Attached ADU in Los Angeles
A Los Angeles homeowner wanted rental income, so we are adding a two-bedroom, one-bathroom attached ADU to the back of their single-story stucco house. The unit is between 500 and 750 square feet, built on a new foundation and tied into the rear of the house. In October 2026 it is in its final stages; this page follows it from demolition to the finished kitchen.
Project at a glance
| Location | Los Angeles, CA |
| Status | Final stages, October 2026 |
| Project type | Attached ADU, new construction at the rear of the house |
| Size | Between 500 and 750 sq ft |
| Layout | 2 bedrooms, 1 bathroom |
| Use | Rental |
| Scope | Demolition at the rear of the house, new footings and foundation, raised wood floor with under-floor drain lines, wall and roof framing, sheathing, new electrical service panel, roof, new windows, paper and lath with stucco base and finish coats, drywall and paint, vinyl plank flooring, full kitchen, full bathroom |
Foundation and floor
The back of the house was opened up first. Then the footings were dug along the new footprint, wood forms and rebar went in, and the perimeter foundation was poured. A raised wood floor was framed on top of it, with the new drain lines run underneath before the subfloor went down.
Framing and the connection to the house
The new walls were framed and tied into the back of the existing house, followed by the roof framing and the exterior sheathing. A new electrical service panel was installed on the house. The roof was installed and permitted under a C-39 Roofing license, by a roofing contractor scheduled and supervised by us.
Weatherproofing and stucco
Before stucco, the walls were wrapped in weather-resistant paper and covered with wire lath. The stucco went on in base coats and a final colored finish coat, and new windows were set into the new walls.
Inside the unit
Inside, the plumbing and electrical rough-in came first, then drywall, paint and vinyl plank flooring. The bathroom has a large tiled shower with a recessed niche and a linear drain, a double vanity and a freestanding clawfoot tub. The kitchen has white shaker cabinets, marble-look countertops and an island with three pendant lights, and a wall-mounted mini-split handles heating and cooling.
Before, during and after
Videos from the job site
Short clips filmed on site, in build order, from demolition to the new bathroom. They play without sound.
Questions we get asked about attached ADUs
What is an attached ADU?
An accessory dwelling unit that shares at least one wall with the main house. It is a complete home of its own, with its own kitchen, bathroom and sleeping space, built on the same lot as the house.
Can I rent out an attached ADU in Los Angeles?
Yes. ADUs can be rented long term, and California law no longer requires the owner to live on the property for a standard ADU. Short-term rentals under 30 days are regulated separately, and the City of Los Angeles Home-Sharing Ordinance generally does not allow them in ADUs, so plan on a conventional lease.
How big can an attached ADU be?
It depends on your lot and the size of your house. State law sets a floor no city can go below: 850 square feet, or 1,000 square feet with more than one bedroom. Attached units also have a limit tied to the size of the existing house. Our ADU rules calculator shows what your city has to allow on your lot.
How long does an attached ADU take?
Six months to a year is the honest range for a permitted ADU in our service area, from the first site walk to final inspection. Design and engineering usually take 4 to 8 weeks and plan check 1 to 3 months before construction starts.
Do I need a new electrical panel?
Often. Most ADUs are fed from the main house’s electrical panel, which is why a 200-amp upgrade is so common, and this project got a new service panel. Whether yours needs one depends on a load calculation for the house and the new unit.
More on ADU construction, ADU rules by city, the garage-to-ADU conversion we finished in Los Angeles and our Los Angeles service area page.
Thinking about a similar project?
Thinking about adding an ADU? We handle the design, the permit and the build under one contract. Green Design and Build is a licensed residential general contractor (CSLB #1110975) based in Van Nuys. We reply within one business day.