Sherman Oaks ADU Contractor | Right Image Builders

The Right Image Approach

Flat Lots & Hillside
ADUs, Both Handled

Sherman Oaks is one of the more rewarding — and more demanding — places to build an ADU in the Valley. The neighborhood spans two very different site types: the flatter, straightforward lots north of Ventura Boulevard, and the larger, more valuable, more complex hillside lots to the south. Both are excellent ADU opportunities; they just require different expertise.

An ADU is a complete small home — foundation, framing, a full kitchen and bath, its own systems and address — so the permitting and site work matter as much as the build. On a hillside lot that means grading, retaining, drainage, and access all designed correctly under the city's Hillside Ordinance. On a flat lot it can mean a fast track using LADBS pre-approved Standard Plans. We do both, as one contract with one point of contact.

Based just over the hill in Valley Glen, we're close enough to be on your Sherman Oaks site regularly. Whether you're adding rental income, housing family, or building a home office in the backyard, we'll tell you at the free feasibility visit exactly what your lot supports — before you spend on design.

Request Free ADU Feasibility Visit →

Detached ADU in Sherman Oaks — Right Image Builders

Recent ADU · Sherman Oaks, CA

What We Build

Three Paths
to a Second Unit

Detached ADUs

A standalone backyard home up to 1,200 sq ft. Sherman Oaks' larger lots — especially south of Ventura — often support a full-size two-bedroom detached unit, designed to complement the main home's architecture. [VERIFY size limits.]

Garage Conversions

Convert an existing detached or attached garage into a legal ADU — foundation and slab upgrades, framing, insulation, windows, a full kitchen and bath, and code systems. The most cost-effective path on many Sherman Oaks lots.

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.

Hillside Design & Site Work

For the hillside lots south of Ventura: grading, retaining walls, drainage, and access designed and permitted under the Hillside Ordinance — the specialized site work that makes a hillside ADU possible instead of stalled.

LADBS Standard Plans

On flatter north-of-Ventura lots, we use the City of LA's pre-approved ADU Standard Plan Program where it fits to shorten plan check and reduce design cost — a faster, more predictable route to permits.

Design, Permits & Build

One contract from concept to keys: design and engineering, LADBS submittal and corrections, utilities, construction, and final inspection — a single team accountable for the whole ADU.

Building in Sherman Oaks

The Lot Decides
the Strategy

In Sherman Oaks, ADU strategy comes down to which side of Ventura Boulevard you're on. North — Chandler Estates, Sherman Village, and the flats — the lots are level and predictable, which makes a detached ADU or garage conversion straightforward and a good candidate for LADBS Standard Plans.

South of Ventura, toward Longridge Estates and the hills, the lots are larger and more valuable but governed by the City of LA Hillside Ordinance — grading limits, retaining, drainage, haul routes, and access all have to be engineered and permitted correctly. Done right, a hillside ADU is a premium asset; done without that expertise, it's a stalled project. We design and permit for the slope from day one.

Everything is City of Los Angeles and permitted through LADBS. From our Valley Glen shop just over the hill, Sherman Oaks is home turf — close enough for a project lead to stay hands-on through grading, framing, and final inspection.

What It Costs

Sherman Oaks ADU
Cost Ranges

ADU Type	Typical Range	What's Involved
JADU	$95K–$160K	Up to 500 sq ft carved from the existing home with an efficiency kitchen and bath. The lowest-cost legal unit.
Garage Conversion	$140K–$210K	Convert an existing garage to a full legal ADU — foundation/slab upgrades, framing, kitchen, bath, and code systems.
Detached ADU	$260K–$450K+	Ground-up standalone unit; hillside lots south of Ventura add grading, retaining, and access costs.

ADU costs vary widely with size, finishes, slope, and site work — hillside lots in particular. Ranges are for planning only; your fixed-price proposal follows the free feasibility visit. [VERIFY — owner to confirm current ADU cost ranges before publish.]

How It Works

Three Steps.
Zero Surprises.

Free Feasibility Visit

We visit your Sherman Oaks property, read the lot — flat or hillside — check transit-parking rules, and tell you honestly which path fits your goals, slope, and budget.

Design, Plans & Permits

We design the unit, use Standard Plans on flat lots or engineer for the Hillside Ordinance on slopes, and carry the LADBS submittal and corrections — with a fixed price set before construction.

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.

See Our Full Process →

Free Feasibility Visit

Start Your Sherman Oaks
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 — flat or hillside — before you spend anything on plans.

Prefer to talk it through?

📞 (888) 357-9992

✓

Request Received

Thank you — a senior member of our team will reach out within 4 business hours. For anything urgent, call (888) 357-9992.

Sherman Oaks ADU FAQ

Questions We
Hear in Sherman Oaks

Can I build an ADU on my lot in Sherman Oaks?+

Most likely yes. California ADU law lets nearly every single-family property in Sherman Oaks add at least one ADU plus a Junior ADU. What varies here is the lot: north of Ventura Boulevard the flatter parcels are straightforward, while south of Ventura the hillside lots are very buildable but bring grading and access considerations under the city's Hillside Ordinance. We confirm exactly what your specific lot allows at the free site visit.

How big can my ADU be in Sherman Oaks?+

Under current 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. The larger lots common in Sherman Oaks — especially south of Ventura — often have room for a full 1,000–1,200 sq ft detached unit. We size the ADU to your lot, slope, and goals. [VERIFY exact size limits with owner/current code.]

Do you handle permits, and does the Hillside Ordinance apply?+

Yes — Sherman Oaks is City of Los Angeles, so your ADU is permitted through LADBS. If your home is south of Ventura Boulevard in the hills, the Hillside Ordinance can add grading, retaining, haul-route, and access requirements to a detached ADU. We know that process and design and permit around it from the start. On flatter lots we use LADBS pre-approved Standard Plans where they fit to speed plan check.

Can I convert my Sherman Oaks garage into an ADU?+

Yes. Many Sherman Oaks homes have a detached or attached 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 on permit. A garage conversion is typically the most cost-effective path to a legal unit.

Do I need to add parking for an ADU in Sherman Oaks?+

Sometimes not. State law waives the added-parking requirement for an ADU within one-half mile of qualifying public transit. Whether your Sherman Oaks address qualifies depends on its distance to transit, which we confirm during planning. Where it doesn't apply, we design parking into the site plan so it doesn't compromise the yard. [VERIFY transit proximity per address.]

How long does an ADU take, and can I rent it out?+

ADU applications in California are reviewed ministerially, generally within about 60 days, and building a detached unit typically runs several months depending on size, finishes, and — on hillside lots — site work. Yes, you can rent it out; a Sherman Oaks ADU is a strong rental-income and multigenerational-housing asset. We give you a realistic combined permitting-and-build timeline at proposal. [VERIFY current approval timelines.]

Ready When You Are

Let's Build Your
Sherman Oaks ADU

Free feasibility visit. Fixed-price proposal. One local team from design and LADBS permits — flat lot or hillside — through to a finished, rentable unit.

📞 (888) 357-9992

✓

Request Received

Thank you — a senior member of our team will reach out within 4 business hours. For anything urgent, call (888) 357-9992.

ADU Constructionin Sherman Oaks, CA

Flat Lots & HillsideADUs, Both Handled

Three Pathsto a Second Unit

Detached ADUs

Garage Conversions

Junior ADUs (JADUs)

Hillside Design & Site Work

LADBS Standard Plans

Design, Permits & Build

The Lot Decidesthe Strategy

Sherman Oaks ADUCost Ranges

Three Steps.Zero Surprises.

Free Feasibility Visit

Design, Plans & Permits

Build & Deliver

Start Your Sherman OaksADU

Questions WeHear in Sherman Oaks

Let's Build YourSherman Oaks ADU

ADU Construction
in Sherman Oaks, CA

Flat Lots & Hillside
ADUs, Both Handled

Three Paths
to a Second Unit

The Lot Decides
the Strategy

Sherman Oaks ADU
Cost Ranges

Three Steps.
Zero Surprises.

Start Your Sherman Oaks
ADU

Questions We
Hear in Sherman Oaks

Let's Build Your
Sherman Oaks ADU