★★★★★
ADU build in Sherman Oaks. Permits pulled, inspections passed, project completed in 14 weeks. They were transparent about every step. We're renting the unit already — it's beautiful and fully up to code.
ADU Construction · Los AngelesLos Angeles
Los Angeles
ADU Construction
Build Your Backyard.
Detached ADUs, garage conversions, JADUs, and attached units — design through Certificate of Occupancy, every permit managed.
Professional, licensed & insuredFixed-price proposalsPermits pulled & closedOur own crew, not subs
Get a Free Estimate
Tell us about the project. We call back to schedule the on-site estimate.
Request Received
Thank you — a senior member of our team will reach out within 4 business hours. For anything urgent, call (818) 210-4544.
5.0★Google · 45 reviews
57+Permitted projects
12+Years experience · CSLB #1021284
FreeOn-site estimate · fixed written price
ADU builder in Los Angeles: Right Image Builders (CSLB #1021284) designs, permits and builds garage conversions, detached ADUs and junior ADUs across the San Fernando Valley, Burbank and Glendale under one contract — plans, Title 24, LADBS or city plan check, utilities, construction and the Certificate of Occupancy. Plan on 5–8 months for a conversion and 9–14 months for a detached unit; one fixed written price after a free feasibility visit.
Licensed general contractor, CSLB #1021284, licensed since 2016, 5.0★ Google (45 reviews), 4.9★ Angi (103 reviews). Planning ranges by tier and neighborhood are in the ADU cost guide.
The Right Image ApproachA Second Unit
Request Free ADU Consultation
A Second Unit
Built to Perform
California's ADU law has changed dramatically since 2020. Senate Bills 9 and SB 897, Assembly Bill 68, and a series of LADBS ordinance updates have made it significantly easier — and faster — to build an ADU on most Los Angeles residential lots. Reduced setbacks (now 4 feet on rear and sides for detached ADUs), streamlined plan check timelines, and the elimination of owner-occupancy requirements have opened the door for thousands of LA homeowners who couldn't have built an ADU under the old rules.
Right Image Builders manages the entire ADU process under one contract. We coordinate architectural design (you don't need to hire a separate architect), handle all permit submittals and plan check responses with LADBS or your city's building department, pull all trade permits (structural, mechanical, electrical, plumbing), build the unit with our in-house team, and manage the Certificate of Occupancy process. You don't manage a designer-contractor split or explain the permit corrections to two different parties.
We build every ADU type: detached accessory dwelling units (DADUs) on the back of single-family lots; attached ADUs that expand the existing structure; Junior ADUs (JADUs) that convert a bedroom, bonus room, or portion of a garage within the existing building envelope; and full garage conversions. Each type has different permitting requirements, setback rules, and utility implications — we assess all of it at the site visit before you commit to anything.
For families looking at multi-generational living, it creates a dignified, independent space without losing the connection of a shared property. We've built ADUs across Valley Glen, Encino, Burbank, Pasadena, and dozens of other LA communities — and we know the local permit landscape better than most.
ADU Types We BuildChoose Your
Choose Your
Unit Type
01
Detached ADU
Up to 1,200 sq ftA completely separate new structure built on the same lot as the primary residence. Up to 1,200 sq ft. Requires new foundation, separate utilities, and full permit. Maximum flexibility in design and layout.
02
Attached ADU
Connected to primaryAn addition to the existing home footprint — sharing at least one wall with the primary structure. Efficient use of existing utility connections. Up to 50% of primary dwelling area or 1,200 sq ft, whichever is less.
03
Junior ADU (JADU)
Up to 500 sq ftA conversion of an existing bedroom, bonus room, or space within the primary home's existing walls. Up to 500 sq ft. Requires an efficiency kitchen and separate entrance. Fastest and most affordable path to a legal unit.
04
Garage Conversion
Existing structureConverting an existing attached or detached garage into a permitted living unit. Requires insulation, interior finishing, egress windows, full MEP rough-in, and a permit. Most cost-effective ADU path when the structure is sound.
How we work with you
Transparent from the first visit to the closed permit.
Professional, licensed and insured, and we put that in writing at every step, because a remodel is a trust decision before it is a construction decision.
Licensed and insured, verifiable
California general contractor license CSLB #1021284 (General Building B), active since 2016, with general liability and workers' compensation insurance. Check the license yourself at cslb.ca.gov before you sign anything, with us or anyone else.
A written scope before a dollar changes hands
The proposal lists what is demolished, what is built, which finishes are included and which permit covers it. If it is not written down, it is not in the job.
Photos of what we find, before we continue
When walls, floors or roofs open up we photograph what is behind them and send you the pictures. Anything beyond the scope is priced in writing before the crew continues. You never find out from the invoice.
The deposit rule, in your favor
California law caps a home-improvement deposit at $1,000 or 10 percent of the contract, whichever is less. We follow it. Progress payments follow the work, and the final payment comes after your walkthrough.
Permits pulled and closed in your name
We submit the plans, meet the inspector and close the permit. You get the closed-permit record, which is what a buyer, an insurer or an appraiser will ask for.
One licensed crew, one phone number
The people who estimate the job are the people who build it. No subcontractor hand-offs, no call center; your project lead answers the phone during the job and after it.
Our Full ScopeDesign to CO,
Design to CO,
Under One Contract
01
Site Analysis & ADU Feasibility
Before any design work begins, we assess your property for ADU viability: lot size and coverage allowance, existing setbacks, utility capacity (sewer, water, electrical panel amperage), SB 9 and JADU applicability, and any HOA or deed restrictions. You'll know exactly what you can build, how large it can be, and what it will realistically cost before committing to design.
02
Architectural & Structural Design
We coordinate licensed architectural drawings — site plan, floor plan, elevations, sections, and all LADBS-required details. Structural drawings and calculations for foundation, framing, and lateral systems. Title 24 energy compliance documentation. All of this is coordinated under our engagement; you're not managing a separate architect-contractor handoff.
03
Permit & LADBS Coordination
ADU permit submittals, plan check responses, and correction rounds with LADBS or your city's building department. We know the ADU-specific ministerial ADU review, which approves a code-compliant ADU without a public hearing, and the LADBS Pre-Approved ADU Standard Plans program. Trade permits (structural, mechanical, electrical, plumbing) are pulled and managed under our license. You never visit the permit counter.
04
Full Construction — Foundation to Finish
Site preparation and foundation (slab, grade beam, or raised), framing, roofing and exterior waterproofing, windows and exterior doors, insulation, drywall, flooring, kitchen and bath finishes, interior doors and trim, paint, and all mechanical systems. One crew, one schedule. No subcontractor coordination left to you.
05
Utility Connections & Mechanical
New electrical service connection or panel subpanel feed, gas line extension or all-electric design, water supply and drain connection to the main sewer, and HVAC — typically ductless mini-split systems for ADUs. We coordinate with LADWP, SoCalGas, and the applicable water district for new service accounts where the ADU is to have its own utility meters.
06
Certificate of Occupancy
Final inspections for all trades — building, electrical, mechanical, plumbing — coordinated and scheduled by our team. Punch list items identified during final walk-through are addressed before we request final sign-off. We hand you a Certificate of Occupancy and a fully legal, permitted, rentable unit. No open permits, no uninspected work.
ADU Types
Garage Conversions
ADU Cost in Los Angeles (2026)Garage conversion ADUs: cost, permits and timelineWhole-Home RemodelingRoom & Home AdditionsGeneral Contractor Los AngelesRoom Addition vs. ADUGarage Conversion vs. Detached ADUDesign-Build vs. Architect + ContractorPermits: LADBS vs. Burbank, Glendale, Beverly HillsPrefab vs. Site-Built ADU
How We PriceNo Surprise Invoices
No Surprise Invoices
in Los Angeles
An ADU in Los Angeles starts with a free on-site visit and ends with one fixed, written price that covers the whole scope, the permit from LADBS and the inspections, before any work begins.
The three things that change the price are the scope, what the house hides and the finishes you choose, and each is settled in writing before the crew moves on; final payment comes after your walkthrough.
If you want numbers before the visit, the ADU cost guide publishes the current planning ranges.
How It WorksThree Steps.
Three Steps.
Zero Surprises.
01
Free Site Consultation
A senior member of our team visits your property, assesses feasibility, reviews setbacks and utility capacity, and gives you an honest assessment of what ADU type makes sense and what it will realistically cost.
02
Design, Permit & Fixed Price
We coordinate architectural design, submit for permit, and deliver a fixed-price construction contract before a single shovel moves. No open-ended T&M contracts on an ADU project.
03
Build & Deliver Your CO
One crew builds your ADU from foundation to final inspection. We hand you the Certificate of Occupancy — a fully legal, rentable unit with zero open permits.
ReviewsWhat Clients Say About
What Clients Say About
Our ADU Construction Work
★★★★★
We had a complex ADU project that other contractors kept turning down or quoting absurd prices. Right Image Builders handled permits, design, and construction seamlessly. This is the most professional contractor I've ever worked with in 15 years of owning property in LA.
★★★★★
We had tried two other contractors who couldn't navigate the LADBS permit process for our ADU. Right Image Builders had the permit in hand within six weeks of starting design and delivered a beautiful unit on the exact date promised. It's now generating $2,800 a month in rental income. Best investment we've made in this property.
Guides & answers
Read before you hire anyone.
Plain answers on costs, permits, materials and hiring, written for Los Angeles houses and kept current.
Planning guide
How Much Does an ADU Cost in Los Angeles in 2026?
How much does an ADU cost in Los Angeles in 2026? Ranges by neighborhood.
Read the guide →Decision guideGarage Conversion, Detached ADU or JADU: Which ADU Should You Build in Los Angeles?
2026 Los Angeles comparison: size, cost, timeline, parking, fees, rentals.
Read the guide →Decision guidePrefab or Site-Built ADU in Los Angeles: Which Should You Choose?
Prefab (modular) or site-built ADU in Los Angeles? Real totals once site work is counted, timelines, permits, lot…
Read the guide →AnswersADU rules and questions
Direct answers from the Los Angeles remodeling FAQ, kept current.
Read the answers →ADU Construction FAQQuestions We
Questions We
Hear Every Day
LADBS requires architectural drawings, a site plan, and Title 24 energy calculations for an ADU permit. Right Image Builders coordinates licensed architectural design as part of our scope — you don't hire an architect separately and then find a contractor to execute their drawings. We manage the design-through-permit process under one engagement, eliminating the architect-contractor handoff that causes most ADU project delays.
Under current California state law, detached ADUs in most LA jurisdictions require a minimum 4-foot setback from rear and side property lines. Front setbacks match the primary dwelling's setback. JADUs within the existing building envelope have no additional setback requirement. Rules vary by city — Beverly Hills, Pasadena, Santa Monica, and Burbank each have their own ADU ordinances that may differ from LADBS rules. We perform a site-specific feasibility analysis at the consultation.
Yes. California Government Code Section 65852.2 allows most single-family properties to have both a Junior ADU (up to 500 sq ft within the existing structure) and a detached ADU on the same lot. This means you could potentially add two additional legal rental units to a single-family property. Lot coverage, parking, and utility capacity are assessed at the site visit to confirm feasibility for your specific parcel.
A garage conversion or JADU takes 6–10 weeks of design and plan check and 3–5 months of construction, about 5–8 months in all. A detached ADU takes 3–5 months of design, engineering and plan check (the City reviews a complete ADU application ministerially, within 60 days under state law) and 6–9 months of construction, 9–14 months from the first visit to the Certificate of Occupancy. You get the milestone schedule with the fixed-price proposal.
Right Image Builders, a licensed general contractor (CSLB #1021284) based in Valley Glen, designs, permits and builds ADUs across Van Nuys, Sherman Oaks, Studio City, Encino, North Hollywood, Toluca Lake, Burbank, Tarzana, Valley Village and Woodland Hills under one fixed-price contract, with final payment only after your walkthrough. 5.0★ on Google (45 reviews) and 4.9★ on Angi (103 reviews).
Our Los Angeles Remodeling FAQ answers 75 questions, including ADU costs, state rules and timelines, with every cost figure tied to the page that owns it.
Three things: the scope you choose, the condition of the house once we open it up, and the finish level. Each is settled in writing, first in the fixed price after the free on-site visit, then in a written change order if a Los Angeles house hides something, so the number never moves without your signature; LADBS requirements are built in. Planning ranges by tier are in the ADU cost guide.
"
We had tried two other contractors who couldn't navigate the LADBS permit process for our ADU. Right Image Builders had the permit in hand within six weeks of starting design and delivered a beautiful unit on the exact date promised. It's now generating $2,800 a month in rental income. Best investment we've made in this property.
Your ADU, NextLet's Build
Let's Build
Your Second Unit
Free on-site feasibility consultation. Design-to-CO under one contract. Fixed price before construction begins.
ADU Construction · Service AreasADU Construction
ADU Construction
Across the Valley
Free EstimateLet’s Talk About
Let’s Talk About
Your Project
Tell us what you are planning and a senior member of our team will get back to you within 4 business hours with next steps. No obligation, no sales pressure.
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