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Detached backyard ADU with wood siding and black-framed glass doors at dusk
Design · Permit · Build

ADUs & Additions in Encino

Detached ADUs, garage conversions and additions, from plans to move-in.

Built for Encino Homes

Encino is built for estate-scale backyards. The Amestoy Avenue and Royal Oak Road areas have some of Encino's largest lots: many along Amestoy approach or exceed half an acre, and most around Royal Oak Road exceed it. Lots like that can genuinely carry a resort program, with pool and spa, a full outdoor kitchen, shade structure and lawn, and still leave room to move.

Up in Encino Hills the brief changes completely, because the view drives the design and the slope drives the schedule.

One of the Valley's true estate markets. Large flat lots north of Ventura Boulevard around Amestoy Avenue, and hillside parcels south of the boulevard, many of half an acre or more, climbing into the Santa Monica Mountains.

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.

Permits in Encino: Private pools in the City of Los Angeles are permitted through a Combined Building-Mechanical permit, while pools serving more than two dwelling units need separate building, electrical, plumbing and mechanical permits. Using a City of Los Angeles standard plan on file with LADBS reduces plan check time.

Encino Hills properties sit in the Hillside Grading Area and need separate grading permits; many also fall in a Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone, which affects material and clearance decisions.

Permit details checked September 2026 against LADBS. Rules change, so we confirm them again for your parcel.

What We Build

  • Estate-scale zoning and circulation planning
  • Fire-zone material and clearance planning
  • 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 Encino

These local conditions change the scope, the schedule and the budget.

01

Lots in the Amestoy Avenue area north of Ventura Boulevard are large and flat, which suits resort-scale backyards with room for pool, spa, kitchen and sport court; lots around Royal Oak Road are larger still, but they sit in the Hillside Grading Area and a Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone

02

Encino Hills parcels are steep and view-oriented, so retaining and drainage lead the build

03

Deep lots frequently allow a detached ADU alongside a full backyard build without crowding the yard

Areas we serve in Encino:Encino HillsAmestoy AvenueRoyal Oak Road

Investment

What It Costs in Encino

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 Encino property

The Process

How We Work in Encino

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 Encino that submittal goes to Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety (LADBS).

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 Encino Homeowners Ask

Who issues the permits for this work in Encino?

Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety (LADBS). Private pools in the City of Los Angeles are permitted through a Combined Building-Mechanical permit, while pools serving more than two dwelling units need separate building, electrical, plumbing and mechanical permits.

Using a City of Los Angeles standard plan on file with LADBS reduces plan check time. Encino Hills properties sit in the Hillside Grading Area and need separate grading permits; many also fall in a Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone, which affects material and clearance decisions.

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 Encino different?

One of the Valley's true estate markets. Large flat lots north of Ventura Boulevard around Amestoy Avenue, and hillside parcels south of the boulevard, many of half an acre or more, climbing into the Santa Monica Mountains. One local condition that shapes the work: Lots in the Amestoy Avenue area north of Ventura Boulevard are large and flat, which suits resort-scale backyards with room for pool, spa, kitchen and sport court; lots around Royal Oak Road are larger still, but they sit in the Hillside Grading Area and a Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone.

Which parts of Encino do you work in?

All of it, including Encino Hills, Amestoy Avenue and Royal Oak Road. 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 Encino?

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.

Planning an ADU in Encino?

Sit down with your project manager and get an accurate estimate. We call you back within one business day.

Licensed, bonded & insured · CSLB license #1119054