ADU Specialists
ADU Design in
Los Angeles
Design 1 Studio has been designing Accessory Dwelling Units across Los Angeles County since 2017 — before most firms in the region had submitted their first ADU application. In that time, we’ve completed hundreds of ADU projects across virtually every city and jurisdiction in the county, from junior ADUs and garage conversions to two-story detached units and multi-ADU developments.
We didn’t become one of LA’s most experienced ADU design firms by following a template. We got here by understanding the code better than anyone else in the room — and by solving the problems that send other designers looking for easier projects.
Why ADU Projects Fail — And Why Ours Don’t
Most ADU projects that stall in plan check or get rejected don’t fail because the designer drew a bad floor plan. They fail because the designer didn’t understand how the zoning code, the building code, and the local jurisdiction’s specific requirements interact for that particular property.
Every ADU project in Los Angeles involves a layered set of regulations: California state ADU law, local zoning provisions, building code requirements, energy compliance (Title 24), and jurisdiction-specific submittal standards. A designer who only knows one or two of these layers will produce plans that look right but don’t pass review.
We know all of the layers. We’ve submitted ADU plans to LADBS, Pasadena, Glendale, Burbank, Arcadia, Monrovia, Long Beach, and dozens of other jurisdictions. We know what each building department expects in a submittal, which code provisions they enforce strictly, and where their local amendments differ from state law. This accumulated knowledge is why our ADU plans move through plan check efficiently while other firms cycle through correction after correction.
Types of ADU Projects We Design
Detached ADUs
Ground-up construction of a standalone unit on the property. 400 to 1,200 square feet depending on lot size and zoning. Full design from site planning through construction documents, including structural coordination and Title 24 compliance.
Garage Conversions
Converting an existing garage into a livable ADU. Structural analysis of the existing building, compliance with habitable space requirements, and creative solutions for maintaining or replacing required parking.
Junior ADUs
Units of 500 square feet or less created within the footprint of an existing home. Specific state law provisions make JADUs permissible where a full ADU might face constraints. We maximize livability within the size limitations.
Two-Story ADUs
Where lot conditions and zoning allow, a two-story ADU delivers significantly more livable space within the same footprint. Careful attention to height limits, setbacks, and the relationship to neighboring properties.
Multi-ADU Developments
California law allows multiple ADUs on multi-family properties, and recent legislation has expanded ADU rights on single-family lots. Requires understanding how building type classifications interact with unit count — a code nuance that can dramatically affect costs.
Plan Check Takeovers
ADU plans stuck in corrections? We take over stalled projects, diagnose the code issues, and get them approved. We’ve rescued dozens of ADU projects that other designers couldn’t get through plan check.
How We Approach ADU Design
Every ADU project starts the same way: with a thorough code analysis before any design begins.
We pull the zoning for the property, review every applicable overlay and specific plan, check state law provisions that may override local restrictions, evaluate the physical site conditions, and determine the full range of what’s buildable. Only after this analysis do we begin the design.
This code-first approach means the design we develop is realistic from day one. We don’t design something attractive and then discover during plan check that it doesn’t comply. We design within what the code actually allows, which means the plans we submit are built on solid ground.
01 Free initial consultation to evaluate feasibility, discuss goals, and review the property
02 Comprehensive zoning and code analysis before design begins
03 Preliminary design concepts developed in collaboration with the client
04 Complete construction documents — architectural plans, structural coordination, Title 24, MEP
05 Permit application submission and full plan check support through approval
06 Plan check correction responses included (up to 2 rounds at no additional cost)
What Sets Our ADU Work Apart
Experience. We’ve been designing ADUs since California’s landmark legislation passed. Not since last year. Not since a marketing consultant told us ADUs were a good niche. Since the beginning. That head start translates into hundreds of completed ADU projects and a depth of code knowledge that can’t be accelerated.
Code mastery. We don’t just know the ADU laws — we know how they interact with base zoning, building code, fire code, energy code, and local amendments. This is where most designers fall short.
Jurisdiction knowledge. We’ve submitted plans to virtually every building department in LA County. We know the local quirks, the specific submittal requirements, and the plan check expectations for each jurisdiction.
Problem-solving. We take the ADU projects that other firms pass on. The sloped lots. The irregular parcels. The properties where someone else already tried and failed.
ADU Projects Across LA County
We’ve designed and permitted ADUs in every region of Los Angeles County:
San Gabriel Valley: Pasadena, Arcadia, Monrovia, Alhambra, San Gabriel, Temple City, El Monte, Glendora, Covina, and throughout the valley.
Greater Los Angeles: City of LA (all community plan areas), Glendale, Burbank, West Hollywood, Culver City, Beverly Hills, Santa Monica.
South Bay and Coastal: Long Beach, Torrance, Redondo Beach, Manhattan Beach, Downey, Whittier, Cerritos, Lakewood.
Inland and East: Pomona, Diamond Bar, Walnut, Baldwin Park, Hacienda Heights, Altadena, and unincorporated LA County areas.
Start Your Alhambra Project
Free consultation. We’ll evaluate your property, discuss feasibility, and give you a clear picture of timeline and cost. No pressure, no obligation.