ADU · JADU · Garage conversion · LA & OC
A second home
on the lotyou already own.
An ADU is a complete small building: foundation, framing, roof, supply lines, drains, electrical, insulation, drywall, kitchen, bath and finishes. It is the most multi-trade job a homeowner will ever commission, which is exactly what a general building contractor is licensed for.
What an ADU actually is
Not a remodel.
A whole building.
People price an ADU like a big bedroom addition and then discover it needs everything a house needs. Here is the real trade list, so the number stops being a surprise.
What people expect
Four walls and a bathroom.
- Framing and roof
- Windows and doors
- Drywall and paint
- Flooring and fixtures
- Foundation or slab work
- Supply lines and drain routing to the main
- Sub-panel and full electrical
- Insulation, Title 24 and inspections
- Kitchen, appliances and utility hook-ups
The bottom five are where the budget lives.
Any quote that skips them is not a quote for an ADU.
Lim Construction Services
Everything a house needs.
- Framing and roof
- Windows and doors
- Drywall and paint
- Flooring and fixtures
- Foundation or slab work
- Supply lines and drain routing to the main
- Sub-panel and full electrical
- Insulation, Title 24 and inspections
- Kitchen, appliances and utility hook-ups
One contractor for all of it.
Including the part where the city has to sign off.
How an ADU runs
Lot, plans,
build, sign-off
ADU work is roughly half construction and half paperwork. Both halves are ours.
Lot and feasibility
What your lot allows, where utilities run, what setbacks apply, and whether a conversion or a new build is the better answer for your property.
Plans and permit
Drawings, Title 24, and submission to the city. This stage sets your real timeline far more than the building does, and it is the one people underestimate.
Build
Foundation, framing, roof, systems, insulation, drywall, finishes. Same crew through all of it, so nobody is waiting on anyone.
Inspections and final
Rough and final inspections, utility sign-off, punch list closed. You get a finished unit and a clean file.
What it costs
What an ADU
actually costs
ADU pricing varies more than any other job we do, because a garage conversion and a detached new build are genuinely different projects that share a name.
[[His real range, split by
garage conversion vs
detached new build.]]
- Conversion or new buildConverting an existing garage reuses a slab and often walls. A detached unit starts from dirt.
- Utility distanceHow far the new unit sits from the main supply, sewer and panel drives a real share of the cost.
- CityEvery jurisdiction runs its own ADU process. Some are fast, some are not, and that shows up in your carrying time.
- Kitchen and bath specA JADU with a compact kitchen and a full ADU with a standard one are different budgets.
- Site accessIf a truck cannot reach the back of the lot, material moves by hand. That is days.
Backed for five years
If our workmanship fails,
we come back and fix it.
Five years of workmanship warranty on the work and on the finish that closes it. Same company, same phone number, same crew. Terms are written into your contract before you sign anything, so the promise is a document rather than a sales line.
CSLB #1079728 · Class B, General Building · Active through 08/31/2027
$25,000 contractor bond, Atlantic Specialty · $2,000,000 general liability, State Farm
Recent work
Jobs, not a photo dump
Scope, city and timeline on every one. A wall of unlabelled photos tells a homeowner nothing.
[[City]][[X]] daysADU / conversion
[[What failed]]
[[Two sentences: what failed, what we did, what the owner got back.]]
[[City]][[X]] daysADU / conversion
[[What failed]]
[[Two sentences: what failed, what we did, what the owner got back.]]
[[City]][[X]] daysADU / conversion
[[What failed]]
[[Two sentences: what failed, what we did, what the owner got back.]]
Questions we actually get
Before you call anyone
Does my lot qualify for an ADU?
California law has opened this up considerably, but the answer still depends on your specific lot: setbacks, existing coverage, utility locations and your city’s own rules. The feasibility walk answers it properly, and it is the right first step before you spend anything on plans.
What is the difference between an ADU and a JADU?
A JADU is smaller, created within the existing footprint of the house, and has lighter requirements — but it comes with its own limits. Which one suits you depends on what you want the unit to do: rent it, house family, or add resale value.
Can I convert my garage instead of building new?
Often yes, and it is usually the cheaper path because you are reusing a slab and walls. The catch is that garages were not built to house standards, so insulation, ceiling height, drainage and egress all have to be brought up. That is where conversion budgets surprise people.
How long does the whole thing take?
The build is predictable. The permit is not, and it varies by city. We will give you an honest read on your specific jurisdiction at the feasibility walk rather than quoting an average that means nothing for your address.
Are you licensed and bonded?
Yes. CSLB license #1079728, Class B, General Building Contractor, active through August 2027. We carry a $25 through Atlantic Specialty and $2 through State Farm. Verify the licence yourself at cslb.ca.gov before you let anyone into your house — we would rather you did.
What deposit do you take?
California caps a residential down payment at $1,000 or 10% of the contract price, whichever is less. Payment after that follows a written progress schedule tied to completed stages, so you always know what you are paying for. If any contractor asks for a large payment up front, that is your signal to walk.
Free estimate
Tell us about
your lot
The more you tell us, the more useful the first call is. If water is moving right now, don’t type — call.
Call (714) 888-5443