,000 to $10,000
Plan check and permit issuance. Under 750 sq ft, so no impact fees.
Model 3 · 996 sq ft
Typically $8,000 to $15,000
Plan check and permit issuance, plus impact fees where your city charges them, since it is over 750 sq ft.
The 750 sq ft line
Model S, Model 1 and Model 2 are all under 750 sq ft, so no city can charge them impact fees. School district fees and utility connection fees are separate and can still apply.
From January 1, 2027 (SB 1117), an ADU over 750 sq ft pays impact fees only on the area above 750 sq ft, in proportion to the main house, for up to two ADUs on a lot. What changes on January 1
ADU rules and permit offices by city
Each city page covers that city's ADU rules and who issues the permit.
Los Angeles County
Orange County
San Diego County
Inland Empire
Paying for it
$1,000 to start. The rest as the work gets done.
Your $1,000 reserves your build slot and is credited in full to your contract. It's refunded if your city won't permit an ADU on your lot, or if your financing doesn't come through within 60 days.
- $8,000 when you approve the design: site plan, floor plan and elevations
- $12,000 when the engineered permit set is complete, before it goes to the city
- $30,000 when the city issues your permit
- The balance in six payments during construction, each due when a stage is done or an inspection passes, from excavation through final inspection
Financing
Many of our clients finance the whole build. Our lending partners can finance up to 100% of it, subject to credit approval, and a HELOC or home equity loan works too.
Check your estimated rate in about a minute.
Pricing questions
What people ask before they sign.
Our models start at $165,000 for Model S (studio, 1 bath, 325 sq ft), $195,000 for Model 1 (1 bed, 1 bath, 497 sq ft), $270,000 for Model 2 (2 bed, 1-2 bath, 749 sq ft), $360,000 for Model 3 (3 bed, 2 bath, 996 sq ft). Those are guaranteed all-in starting prices for design, permitting and construction with standard finishes. Site work depends on your lot and is priced after our site assessment, before you sign. City permit fees are separate and billed at cost.
Stamped architectural and structural plans and the Title 24 energy report, the permit process, standard finishes with optional upgrades, a slab-on-grade foundation, typical utility connections, and construction by a licensed contractor including framing, plumbing, electrical, insulation, roofing and finish installation, plus a one-year workmanship warranty.
No. Your city sets its permit fees, and we bill them to you at cost. They typically run $3,000 to $8,000 for Model S and Model 1, $5,000 to $10,000 for Model 2 and $8,000 to $15,000 for Model 3. An ADU under 750 sq ft pays no impact fees, though school district and utility connection fees can still apply.
Site work and utilities generally run $15,000 to $35,000. The exact number depends on your lot, so we price it after the on-site assessment and before you sign. Site work covers utility upgrades such as a larger electric service or water line, foundation work beyond a standard slab, demolition, site clearing and landscaping.
No. You start with $1,000, credited in full to your contract. Then you pay $8,000 when you approve the design, $12,000 when the permit set is complete, $30,000 when the permit is issued, and the balance in six payments as construction moves along. Many of our clients finance the whole build through our lending partners, subject to credit approval.
Most general contractor bids start from a per-square-foot rate that assumes entry-level finishes, set before the project is designed, so the number tends to rise as finishes are chosen, the layout changes and site requirements come up. We price after the site assessment, when those items are known. The fair comparison is our price against a contractor's final cost, not their first bid.
Adding an ADU raises your property tax by about 1 percent of the ADU's assessed value. It does not trigger a reassessment of your main home.
See the price for your lot.
Pick a model and tell us your address. After the site assessment you get one all-in number, before you sign.