ADUs & Additions in Calabasas
Detached ADUs, garage conversions, room additions and second storeys, designed, permitted and built. Designed, permitted and built by our own crews.
ADUs & Additions built for Calabasas properties
Calabasas has two approval processes running at once, and underestimating the second is the most common way a project slips. The city handles permits, but inside communities like The Oaks the HOA architectural review is a real gate with its own standards and its own calendar. We start that conversation early. Protected oaks add a third constraint that quietly dictates where equipment can go.
Estate lots inside guard-gated communities where design review standards are high and the finish level expected is correspondingly high.
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 and insured, LIC #1119054.
Permits in Calabasas: Calabasas permits through its own Building & Safety division and enforces an oak tree protection ordinance. Much of the city is in a Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone, and most gated communities add an HOA architectural review that runs in parallel with the city process.
What We Build
- HOA architectural review packages
- Protected-oak-aware excavation planning
- Detached ADUs, ground-up
- Garage conversions to living space
- Junior ADUs within the main house
- Room additions and bump-outs
- Second-storey 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 building in Calabasas actually involves
Every city in Southern California builds differently. These are the things that change the scope, the schedule or the budget on Calabasas projects.
HOA architectural approval in communities like The Oaks is a real, separate gate that should be started early
Protected oaks constrain excavation footprints and equipment routing
Hillside parcels need engineered retaining and slope drainage
Fire-zone rules shape material selection and defensible-space planting
Investment
What this costs in Calabasas
Real Southern California ranges, not a teaser number. Every project is priced line by line after we have seen the site.
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
How We Build
Your Calabasas project, step by step
Feasibility
We check lot size, setbacks, utilities and access to confirm what your property will actually support.
Design & 3D
Layout, elevations and finishes, modelled in 3D so you approve the unit before submittal.
Plans & Permits
We prepare the full drawing set, handle engineering and Title 24, and manage the city submittal and corrections. In Calabasas that submittal goes to City of Calabasas Community Development Department, Building & Safety.
Foundation & Framing
Site prep, foundation, framing and dry-in by our own crews.
Systems & Finishes
Electrical, plumbing, HVAC, insulation, then kitchen, bath and interior finishes.
Final Inspection
We pass final inspection, walk the unit with you and hand over the keys.
Calabasas Questions
Common questions from Calabasas homeowners
Who issues the permits for this work in Calabasas?
City of Calabasas Community Development Department, Building & Safety. Calabasas permits through its own Building & Safety division and enforces an oak tree protection ordinance. Much of the city is in a Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone, and most gated communities add an HOA architectural review that runs in parallel with the city process. We prepare the drawings, make the submittal and handle plan-check corrections ourselves, so you are not the one chasing the city.
What makes building in Calabasas different?
Estate lots inside guard-gated communities where design review standards are high and the finish level expected is correspondingly high. In practice that means hOA architectural approval in communities like The Oaks is a real, separate gate that should be started early.
Which parts of Calabasas do you work in?
All of it, including The Oaks, Hidden Hills border, Calabasas Park, Mountain View Estates. We are based in Los Angeles at Cahuenga Pass, so Calabasas is a short run for our crews rather than a job we service from out of the area.
What does adus & additions cost in Calabasas?
Detached ADU in this market generally runs $150,000 to $400,000+. 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 Calabasas
Calabasas Guides
Planning guides for Calabasas homeowners
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Sit down with your project manager, go through the details, and get an accurate estimate for your property.
Licensed & Insured · LIC #1119054