Frequently Asked Questions
Most homeowners come to us with the same handful of questions: what does an ADU actually cost in Los Angeles, how long does permitting take, and who is going to be walking onto my property. We’ve pulled the questions we hear most often into one place. Straight answers below.
Benson ADU Builders builds accessory dwelling units (ADUs), junior ADUs (JADUs), and home additions across Los Angeles with a written price before any work starts. If your question isn’t answered here, call us at (903) 568-7222 – a live person answers, day or night.
What exactly is an ADU, and what counts as a JADU?
An ADU is a secondary dwelling unit on the same lot as a primary home – it has its own kitchen, bathroom, and sleeping area, and it’s a separate legal residence. A junior ADU is a smaller unit built within the existing footprint of the home (a converted bedroom, for example), capped at 500 square feet and allowed to share a bathroom with the main house.
There’s a third option worth knowing about: a garage conversion ADU, where we convert an existing attached garage into a full unit. Los Angeles homeowners choose this route often because the structure is already there, which typically trims both cost and permitting friction. We walk through all three on our guide to ADU Builders in Los Angeles.
What does the process look like from first call to final walkthrough?
We follow the same eight-step path on every project, and the written price gets locked in before step five:
- Free consultation and site assessment. We look at your lot, setbacks (the required distance between a structure and your property line), utility runs, and whether your zoning allows an ADU.
- Written scope and price. You get a fixed price before we order a single panel or pull a permit.
- Design and plan set. We size the unit to your goals – rental, family housing, or a workspace – and produce stamped drawings.
- Permitting. We prepare and submit plans to the appropriate Los Angeles jurisdiction and respond to reviewer comments on your behalf.
- Site prep and foundation. Grading, trenching for utilities, and pouring the slab or piers.
- Construction or panel set. For prefab builds, panels arrive pre-fabricated and get craned or set into place. For site-built, the framing goes up on site.
- Systems and finishes. Electrical, plumbing, HVAC, insulation, drywall, and interior finishes – all inspected along the way.
- Final inspection and handoff. We walk the finished unit with you, hand over documentation, and your 365-Day Done Right Promise starts on the day we hand you the keys.
Before we begin any of that, you’ll get a written scope and price. No verbal estimates that shift once materials are ordered.
Why do Benson projects sometimes move faster than a traditional site-built ADU?
Because we build with prefab panels from Abodu, Cover, Dvele, Mighty Buildings, Boxabl, Plant Prefab, and Tuff Shed, plus James Hardie cladding, projects skip the slowest part of traditional construction – framing every wall on site. Prefab panels are fabricated in a controlled facility, then set onto your foundation in days rather than weeks.
That matters in Los Angeles because it compresses the weather-dependent phase of the build. We still handle foundation, utility connections, and finishing work on site. If you want a fully site-built unit, we do that too – we just want you to see both options side by side before you commit. Schedule a free estimate and we’ll price them both.
Can my Los Angeles property even accept an ADU?
In most residential zones in Los Angeles, yes – ADU rules have loosened significantly in recent years. A standard ADU is generally allowed up to 1,200 square feet, and a JADU up to 500 square feet within the home’s existing envelope.
What actually determines feasibility is your specific lot: setbacks, lot coverage limits, hillside grading constraints, and whether your utility connections can carry the added load. Those vary block to block across Los Angeles, so we assess your property rather than giving you a general answer. During the free site visit we confirm what your lot allows before you spend money on design. The same assessment applies whether we’re building a detached ADU in the backyard or converting an attached garage.
Pricing & Estimates
How much does ADU construction cost in Los Angeles?
Most ADU projects in Los Angeles land between $150,000 and $350,000 depending on unit type, size, site conditions, and finish level. A garage conversion ADU typically runs $90,000 to $180,000 because the structure and some utilities already exist.
| Project Type | Typical Range | What Drives the Number |
|---|---|---|
| Junior ADU (JADU, interior) | $60,000 – $130,000 | Size (capped at 500 sq ft), plumbing reroutes, egress requirements |
| Garage conversion ADU | $90,000 – $180,000 | Existing slab condition, utility tie-ins, door and window replacements |
| New detached ADU (studio/1BR) | $150,000 – $250,000 | Foundation, utility trenching, size, finish level |
| New detached ADU (2BR+) | $220,000 – $350,000 | Square footage, structural complexity, site access for delivery |
| Home addition / room addition | $180,000 – $400,000+ | Scope, structural tie-in to existing home, roofing and systems |
These are ballparks. Every project is priced individually after we walk the property – and that price is written down before we start, locked, and never padded after the fact.
Call (903) 568-7222 for a free estimate on your specific property. We’ll give you a real number, not a range that turns into something else at contract time.
What’s included in your written price?
Everything in the agreed scope: design, permitting coordination, materials, labor, inspections, and finish work. What’s not included – and what would be, if your project calls for it – gets spelled out in writing too, so nothing arrives as a surprise line item.
We’ve found homeowners in Los Angeles get burned most often by “excluded items” they didn’t know about – utility upgrades, landscape restoration, or equipment rental – appearing as change orders after demolition. Our written price puts those on the table from the start. If the plan changes mid-project and you approve a change, you approve the price before we touch anything.
Service & Scheduling
Do you offer emergency ADU service?
Yes – we answer live, 24/7, including after hours and weekends. If something on a project goes sideways (a failed inspection, a utility issue, a leak), you reach a human being, not a voicemail box.
That number is (903) 568-7222. Someone picks up around the clock, every day of the year. For active projects, we keep a current status record per unit and can pull it up on the call.
How fast can you respond?
Response depends on your project’s phase. For an active build, a site visit is typically same-week, and emergency calls get answered the same day. For new inquiries, we schedule the free consultation and site assessment within days of your first call.
Once we’re on site, we send you live scheduling updates – the same way you’d track a rideshare – so you know exactly when to expect the crew.
What areas do you serve?
Benson ADU Builders serves Los Angeles and surrounding communities. Our southern California team is local, and each independently owned and operated Benson ADU Builders location sets its own service area.
We work across the LA basin and surrounding neighborhoods. If you’re not sure whether your address falls in our service area, call (903) 568-7222 and we’ll confirm on the spot – it takes about thirty seconds.
How long does an ADU project take from permit to final inspection?
A garage conversion ADU usually runs three to five months. A new detached ADU typically runs six to twelve months, with permitting often the longest single phase. Prefab construction shaves meaningful time off the build phase because panels are fabricated offsite before they’re set.
We can’t promise a permit timeline for any specific LA jurisdiction – permit offices move at their own pace, and we don’t want to give you a date that turns out to be fiction. What we can promise is that we keep your project moving and answer your questions along the way.
Licensing, Trust & Guarantees
Are you licensed and insured?
Yes – Benson ADU Builders is state-licensed and fully insured. Every project also carries a written guarantee, so your protection is documented, not verbal. Every technician who arrives on your property is background-checked and arrives in uniform – same logo, same standard, every job.
We don’t have to tell you it’s a big investment. Our job is to make sure the people walking into your backyard are exactly who they say they are, and that you can verify every one of them.
Do you guarantee your work?
Yes – the 365-Day Done Right Promise. If something we built isn’t right within a full year of completion, we come back and make it right – and if a covered repair fails? A free second visit.
That guarantee is stamped on every Benson ADU Builders project, in writing. It’s why we tell Los Angeles homeowners to ask any contractor two questions: Is your price written? Is your guarantee written? If the answer to either is no, keep calling.
What payments do you accept, and how are invoices handled?
We accept common payment methods, and every invoice is digital. You’ll receive an itemized invoice by link with before-and-after photos attached, so you can review exactly what was done and pay from your phone.
Payment scheduling gets outlined in your written project agreement – you’ll know what payments go with what milestones before you sign anything. No deposits collected against verbal promises. Ever.
What is The Relay Visibility Guarantee?
It’s our written commitment that every project starts with a written price, gets tracked live as it moves, and closes with a written guarantee. Benson ADU Builders is part of the Relay Home Co. family, which has been operating since 2006.
That guarantee covers the whole project – from the first call through the final walkthrough. When the work is done, you have documentation. If something isn’t right, you have a written recourse. It’s that simple.
Specific Services
Do you handle ADU design and permitting?
Yes – design and permitting are both handled in-house. We produce the stamped plan set, submit it to the appropriate Los Angeles jurisdiction, respond to reviewer comments, and track the permit process on your behalf.
You don’t hire a separate architect, then a separate permit expediter, then a separate builder. One team, one point of contact, one written scope. That structure is intentional: it removes the finger-pointing that happens when three contractors each blame the other for a delay or a miscommunication.
Do you handle garage conversion ADUs?
Yes – garage conversions are one of our most common projects. We convert attached and detached garages into full units with their own kitchen, bathroom, and sleeping area.
Because the structure already exists, the foundation, roof, and some framing are already in place. That usually means faster timelines and a lower cost than an equivalent ground-up build. If your garage has a slab that’s cracked or below modern code, we assess and address that during the site visit – before the written price goes out.
Do you handle new detached ADUs?
Yes – detached ADUs built in the backyard are available in both prefab and site-built construction. We price both options for you so you can compare materials, timelines, and finish levels side by side.
Detached ADUs typically make the strongest rental candidates because they have their own entrance, their own utility meters if you choose, and full separation from the main house. They also give you the most flexibility on size and layout, since the main home’s footprint doesn’t constrain the plan.
Do you handle JADUs and interior conversions?
Yes – junior ADUs and interior conversions are both in scope. A JADU is built inside the existing home, generally by converting a bedroom or an underused space into a unit that meets JADU sizing and egress rules.
An interior conversion of a different type – say, converting a utility room or a bonus space into a rentable studio – also falls under this work. Both options usually cost less than a detached build because the exterior shell is already paid for.
Do you handle home additions and room additions?
Yes – we build home additions and room additions alongside our ADU work. If you’re adding a primary suite, expanding a kitchen, or bumping out a living space, that falls under the same team, same written price, same Guarantee.
Home additions often get tangled with ADU questions. In practice, homeowners who want more space for family usually decide between adding an ADU in the yard or expanding the main house. We price both and walk you through the trade-offs – cost per square foot, rental potential, and how each affects your property. Head back to our home page if you want the full picture of what we build.
Key Takeaways
- Most Los Angeles ADU projects land between $150,000 and $350,000; garage conversions run $90,000 to $180,000 and JADUs $60,000 to $130,000.
- Every project starts with a written price – never a verbal estimate that shifts at the door.
- The 365-Day Done Right Promise covers every build for a full year, with a free second visit if a covered repair fails.
- We answer live calls 24/7 at (903) 568-7222, including after hours and weekends.
- Prefab brands Abodu, Cover, Dvele, Mighty Buildings, Boxabl, Plant Prefab, and Tuff Shed are available alongside site-built construction and James Hardie cladding.
- Design, permitting, construction, and the final walkthrough all happen under one roof.
Call Benson ADU Builders at (903) 568-7222 for a free estimate on your Los Angeles ADU, garage conversion, or home addition. We’ll give you a written price before any work starts, keep you updated with live scheduling and photo updates as it moves, and stand behind the finished unit with the 365-Day Done Right Promise. Estimates are free, and the phone gets answered around the clock.
Have a question we didn’t cover? Call Benson ADU Builders at (903) 568-7222.
Written by Troy Eastman, Owner at Benson ADU Builders, serving Los Angeles since 2006.
