ADU Contractor · Tarzana, CA
Large-lot detached ADUs, garage conversions, and JADUs on Tarzana lots — flat and hillside — with LADBS permits, Standard Plans, and the Hillside Ordinance handled by one local team.
Right Image Builders is a licensed ADU contractor building across Tarzana — from the big level lots on the north flats and the Vanalden area to the hillside lots in the Tarzana hills south of Ventura. We handle detached ADUs, garage conversions, and Junior ADUs, through LADBS permits, Standard Plans, and Hillside Ordinance requirements to final inspection. Licensed & insured, CSLB #1021284, based in Valley Glen a straight drive east. Free feasibility visit: (888) 357-9992.
The Right Image Approach
Few Valley neighborhoods are as ADU-friendly as Tarzana, and the reason is the land. The flats north of Ventura Boulevard sit on big, level lots — exactly the kind of parcel where a full-size detached ADU up to 1,200 sq ft is genuinely feasible, with room left over for the yard. It's a different starting point from the tight lots elsewhere in the Valley.
South of Ventura, the streets climb into the Tarzana hills. Those lots are larger and more valuable, and they make excellent ADU sites too — but they're governed by the City of LA Hillside Ordinance, which brings grading, retaining, drainage, and access into the design. Both sides of the boulevard are strong ADU opportunities; they just call for 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. We manage all of it as one contract with one point of contact: design and engineering, LADBS submittal, the pre-approved Standard Plan path where it fits, utility connections, and construction.
Based in Valley Glen, a straight drive east, we'll tell you at the free feasibility visit exactly what your Tarzana lot supports — a full detached unit on the flats, a hillside build to the south, or a cost-effective garage conversion — before you spend a dollar on plans.
Recent ADU · Tarzana, CA
What We Build
A standalone backyard home up to 1,200 sq ft. Tarzana's big level lots on the flats north of Ventura make a full-size two-bedroom detached unit very feasible, and hillside lots to the south support them too with the right engineering — designed to complement the main home. [VERIFY size limits.]
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 Tarzana lots, often with room to spare for a detached unit too.
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.
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 Tarzana hillside ADU possible instead of stalled.
On the 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.
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 Tarzana
In Tarzana, ADU strategy comes down to which side of Ventura Boulevard you're on. North — the flats and the Vanalden area — the lots are big and level, which makes a full-size detached ADU very feasible and a strong candidate for LADBS Standard Plans. There's genuine room here for a comfortable 1,000–1,200 sq ft unit without crowding the yard.
South of Ventura, in the Tarzana hills, the lots are larger, more valuable, and have an upscale, semi-rural feel — but they're 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, a straight drive east on the Valley floor, we stay hands-on through grading, framing, and final inspection — whether your Tarzana lot is on the flats or up in the hills.
What It Costs
| 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; big flat lots support a full 1,000–1,200 sq ft build, while hillside lots south of Ventura add grading, retaining, and access. |
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
We visit your Tarzana property, read the lot — big flat parcel or hillside — check transit-parking rules, and tell you honestly which path fits your goals, slope, and budget.
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.
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 Visit
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) 357-9992Tarzana ADU FAQ
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Ready When You Are
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