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Eastside / NELA ADU Builder.

We design, permit, and build accessory dwelling units across Greater Los Angeles — detached backyard ADUs, attached additions, garage conversions, and JADUs. One team, one number to call, from the first feasibility walk through the final LADBS inspection.

NELA permits are predictable as long as you're outside an HPOZ. Inside one (Highland Park, Angelino Heights, parts of Eagle Rock), the Office of Historic Resources reviews materials, windows, and street-facing changes before LADBS will issue. Hillside parcels add a separate haul-route permit and a tighter grading review.

Eastside / NELA cost band — 2026

$450 – $600 / sqft installed

Lot access, slab condition, panel upgrade, and finish level move the number most. Pre-approved plans trim 5–10%.

Eastside / NELA permit clock

8–12 weeks ministerial

Plan on 3–5 months for design + LADBS permit, then 4–6 months on-site for an 800–1,000 sqft detached ADU.

Scope — start to keys.

  • Site walk, feasibility note, and zoning / LAR1 / RD overlay check
  • Full architectural plan set, structural, MEP, Title 24 energy
  • LADBS or local-city permit submittal and back-and-forth
  • Foundation, framing, MEP rough, finishes, landscape tie-in
  • Final inspection, certificate of occupancy, and warranty

What changes about the permit here.

  1. Office of Historic Resources (OHR) review on HPOZ parcels — adds 4–8 weeks before LADBS submittal.
  2. Hillside Construction Regulation (HCR) permits required in many Silver Lake / Echo Park / Mt Washington blocks.
  3. Pre-1978 housing presumed to have lead paint; abatement budgeted before demo on any wall removal.
  4. BHO (Baseline Hillside Ordinance) caps height and grading on R1H lots.

What moves the Eastside / NELA number.

  • Hillside parcels add $40–120k in geotech, retaining, and crane access vs flat lots.
  • HPOZ design review pushes window/door budgets 20–35% higher (true-divided lite, wood sash).
  • Lead and asbestos abatement on pre-1978 homes commonly $8–25k.
  • Tight street access in Silver Lake / Echo Park drives concrete pump and small-equipment days.

In short.

How much does an ADU cost in Los Angeles in 2026?
Most detached LA ADUs land between $300K and $500K all-in. Garage conversions typically run $160K–$260K. We hand over a one-page feasibility note with a real number before any contract.
Do you handle LADBS permits?
Yes — full plan set, structural calcs, Title 24 energy compliance, and the LADBS back-and-forth so the homeowner only signs at the milestones.
Can I build an ADU in a hillside zone?
Usually yes, but Hillside Ordinance grading and access rules add design time. We've built in Silver Lake, Mt. Washington, Hollywood Hills, and the Palisades — geotech and shoring are part of the workflow.
Is my Highland Park / Angelino Heights house in an HPOZ?
Most of historic Highland Park (along Figueroa) and all of Angelino Heights are designated HPOZs. We pull the parcel against the City of LA HPOZ map during the first site walk.
Do I need a hillside permit in Silver Lake?
Many Silver Lake blocks fall inside the Hillside Construction Regulation overlay. If yours does, we add a haul-route permit and stricter truck-size limits to the schedule.

More we build in Eastside / NELA.

ADU Builder in nearby LA areas.

Got a Eastside / NELA project in mind?

Send us the address and we’ll pull Eastside / NELA zoning, setbacks, and adu builder feasibility before you spend on drawings.

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