★★★★★
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 Contractor · Burbank, CAADU Builder & Contractor
ADU Builder & Contractor
in Burbank, CA
Detached ADUs, garage conversions, and JADUs on Burbank lots — permitted through the City of Burbank's own Building Division and ADU ordinance, not LADBS, by one local team.
Burbank ADU cost (2026): JADU $90K–$155K; Garage Conversion $135K–$205K; Detached ADU $255K–$420K+. Garage conversion or JADU: 6–10 weeks of design and plan check, then 3–5 months of construction, about 5–8 months in all. Detached ADU: 3–5 months of design, engineering and plan check, then 6–9 months of construction, 9–14 months to the Certificate of Occupancy.
Permits: the City of Burbank Building & Safety Division, not LADBS. One fixed price after a free on-site estimate from a licensed general contractor, CSLB #1021284, based in Valley Glen about 15 minutes from Burbank.
Right Image Builders is a licensed ADU contractor building across Burbank — Magnolia Park, the Rancho equestrian district, and the Media District. We handle detached ADUs, garage conversions, and Junior ADUs, permitted through the City of Burbank's Building Division and its own ADU ordinance — Burbank does not use LADBS. Licensed & insured, CSLB #1021284, based a short drive west in Valley Glen. Free feasibility visit: (818) 210-4544.
The Right Image ApproachBurbank ADUs,
Request Free ADU Feasibility Visit
Burbank ADUs,
By Burbank's Own Rules
Building an ADU in Burbank starts with one fact most contractors miss: Burbank is its own city. Your unit is permitted through the City of Burbank's Building Division under Burbank's own ADU ordinance and fee schedule — not through the Los Angeles system, and not using LA's pre-approved Standard Plans. State ADU law still gives you the right to build; Burbank just administers it on its own terms.
In Burbank an ADU is permitted through the City of Burbank Community Development Department, Building & Safety Division, 150 N Third St, and power and water connections go through Burbank Water and Power (BWP), not LADWP; the typical site is a 1920s–40s lot in Magnolia Park with a detached garage, or an R-1-H Rancho lot with horse-keeping setbacks to respect, which is what decides between a garage conversion, a JADU and a detached unit. One contract covers design, the City of Burbank Building & Safety Division, not LADBS and construction; the project lead who does your estimate at home runs the build, and the itemized fixed-price proposal follows within 3–5 business days.
Burbank's older lots reward it. Many 1920s–40s homes have a detached garage ideal for conversion, and the flatter lots suit ground-up detached units. In the Rancho equestrian district, horsekeeping setbacks add a wrinkle we design around. Based a short drive west in Valley Glen, we'll tell you at the free feasibility visit exactly what your Burbank lot supports — before you spend on plans.
What We BuildThree Paths
Three Paths
to a Second Unit
01
Detached ADUs
A standalone backyard home up to 1,200 sq ft, designed to complement Burbank's traditional and Spanish architecture. On typical Burbank lots most detached units land in the 600–1,000 sq ft range.
02
Garage Conversions
The most cost-effective Burbank path. We convert an existing detached garage into a legal ADU — foundation and slab upgrades, framing, insulation, windows, a full kitchen and bath, and code systems, all permitted through the City of Burbank.
03
Junior ADUs (JADUs)
A JADU up to 500 sq ft carved from the existing house with an efficiency kitchen — the lowest-cost way to add a legal, rentable unit without new square footage.
04
Rancho District Site Planning
In Burbank's equestrian Rancho District, horsekeeping and its setback rules shape where an ADU can sit. We design placement around those local standards so the unit is both legal and livable on an equestrian lot.
05
Utilities & Site Work
Water, sewer, and electrical connections; addressing; grading and drainage; and the exterior work that ties the ADU into the property — the coordination that quietly makes or breaks an ADU timeline, handled in-house.
06
Design, City Permits & Build
One contract from concept to keys: a licensed architect draws the plans, a structural engineer stamps them, we file with the City of Burbank, and our own crew builds through final inspection and the Certificate of Occupancy.
Building in BurbankIts Own Ordinance,
Its Own Ordinance,
Its Own Counter
The defining fact of a Burbank ADU is jurisdiction. Burbank is an independent city, so your unit is reviewed under Burbank's own ADU ordinance and permitted at the City of Burbank Building Division — not LADBS, and not with LA's Standard Plans. State law guarantees your right to build; Burbank sets the local development standards and fees. A contractor who assumes the LA process will hit a wall at Burbank's counter.
The neighborhoods shape the work. Magnolia Park and Burbank's traditional streets have older lots with detached garages that convert cleanly. The Rancho District is Burbank's equestrian enclave, where horsekeeping setbacks affect where an ADU can go. The Media District near the studios draws professionals building rental and guest units.
Location can help too: parts of Burbank sit near Metrolink and Amtrak service around the Downtown Burbank station, which can waive added-parking for an ADU within a half-mile of transit — subject to Burbank's rules for your exact address. Based a short drive west in Valley Glen, we permit Burbank correctly the first time.
What It CostsBurbank ADU
Burbank ADU
Cost Ranges
| ADU Type | Typical Range | What's Involved |
|---|---|---|
| JADU | $90K–$155K | Up to 500 sq ft carved from the existing home with an efficiency kitchen and bath. The lowest-cost legal unit. |
| Garage Conversion | $135K–$205K | Convert an existing garage to a full legal ADU — foundation/slab upgrades, framing, kitchen, bath, and code systems. |
| Detached ADU | $255K–$420K+ | Ground-up standalone unit, typically 600–1,000 sq ft on a Burbank lot, including utilities and site work. |
ADU costs vary widely with size, finishes, site conditions, and City of Burbank fees. Ranges are for planning only; your fixed-price proposal follows the free feasibility visit.
How It WorksThree Steps.
Three Steps.
Zero Surprises.
01
Free Feasibility Visit
We visit your Burbank property, confirm what your lot allows under Burbank's ADU ordinance, check any Rancho setbacks and transit-parking rules, and recommend the right path — detached, garage conversion, or JADU.
02
Design, Plans & City Permits
We design the unit and carry the submittal and corrections through the City of Burbank's Building Division — with a fixed-price proposal set before construction.
03
Build & Deliver
One crew builds to final inspection sign-off, utilities connected and address issued. You get a rentable, legal second home — final payment only after your walkthrough approval.
Free Feasibility VisitStart Your Burbank
Start Your Burbank
ADU
Tell us about your lot and your goals and we'll get back to you within 4 business hours. We'll confirm what your property allows under Burbank's ordinance before you spend anything on plans.
Prefer to talk it through?
(818) 210-4544Request Received
Thank you — a senior member of our team will reach out within 4 business hours. For anything urgent, call (818) 210-4544.
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.
Burbank ADU FAQQuestions We
Questions We
Hear in Burbank
Most likely yes. California ADU law applies statewide, so nearly every single-family lot in Burbank can add at least one ADU plus a Junior ADU. What's specific to Burbank is the local process: the city adopts its own ADU ordinance and reviews applications through its own Building Division. In the Rancho equestrian district, horsekeeping setbacks can also affect placement. We confirm exactly what your specific Burbank lot allows at the free site visit.
Under California rules, a detached ADU can generally be built up to 1,200 sq ft, and a Junior ADU (JADU) is capped at 500 sq ft within the existing home. Burbank applies these state limits along with its own local development standards. On typical Burbank lots most detached units we build land in the 600–1,000 sq ft range. We size the ADU to your lot and goals.
We handle all of it — and no, Burbank does not use LADBS. Because Burbank is its own city, your ADU is permitted through the City of Burbank's Building Division under Burbank's own ADU ordinance and fee schedule, not through the Los Angeles system or its Standard Plans. We know Burbank's process and manage submission, corrections, and inspections for you.
Yes, and it's one of the most cost-effective paths in Burbank. Many of the city's 1920s–40s homes have a detached garage that converts well into a legal ADU — we upgrade the foundation and slab as needed, frame new walls, add insulation, windows, a full kitchen and bath, and bring electrical and plumbing to code, all permitted through the City of Burbank. A garage conversion typically costs less than a ground-up detached unit.
A garage conversion never needs replacement parking under state ADU law. A new detached unit needs no parking space when the lot is within half a mile walking distance of public transit, which covers much of Burbank near Metrolink at Burbank Downtown and Burbank Airport stations. Where a space is required, one tandem space on the existing driveway satisfies it.
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 and 6–9 months of construction, 9–14 months to the Certificate of Occupancy. Yes, you can rent it: a standard ADU can be rented long-term (30 days or more) with no owner-occupancy requirement; only a JADU requires the owner to live on the property.
Right Image Builders, a licensed general contractor (CSLB #1021284) based in Valley Glen about 15 minutes from Burbank, designs, permits and builds ADUs across Magnolia Park, the Rancho equestrian district, the Media District under one fixed-price contract: design, permits through the City of Burbank, and construction by one crew, with final payment only after your walkthrough. 5.0★ on Google (45 reviews) and 4.9★ on Angi (103 reviews).
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Ready When You AreLet's Build Your
Let's Build Your
Burbank ADU
Free feasibility visit. Fixed-price proposal. One local team from design and City of Burbank permits through to a finished, rentable unit.
(818) 210-4544Request Received
Thank you — a senior member of our team will reach out within 4 business hours. For anything urgent, call (818) 210-4544.