Los Angeles County

Los Angeles Building
Design

& Permit Plans

Where Vision Meets Structure

Decade-proven expertise in residential and commercial building design. Over 1,500 projects delivered across Los Angeles County — from custom homes to multi-family developments to ground-up commercial spaces.

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7+
Years in Business
1100+
Projects Completed
LA
County-Wide Service
100%
Project Completion Rate
Common Problems We Solve

Most Clients Find Us
When Something’s Wrong

In the last decade, we’ve designed and permitted over 1,500 projects across Los Angeles County. A significant number of those started with a phone call from someone whose project was stuck, failing, or rejected. These are the problems we solve every week.

Plans Rejected at Plan Check

Your plans have been through multiple rounds of corrections and the list keeps growing. We take over stalled projects, identify the real code issues, and get them approved.

Difficult Hillside & Slope Lots

Other designers said it can’t be built. We’ve gotten ADUs and homes approved on slope lots, at the toe of hillsides, and on sites most firms walk away from.

Commission & Design Review Boards

Mount Washington, historic overlays, specific plan areas — we know the procedural requirements and submission formats that get projects through discretionary review.

Unpermitted Additions & Legalization

Unpermitted work threatening a sale or refinance? We prepare as-built documentation, analyze code compliance, and navigate the legalization process.

Zoning & Code Misunderstandings

Misclassified building types, incorrect setback calculations, overlooked overlay zones — the technical mistakes that kill projects before they start.

Taking Over From Another Designer

We regularly inherit projects mid-stream. We assess what’s salvageable, fix what’s broken, and finish what someone else couldn’t.

About the Studio

Built on a Decade
of Delivering

Design 1 Studio didn’t become one of LA County’s most trusted design firms by accident. For over ten years, we’ve been the team that owners, developers, and investors call when the project has to be done right — and done completely. We don’t walk away. We don’t hand off. We see every single project through from first concept to final approval.

While other firms come and go, we’ve remained a constant in this industry because we understand something fundamental: your project is your livelihood, your investment, your future. We treat it that way. With over 1,500 residential and commercial projects behind us, we bring the kind of experience that can’t be faked or fast-tracked.

We’re not a one-person operation working out of a spare bedroom. Design 1 Studio Inc. is a fully established, incorporated design firm with the track record, the expertise, and the staying power to prove it.

“We don’t start projects. We finish them.”
Our Work

A Decade of
Delivered Projects

From modern ADUs to Spanish Revival estates, every project reflects our commitment to thoughtful design and meticulous execution.

Modern Detached ADU

Accessory Dwelling Unit

Contemporary ADU

Ground-Up Design

Mid-Century Inspired

Detached Unit

Two-Story ADU

Multi-Level Design

California Ranch ADU

Detached Accessory Dwelling Unit

Craftsman-Style ADU

Custom Design

Modern Flat-Roof ADU

Accessory Dwelling Unit

Traditional ADU

Detached New Construction

Completed ADU

Residential Design

Detached ADU

New Construction

New Construction

Permit-Ready Design

What We Do

Full-Scope Design
Services

From initial sketches to permit-ready construction documents, we handle every phase of the design process for residential and commercial projects throughout Los Angeles County.

01

Custom Home Design

Ground-up residential design for single-family homes, from modern minimalist to Mediterranean revival. Complete plans engineered for LA County permitting and construction.

02

ADU & Guest House Design

Pioneers in Accessory Dwelling Unit design since California’s landmark legislation. Garage conversions, detached units, and junior ADUs — we’ve done them all, hundreds of times over.

03

Multi-Family & Multi-Story

Duplexes, triplexes, apartment buildings, and mixed-use developments. We understand density, zoning, and how to maximize value on every square foot of your lot.

04

Commercial Tenant Improvements

Restaurants, retail, offices, and industrial spaces. We create functional commercial environments that meet code requirements and reflect your brand identity.

05

Home Remodels & Additions

Room additions, second stories, kitchen and bath redesigns, and whole-home renovations. We seamlessly blend new construction with existing structures.

06

Permit & Plan Check

We prepare complete construction document packages and navigate the plan check process with LA County, City of LA, and surrounding jurisdictions. No surprises, no delays.

ADU Specialists

LA’s Most
Experienced
ADU Design Firm

When California passed its groundbreaking ADU legislation, most firms were scrambling to figure out the rules. We were already drawing plans. Design 1 Studio was among the very first to specialize in Accessory Dwelling Units, and we’ve been at the forefront of every regulatory update since.

From 400-square-foot junior ADUs to two-story detached units, from garage conversions to new construction — we’ve designed hundreds of ADUs across virtually every city and jurisdiction in LA County. We know the setbacks, the height limits, the parking exemptions, and the utility requirements inside and out.

2017
Designing ADUs Since
I00S
ADU Projects Completed
Our Process

Start to Finish

Every project follows our proven four-phase process — a system refined over ten years and 1,500+ projects to eliminate guesswork and keep your build on track.

I
Consultation

We listen first. Free initial consultation to understand your vision, evaluate your property, and discuss feasibility, budget, and timeline.

II
Concept Design

Preliminary layouts, site plans, and design concepts developed in close collaboration with you. We refine until it’s exactly right.

III
Construction Documents

Complete, permit-ready plan sets including structural, mechanical, electrical, and plumbing coordination. Engineered and ready for submission.

IV
Permit & Beyond

We submit, we handle plan check corrections, and we support you through construction. We don’t disappear after the plans are drawn.

Our Promise

This Is Not a Side Hustle

Design 1 Studio was built to last. We’ve been here for ten years, we’ll be here for ten more, and every project we take on gets the full weight of our experience and commitment. Period.

We Finish What We Start

100% project completion rate. Every project. Every time. We don’t abandon timelines and we don’t leave clients hanging.

We Know the Code

A decade navigating LA County’s building codes, zoning laws, and permitting processes. We know what gets approved and what doesn’t.

We’re Accountable

Incorporated. Insured. Established. We put our name on everything we produce because we stand behind the quality of our work.

Where We Work

Every Corner of
LA County & Beyond

We’ve submitted plans to virtually every jurisdiction in Los Angeles County. We know the plan check process, the local code interpretations, and the specific submission requirements for each. When your city has quirks — and they all do — we’ve already navigated them.

Greater Los Angeles

City of Los Angeles, Glendale, Burbank, Eagle Rock, Highland Park, Mount Washington, Silver Lake, Los Feliz, Hollywood, West Hollywood, Culver City, Beverly Hills, Santa Monica, Inglewood, Hawthorne

South Bay & Coastal

Long Beach, Torrance, Redondo Beach, Manhattan Beach, Hermosa Beach, Carson, Lakewood, Cerritos, La Mirada, Norwalk, Downey, Whittier, Bellflower, Paramount, Compton, Gardena

Inland & East

Pomona, Upland, Rancho Cucamonga, Ontario, Diamond Bar, Walnut, Rowland Heights, Hacienda Heights, La Puente, Baldwin Park, West Puente Valley, Irwindale, Industry

Don’t see your city? Call us. If it’s in LA County — or neighboring counties — we’ve almost certainly worked there.

Get Started

Let’s Build
Something

Ready to move forward? Whether you have a fully formed vision or just the seed of an idea, we’re here to help you develop it into a reality. Your first consultation is free.

Phone
Service Area
All of Los Angeles County

Pasadena · Arcadia · Glendale · Long Beach · and 80+ more cities

Availability
Mon – Fri, 8am – 6pm

Weekends by appointment