WOW Construction Group — Los AngelesConstructionGroup

ADU in Los Angeles

Need More Room? Add Some WOW.

Backyard ADUs, junior units and attached builds — we turn wasted space into your favorite space.

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ADUs & Backyard Homes in Los Angeles by WOW Construction Group
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Your options

Your ADU Options

Explore the ADU guides — cost factors, timelines and what the permits involve.

Which ADU Fits Your Lot?

Detached ADU

A brand-new little home in the backyard. Kitchen, bath, its own front door and its own address.

Read the detached ADU guide

Attached ADU

Bolted onto the main house — cheaper utilities, faster build, same WOW.

Read the attached ADU guide

Junior ADU

Under 500 sq ft, fastest path through LA planning. Perfect starter income.

Read the Junior ADU guide

Garage Conversion ADU

The shell is already standing. Cheapest legal unit you can build in Los Angeles.

Explore garage conversions

Two-Story ADU

Small footprint, full 1,200 sq ft. For lots where the yard is precious. A second story isn't automatically an ADU — a separate unit needs its own review, and feasibility depends on the existing structure, foundation and local requirements.

Explore home additions

Prefab-Assist ADU

Site work, foundation, crane day and utility hookups for factory-built units.

Try the cost calculator

What’s included

  • Garage conversion
  • ADU construction
  • Junior ADU (JADU)
  • Detached ADU
No call, no sales pitch

What Will Your ADU Cost?

Pick your type, size and finish level and see a real Los Angeles range in seconds. No email gate — the estimate is right there. Your exact number still comes from a site visit.

01 — Type of build

Two-story units add a staircase, shear walls and heavier engineering — real money beyond the square footage alone.

02 — Square footage

500 sq ft400–1200 sq ft

03 — Bedrooms

Bathrooms

04 — Finish level

Your estimate

$230K – $280K

Build range for a 500 sq ft new detached adu at mid-range finish, excluding architectural and engineering plans and city permit fees.

Architectural & engineering plans — not included in the estimate above
$6,500 – $15,000
City permit fees — not included in the estimate above
Varies by city

Architectural and engineering plans are not included in project prices or cost estimates. ADU plans typically cost $6,500–$15,000 and are quoted separately according to each project's size, specifications, requirements and difficulty.

City permit fees are not included in project prices or cost estimates. They are separate costs based on what the city charges for your project. WOW processes all permits for every project so clients don't have to worry, and we provide the city fee receipts for their control.

Est. monthly payment
~$2,225/mo
Typical LA rent
~$2,550/mo

Payment assumes a 20-year loan around 8.5% APR on the build midpoint, excluding architectural and engineering plans and permit fees. Rent is a neighborhood average, not a guarantee — some LA pockets run well above it, some below.

Get My Exact Number See Financing Options

Ranges come from recent Los Angeles builds. Slab condition, sewer distance and panel capacity are the three things that move the number — we check all three on the free site visit.

Our promise

What We Lock In Before Day One

A real number before design money

Use the calculator, then we confirm it on site. You get a line-item budget after the 3D design — not a per-square-foot guess that doubles at framing.

Permitted, legal, rentable

Every unit we build is a permitted ADU with its own final inspection and certificate. No 'unwarranted bonus room' that torpedoes your appraisal or your insurance.

Utilities planned on day one

Sewer capacity, panel size, gas line, water meter. We check all four before design, because that's where surprise money hides.

The payback math, in writing

Estimated build cost, financing payment and realistic neighborhood rent side by side. If it doesn't pencil for your lot, we'll say so.

Lot to keys

How The Build Actually Goes

Six stages, no mystery. We map the timeline to your project and your city's permit requirements before work begins.

  1. Stage 01

    Free On-Site Consultation

    We walk the yard, check setbacks, sewer and panel, and tell you what your lot will legally hold.

  2. Stage 02

    3D Design + Fixed Quote

    You see your ADU sitting in your actual backyard, with a real number attached, before you commit.

  3. Stage 03

    Feasibility & Architectural Set

    Site plan, floor plans, elevations, Title 24 and structural — the full permit package.

  4. Stage 04

    Permits & Plan Check

    Submittal, corrections, utility clearances and school fees. We stand in the line; you get updates.

  5. Stage 05

    Build

    Foundation, framing, MEP rough, inspections, insulation, drywall, finishes. Typically 4–7 months on site.

  6. Stage 06

    Final Inspection & Keys

    Sign-off, address assignment, warranty package, and — if you want it — help getting it listed and rented.

The work, up close

Real Work, Real LA Homes

Not stock art. Actual projects our crews have delivered across Los Angeles.

Detached backyard ADU with private entry and patio, North Hollywood. — ADUs & Backyard Homes by WOW Construction Group in Los Angeles
Detached backyard ADU with private entry and patio, North Hollywood.
Studio ADU interior — full kitchen, 10-ft ceilings, Highland Park. — ADUs & Backyard Homes by WOW Construction Group in Los Angeles
Studio ADU interior — full kitchen, 10-ft ceilings, Highland Park.
Attached ADU sharing a wall with the main house, Mar Vista. — ADUs & Backyard Homes by WOW Construction Group in Los Angeles
Attached ADU sharing a wall with the main house, Mar Vista.
Junior ADU under 500 sq ft — fastest path through planning, Eagle Rock. — ADUs & Backyard Homes by WOW Construction Group in Los Angeles
Junior ADU under 500 sq ft — fastest path through planning, Eagle Rock.
Two-story ADU on a tight lot, Woodland Hills. — ADUs & Backyard Homes by WOW Construction Group in Los Angeles
Two-story ADU on a tight lot, Woodland Hills.
Detached ADU with matching stucco and roofline, Culver City. — ADUs & Backyard Homes by WOW Construction Group in Los Angeles
Detached ADU with matching stucco and roofline, Culver City.
Above-garage ADU with exterior stair, Atwater Village. — ADUs & Backyard Homes by WOW Construction Group in Los Angeles
Above-garage ADU with exterior stair, Atwater Village.
Backyard ADU at dusk — its own address, its own front door, Pasadena. — ADUs & Backyard Homes by WOW Construction Group in Los Angeles
Backyard ADU at dusk — its own address, its own front door, Pasadena.
Modern ADU kitchen with full-size appliances, Los Feliz. — ADUs & Backyard Homes by WOW Construction Group in Los Angeles
Modern ADU kitchen with full-size appliances, Los Feliz.
Murphy-bed studio ADU — one room that works three ways, Silver Lake. — ADUs & Backyard Homes by WOW Construction Group in Los Angeles
Murphy-bed studio ADU — one room that works three ways, Silver Lake.
ADU bathroom — compact spa details, full permits. — ADUs & Backyard Homes by WOW Construction Group in Los Angeles
ADU bathroom — compact spa details, full permits.
3D rendering of the ADU in the client's real backyard, approved before permits. — ADUs & Backyard Homes by WOW Construction Group in Los Angeles
3D rendering of the ADU in the client's real backyard, approved before permits.
Why bother

What You Get Out Of It

  • Rental income that pays your mortgage down
  • Room for family without moving out of LA
  • A work-from-home studio that isn't your couch
  • Property value that makes appraisers blink
  • Built and permitted as a legal, rentable unit — never a gray-area conversion
  • Separate utility metering available so the tenant pays their own power
We wanted our mom close but not in the guest room. WOW showed us the ADU standing in our own backyard in 3D before we spent real money, told us up front the panel had to go to 200 amps, and then hit the number. She's been in it a year. When she travels, we rent it and it covers the loan payment. That's the WOW.
Marcus & Elena D., Van Nuys
Ballpark budgets

What It Usually Runs

Real ranges from recent LA jobs so you know where you stand before we ever walk the property. Your exact number comes from a site visit.

City permit fees are not included in project prices or cost estimates. They are separate costs based on what the city charges for your project. WOW processes all permits for every project so clients don't have to worry, and we provide the city fee receipts for their control.

Architectural and engineering plans are not included in project prices or cost estimates. ADU plans typically cost $6,500–$15,000 and are quoted separately according to each project's size, specifications, requirements and difficulty.

Junior ADU / Garage Conversion

$110K–$190K

380–500 sq ft using an existing structure. Slab raised, walls insulated, egress and plumbing added. Fastest path to a legal rentable unit. Larger conversions and higher-end finishes are quoted per project.

Detached 1-Bedroom ADU

$230K–$390K

600–800 sq ft built new from the footing up. Full kitchen, full bath, laundry, mini-split, private entry and patio.

Detached 2-Bed / Two-Story

$390K–$600K+

900–1,200 sq ft, or two stories on a tight lot. Adds a staircase, shear walls and heavier structural engineering — and the highest rent per lot.

FAQ

Questions People Actually Ask

Design and permits run 3–5 months, build is 4–7 months. Call it 8–12 months start to keys. Garage conversions land at the short end of that.

Garage conversions typically run $110K–$190K for a 380–500 sq ft conversion of the existing structure — larger conversions or higher-end finishes are quoted per project. Detached one-bedrooms run $230K–$390K, and larger or two-story units $390K–$600K+. Use the calculator above for a range tuned to your size and finish level — then we confirm it with a site visit.

In most LA cases, no. State ADU law waives replacement parking for units within a half mile of transit and for garage conversions. We confirm your specific address on day one.

Yes. Permitted ADUs can be rented long-term throughout the city of Los Angeles. Short-term rental rules are stricter and vary — we'll tell you what applies at your address.

Often, yes. A one-bedroom ADU in most LA neighborhoods rents for roughly $2,000–$3,200 a month, which in many cases covers or exceeds the loan payment on the build. We'll run your specific numbers side by side rather than promise a headline.

State law guarantees at least 800 sq ft, and LA generally allows up to 1,200 sq ft for a detached unit, subject to lot coverage and setbacks. Detached units need 4 ft side and rear setbacks; converted structures usually need none.

Yes, but only on the new value added — your existing Prop 13 base stays put. The county reassesses the ADU portion only, which is typically a small fraction of your total bill relative to the rent it generates.

Not required for most attached or converted units, but it's often worth it so your tenant pays their own power. We'll price both options and check whether your existing panel needs an upgrade either way.

These are the two most common surprise costs. We check both before design — a 100-amp panel usually needs upgrading to 200 amps, and older 4-inch laterals sometimes need a new tie-in.

Usually yes, with more engineering. Caissons or a stepped foundation, slope-band height limits, and fire access requirements all come into play. We've done plenty of them in the Hollywood Hills and Highland Park.

Architectural and engineering plans and city permit fees are not included in the project price or cost estimator. ADU plans typically cost $6,500–$15,000 and are quoted separately according to the project's size, specifications, requirements and difficulty. Permit fees depend on what the city charges. WOW processes all permits and provides the city fee receipts for your control.

Yes — HELOC, cash-out refi, renovation loan or our own financing with soft-pull pre-qualification that doesn't affect your credit score. See the financing page for monthly payment estimates.

A garage conversion reuses an existing garage, a Junior ADU (JADU) is created within an eligible home, and a Detached ADU is a separate building. We review your existing structures, lot and local rules to identify which ADU construction approach fits your property.
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Recent Projects

Studio ADU Interior

Highland Park · 2025

Junior ADU

Eagle Rock · 2025

Two-Story Poolside ADU

Woodland Hills · 2025

Prefab-Assist ADU

Sun Valley · 2025

Backyard ADU & Patio

Pasadena · 2025

Flat-Roof Backyard ADU

Los Feliz · 2025

Read our guide: Garage Conversion vs. Detached ADU: Which Is Right for Your LA Home?Read our guide: How Much Does an ADU Cost in Los Angeles? (2026 Price Ranges)Read our guide: How Long Do Permits and Design Take in Los Angeles?
Where we do this

ADUs & Backyard Homes across Los Angeles County

ADUs & Backyard Homes in 1920s Spanish bungalows, mid-century post-and-beams and Westside contemporaries — three very different sets of walls, three very different game plans.

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