What You Should Know About Converting Your Garage into an ADU in Los Angeles

Got a garage? Think about the last time you used that garage. Sure, you park your car there. You probably store a few things there. But did you know that you could turn that garage into a money-making machine? Yes. That’s right. You can turn that dusty garage into an income property. How? By converting that garage into an accessory dwelling unit, or ADU. Also called granny flats and garage conversions, turning your garage into a one-bedroom apartment is a great way to make some money off your property.

How much will it cost to convert my garage into an ADU in Los Angeles?

Whether you have an attached or detached garage, you can expect to spend between $80,000 to $120,000 on your garage conversions. As with any home project, the total cost is going to be determined by many factors, such as whether or not you’ll have to tear down your existing garage, if you are planning on installing an ADU above your garage and how many ADUs you plan on building on your property.

What is included in the price for the ADU?

• Design plans: Blueprints that are necessary not only to turn in to Building and Safety for approval, but also necessary for your contractor to construct your ADU.

• Permits: The city requires permits for all construction if you are planning on adding an ADU that is up to code. Work with your contractor to pull these permits and schedule the required city inspections.

• Demolition: In some cases, it may make more sense to completely demolish your garage and rebuild your ADU using entirely new construction. This may be especially true if you have an older, detached garage.

• Plumbing: ADUs are required to have designated kitchen and bathroom areas that are separate from the main house. You will need to have plumbing added to your ADU for both of these features.

• Electrical: Your garage may have electrical running in it, but not enough to support a studio or one-bedroom apartment. Additional electrical lines will be installed throughout the ADU.

• Construction: All construction is included in the price.

There are some additional features you can add that may make your ADU a more desirable rental. Space-saving features such as Murphy beds, breakfast nooks, built in shelving and drawers, and barn doors will make your ADU more desirable to prospective renters looking for ways to maximize their living space in a small area.

Should I separate my utilities on my ADU in Los Angeles?

One thing many homeowners ponder is whether or not to separate their utilities (water and electrical) from their main home and their new ADU. While this may seem like a good idea, it is actually a very expensive prospect. Doing so will probably add $10,000 for separating the water, $15,000 to separate the electricity and $5,000 to separate the gas. Because the cost of separating utilities is so prohibitively high for most homeowners, they usually opt to just include the price of utilities in the rent that is charged. 

How many ADUs can I have on my property in Los Angeles?

Thanks to recent legislation, it has never been easier to build an ADU in Los Angeles. In fact, you can have up to two ADUs on your property. You can have one moderately-sized ADU and another Junior ADU -- an ADU that is 500 square feet. And it doesn’t cost that much more to convert your garage into two ADUs. 

How long will it take to convert my garage to an ADU in Los Angeles?

It’s going to take you about about 8 months to convert your garage into an ADU in Los Angeles. That seems like a long time, right? Probably the biggest time factor in converting your ADU is pulling permits. Due to CoVid-19, it is taking up to 3 to 4 months for the Office of Building and Safety to process permits. Once your design plans are approved, the construction process can begin. Things will move a little more quickly once that starts. One way to expedite the permit process is to work with an architect who has experience with designing ADUs. An architect with ADU experience will know exactly what the Office of Building and Safety will approve and will work with you to design plans that will include the features you want, and will pass the permitting process quickly, without having to go back and forth with the permitting office.

Other variables can cause your garage conversion to take a little more time.

• Unpermitted work: If you have an older home, it’s not unusual for it to have unpermitted work done on it over the years by previous homeowners. Also, building codes have changed over the years. If there is work done that is not up to code, it will have to be torn out and redone up to current building codes. 

• Unpermitted ADU: Before it became more easy to get approval for ADUs, it was not unusual for homeowners to install their own unpermitted ADU. This can be a headache for current homeowners. If you want to bring that ADU up to code, chances are you will have to tear out all the existing work (kitchen, bathroom, etc.) and have it all redone up to code. 

• Garage Condition: If your garage is in good condition and has the required foundation needed for construction, it’s relatively easy to convert your garage into an ADU. However, if you have an older garage, or the foundation has serious flaws, you may be looking at demolition and new construction. Any problems with the foundation will need to be addressed before building your ADU.

All told, converting your garage into an ADU in Los Angeles is a fantastic way to turn that little-used part of your property into a money-making machine. If you want to convert your garage and need help funding your project, give us a call. Our lending professionals have the experience and know-how to get you into an ADU/garage conversion today! Call Granny Flats Design at 818-532-0482.