# ADU Builder & Home Additions in San Marino, CA [Browser-friendly HTML version](https://www.remodelyourvibe.com/website-guide/pages/services/adus-additions/san-marino/index) Source: https://www.remodelyourvibe.com/services/adus-additions/san-marino Last modified: 2026-09-24T00:00:00.000Z Text part: 1 of 1 [Full website text index](https://www.remodelyourvibe.com/llms-full.txt) | [Services by city](https://www.remodelyourvibe.com/llms/services-by-city-005.txt) | [Previous page](https://www.remodelyourvibe.com/llms/pages/services/adus-additions/arcadia/index.txt) | [Next page](https://www.remodelyourvibe.com/llms/pages/services/adus-additions/sierra-madre/index.txt) --- Image: Open-plan living room and kitchen with polished concrete floors 1. [Home](https://www.remodelyourvibe.com/) 1. [Services](https://www.remodelyourvibe.com/services) 1. [ADUs & Additions](https://www.remodelyourvibe.com/services/adus-additions) 1. San Marino Design · Permit · Build ### ADUs & Additions in San Marino Detached ADUs, garage conversions and additions, from plans to move-in. [Book a Consultation](https://www.remodelyourvibe.com/contact-us) [Call 818-300-2393](tel:+18183002393) #### Built for San Marino Homes Almost every visible exterior change here passes a design committee, so our drawings are built for that room from day one: massing, roof pitch, materials, and how an addition reads from the street. The payoff is lot size: large, level parcels that hold a real pool, a shaded loggia, and a detached studio without crowding. The constraints are the trees and the aging utilities underneath them. Almost everything is single-family, in R-1 districts with minimum lot sizes from 9,000 to 60,000 square feet, deep front setbacks, formal landscaping, and generous rear yards. We are a design-build team, which means the people who draw your project are the people who build it. Design, engineering, permits and construction run through one project manager and our own crews, so nothing gets lost in a handoff between a salesperson and a subcontractor. We are licensed, bonded and insured, [CSLB license #1119054](https://www.cslb.ca.gov/OnlineServices/CheckLicenseII/LicenseDetail.aspx?LicNum=1119054) . Permits in San Marino: Plan check, permits, and inspections are handled by the Building Division of the Community Development Department, and design review runs through the department's planning staff. The Design Review Committee meets twice a month and reviews all new homes, all two-story additions, certain one-story additions, and architectural changes visible from public view. The tree preservation ordinance (Municipal Code Article 23.19) requires a City tree removal permit before removing an established tree, heritage tree or oak tree on a residential lot, and violations bring fines plus a required tree restoration plan. The Raymond Fault Alquist-Priolo Earthquake Fault Zone runs through the city. State law exempts most individual one- and two-story wood-frame homes from the zone's fault-study requirement, and we confirm early whether the City asks for a geologic report on a given lot. Permit details checked September 2026 against [City of San Marino](https://sanmarinoca.gov/government/departments/community_development/building_and_safety.php) , [San Marino Municipal Code](https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/sanmarinoca/latest/sanmarino_ca/0-0-0-12258) and [State of California](https://www.hcd.ca.gov/housing-elements/docs/san_marino-5th-adopted012115.pdf) . Rules change, so we confirm them again for your parcel. What We Build - Design Review Committee submittals - Oak and established-tree permitting - Sewer lateral and electrical service upgrades - Detached ADUs, ground-up - Garage conversions to living space - Junior ADUs within the main house - Room additions and bump-outs - Second-story additions - Full kitchens and bathrooms in the ADU - Separate utility metering where required - Private entries, patios and landscaping - Plans, engineering and city submittals - Title 24 energy compliance Local Conditions #### What to Know in San Marino These local conditions change the scope, the schedule and the budget. 01 Estate parcels carry dense mature canopy (oaks, camphors, magnolias) whose root plates and drip lines dictate where a pool, spa, or cabana can physically go. 02 Original 1920s and 1930s houses often have clay sewer laterals and small electrical services that must be replaced before pool equipment, a full outdoor kitchen, or a detached unit is energized. 03 Front-yard walls, formal hedges, and a single narrow side yard mean heavy equipment usually stages from the street with protection mats and sometimes a crane. 04 Level ground and high water-table-free soils make deep pools and sunken lounges straightforward, but formal front elevations push equipment enclosures and utility runs to the rear. Areas we serve in San Marino:Lacy ParkOld MillMission DistrictHuntington Library area Investment #### What It Costs in San Marino Real Southern California price ranges, not teaser numbers. ##### Detached ADU $150,000 to $400,000+ What moves it: square footage, finish level, utility runs, and site access; garage conversions typically run well below a ground-up detached build ##### Garage conversion ADU $80,000 to $180,000 What moves it: whether the existing slab and framing meet current code, how far utilities have to run, and the finish level of the kitchen and bathroom ##### Plans, drawings and permit management $4,500 to $25,000+ What moves it: project type and size, whether structural engineering, Title 24 or a soils report is required, and how many jurisdictions or review bodies are involved Your lot, access and finishes set the price. We walk the site, then show you where every dollar goes. [Get a line-item price for your San Marino property](https://www.remodelyourvibe.com/contact-us) The Process #### How We Work in San Marino 01 ##### Feasibility We check lot size, setbacks, utilities and access to confirm what your property will actually support. 02 ##### Design & 3D Layout, elevations and finishes, modeled in 3D so you approve the unit before submittal. 03 ##### Plans & Permits We prepare the full drawing set, handle engineering and Title 24, and manage the city submittal and corrections. In San Marino that submittal goes to City of San Marino Community Development Department, Building Division. 04 ##### Foundation & Framing Site prep, foundation, framing and dry-in by our own crews. 05 ##### Systems & Finishes Electrical, plumbing, HVAC, insulation, then kitchen, bath and interior finishes. 06 ##### Final Inspection We pass final inspection, walk the unit with you and hand over the keys. Questions #### What San Marino Homeowners Ask Who issues the permits for this work in San Marino? City of San Marino Community Development Department, Building Division. Plan check, permits, and inspections are handled by the Building Division of the Community Development Department, and design review runs through the department's planning staff. The Design Review Committee meets twice a month and reviews all new homes, all two-story additions, certain one-story additions, and architectural changes visible from public view. The tree preservation ordinance (Municipal Code Article 23.19) requires a City tree removal permit before removing an established tree, heritage tree or oak tree on a residential lot, and violations bring fines plus a required tree restoration plan. The Raymond Fault Alquist-Priolo Earthquake Fault Zone runs through the city. State law exempts most individual one- and two-story wood-frame homes from the zone's fault-study requirement, and we confirm early whether the City asks for a geologic report on a given lot. We prepare the drawings, make the submittal and handle plan-check corrections ourselves, so you are not the one chasing plan check. What makes building in San Marino different? Almost everything is single-family, in R-1 districts with minimum lot sizes from 9,000 to 60,000 square feet, deep front setbacks, formal landscaping, and generous rear yards. One local condition that shapes the work: Estate parcels carry dense mature canopy (oaks, camphors, magnolias) whose root plates and drip lines dictate where a pool, spa, or cabana can physically go. Which parts of San Marino do you work in? All of it, including Lacy Park, Old Mill, Mission District and Huntington Library area. Our crews run every job out of our Cahuenga Pass base in Los Angeles, with our own people on site. What does an ADU or addition cost in San Marino? Detached ADU: generally $150,000 to $400,000+ across Southern California. What moves it is square footage, finish level, utility runs, and site access; garage conversions typically run well below a ground-up detached build. We give line-item pricing after seeing the site rather than quoting a number over the phone. How long does an ADU take start to finish? Plan a realistic year. Design and engineering typically take one to three months, city plan check and corrections add several more, and construction usually runs four to eight months depending on size and site access. Is a garage conversion cheaper than a detached ADU? Usually yes, and often substantially, because the foundation, walls and roof already exist. The trade-offs are that you lose the garage, and older slabs and framing sometimes need upgrading to meet current code. Can I rent the ADU out? California ADU law is designed to allow long-term rental, and an ADU is one of the few ways to add rentable square footage to a single-family lot. Short-term rental rules vary by city, so confirm your local ordinance before counting on that income. Do you handle the permits? Yes. Plans, engineering, Title 24 and the city submittal are all handled in-house, including responding to plan-check corrections. That is a service we sell on its own, so it is not something we hand off. #### More Services in San Marino [Pool & Spa Remodeling in San Marino](https://www.remodelyourvibe.com/services/swimming-pool-spa/san-marino) [Backyard & Outdoor Living in San Marino](https://www.remodelyourvibe.com/services/exterior-remodeling/san-marino) [Kitchen, Bath & Interior Remodeling in San Marino](https://www.remodelyourvibe.com/services/interior-remodeling/san-marino) [Plans, Permits & Design in San Marino](https://www.remodelyourvibe.com/services/plans-permits/san-marino) [Everything we build in San Marino](https://www.remodelyourvibe.com/service-areas/san-marino) #### ADUs & Additions Nearby [ADUs & Additions in Pasadena](https://www.remodelyourvibe.com/services/adus-additions/pasadena) [ADUs & Additions in South Pasadena](https://www.remodelyourvibe.com/services/adus-additions/south-pasadena) [ADUs & Additions in Arcadia](https://www.remodelyourvibe.com/services/adus-additions/arcadia) [ADUs & Additions in Altadena](https://www.remodelyourvibe.com/services/adus-additions/altadena) [ADUs & Additions in San Gabriel](https://www.remodelyourvibe.com/services/adus-additions/san-gabriel) [ADUs & Additions in Alhambra](https://www.remodelyourvibe.com/services/adus-additions/alhambra) Planning Guides #### Before You Build in San Marino Costs, materials and process notes from our own projects. [ADU Cost Breakdown by Size in Los Angeles A detached ADU in Los Angeles runs $150,000 to $400,000-plus. Here is the real cost broken down by unit size, with the soft costs, utility work and finish decisions that move the number. Read guide](https://www.remodelyourvibe.com/articles/adu-cost-breakdown-by-size-los-angeles) [Garage Conversion to ADU: The Step-by-Step Build A garage conversion runs $80,000 to $180,000 in Southern California. Here is the real sequence, from slab testing and plan check to the raised floor, the mini-split and final sign-off. Read guide](https://www.remodelyourvibe.com/articles/garage-conversion-adu-step-by-step) [ADU Rental Income Math in the San Fernando Valley A one-bedroom ADU in the San Fernando Valley rents for roughly $2,100 to $2,900 a month. Here is the honest arithmetic on payback, carrying costs and what the unit adds to the property. Read guide](https://www.remodelyourvibe.com/articles/adu-rental-income-san-fernando-valley) [Second Story Addition vs Building Out: Which Costs Less Building out runs $350 to $500 per square foot. Going up runs $450 to $700. Here is when the cheaper option is actually the wrong one, and what drives each number. Read guide](https://www.remodelyourvibe.com/articles/second-story-addition-vs-building-out) #### Planning an ADU in San Marino? Sit down with your project manager and get an accurate estimate. We call you back within one business day. [Book a Consultation](https://www.remodelyourvibe.com/contact-us) [818-300-2393](tel:+18183002393) Licensed, bonded & insured · [CSLB license #1119054](https://www.cslb.ca.gov/OnlineServices/CheckLicenseII/LicenseDetail.aspx?LicNum=1119054) --- End of text part 1 of 1. This page is complete.