Solid ADU
ADU Plans & Permits in Pico-Union
Your property in Pico-Union deserves a professional approach. Discuss your plans with a specialist at Solid ADU, free and with no obligation.
- Free feasibility check on your lot before you commit to anything
- Drawings, structural and Title 24 calcs by licensed architects and engineers
- We guide the LADBS process and track every plan check correction for you
No obligation · Response within 24 hours · Your details are only used to contact you.
- [YEARS] years of experience
- [PROJECTS]+ completed projects
- Response within 24 hours
- Free feasibility check
- Vetted, CSLB-licensed contractors
Do you own a home in Pico-Union and are you considering ADU plans & permits? Then you are in the right place. Solid ADU guides these projects throughout Pico-Union and also in Koreatown, West Adams and Mid-City, and matches you with a vetted licensed contractor who does the building.
Just west of downtown, Pico-Union is one of the oldest residential districts in the city, with Victorian houses, early 1900s Craftsman homes and small Spanish bungalows standing shoulder to shoulder on compact lots. Many properties here already work hard, housing extended families or multiple generations, and a garage conversion adds a legal, permitted unit without giving up the little yard space these lots have. A converted garage gives a family member or renter a private entrance and full kitchen while keeping everyone on one property, which matches how much of the neighborhood already lives. Pico-Union has its own HPOZ, a Historic Preservation Overlay Zone covering part of the district, so we verify early whether your block requires the extra design review. Proximity to downtown jobs and multiple transit lines keeps demand for housing here steady, so a permitted ADU is a durable investment. Think of Victorian houses, early 1900s Craftsman homes and small Spanish bungalows: we tailor the approach to the type of home and the condition of your lot and existing structures.
Before a single wall goes up, every ADU in Los Angeles needs an approved set of plans and a building permit from LADBS, the Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety. That means architectural drawings, structural calculations, a Title 24 energy report and a plan check review by the city. For most homeowners, this paper phase is the most confusing part of the whole project. It is also where projects stall.
There is no pressure to decide right away. We first discuss your plans free of charge, check feasibility for your lot, and then match you with a vetted licensed contractor who sends you a detailed fixed proposal. That way you know exactly where you stand before you commit to anything.
Want to know what is possible on your Pico-Union lot?
Call now or leave your phone number. We walk through your situation for free, with no obligation.
ADU Plans & Permits in Pico-Union: what is possible
Free feasibility check
We review your lot before you commit: zoning, lot size, existing structures, setbacks, utilities and access. You get a straight answer on what kind of ADU your property supports and what the path to a permit looks like.
Site measurement and as-built drawings
Your design team measures your property and existing structures and draws them up as they stand today. Accurate as-builts are the foundation of a clean plan set, especially for garage conversions where the existing structure carries the design.
ADU design and floor plan
A licensed architect designs the layout around how the unit will actually be used: rental, family member or home office. You review the floor plan and elevations and approve the design before anything goes to the city.
Permit-ready architectural drawings
The full plan set LADBS requires: site plan, floor plans, elevations, sections, construction details and code notes. Drawn to city standards so the plan checker can review it without guesswork.
Structural engineering and calculations
A licensed structural engineer calculates foundations, framing and seismic loads and produces the structural sheets and calculations LADBS requires. For garage conversions this covers new openings, infilled garage doors and any strengthening of the existing structure.
Title 24 energy calculations
Title 24 is California's building energy code. Your design team produces the required energy compliance report covering insulation, windows, heating, cooling and water heating, matched to the products the project will actually use.
LA ADU Standard Plan Program guidance
LADBS maintains a list of pre-approved ADU standard plans. Because the design itself is already reviewed, plan check focuses on site-specific items, which can save time. We advise honestly on whether a standard plan or a custom design fits your lot and goals better.
LADBS plan check submission
Your design team prepares and submits the complete application through the city's online system, including all required forms and clearances. We coordinate the package and check it for completeness, because a complete, well-organized submission is the single biggest factor in a fast review.
Plan check corrections handled
Almost every application gets a corrections list from the plan checker. Your design team responds to each comment, revises the drawings and resubmits until the set is approved. We track every round and translate the city's comments into plain English, so you always know where your application stands.
You can find the full overview on our ADU plans & permits page.
Why invest in ADU plans & permits?
Most homeowners who call us are not short on motivation. They are stuck on the process. Sound familiar?
- You do not know if your lot even qualifies for an ADU, and every website tells you something different.
- You want to convert your garage but have no idea what the city requires structurally or where to start.
- A draftsman or online plan service got you halfway, and now the application is stuck in plan check corrections nobody is answering.
- Contractors are happy to quote the construction, but nobody wants to own the drawings and the permit paperwork.
- You have heard about setbacks, height limits and parking rules and cannot tell which ones apply to your property.
- Your garage was partially converted years ago without permits, and you are worried that blocks you from doing it right now.
What happens after you reach out
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Free feasibility check
Call us or leave your number, and we respond within 24 hours. We look at your lot, your garage or backyard, and your utilities, and we talk through what you want: rental income, space for family, or a home office. You get an honest picture of what is possible before you spend anything.
- 2
Matched with the right contractor
We match you with vetted, CSLB-licensed contractors from our network whose track record fits your type of ADU, your lot and your budget. We verify licenses, insurance and past work, so you do not have to.
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Compare clear fixed proposals
You receive clear fixed proposals with the scope, schedule and price spelled out. No fine print and no surprise costs. You compare, ask us anything, and pick the contractor you feel confident with, at your own pace.
- 4
Plans and LADBS permits
Your contractor's team prepares the complete permit set: architectural plans, structural calculations and the energy compliance documents California requires. We guide you through the LADBS permit process and keep you posted on plan check and corrections. Nothing is submitted until you approve the design.
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Your contractor builds, we stay involved
Your licensed contractor builds your ADU and schedules every required city inspection along the way. We stay involved as your single point of contact, so you always know where things stand.
ADU Plans & Permits costs in Pico-Union
What ADU plans and permits cost depends heavily on the project. A garage conversion using the existing structure is a very different scope than a new two-story detached ADU on a sloped lot. That is why you will not find standard prices here: they would be wrong for your situation more often than right.
- New construction or a conversion of existing space, such as a garage
- The size of the unit and the complexity of the design
- One story or two, and whether the ADU sits above or attached to another structure
- How much structural engineering the project needs, including the condition of an existing garage
- Whether your lot is in a hillside area or another zone that requires extra reports or clearances
- Soils or geology reports, when the location of the lot requires them
- A custom design versus a pre-approved plan from the LA ADU Standard Plan Program
- The scope of the Title 24 energy report and whether solar requirements apply
Get a free feasibility check for your project
Leave your phone number and we will call you back within 24 hours.
Also serving the area around Pico-Union
We also guide ADU plans & permits projects in Koreatown, West Adams, Mid-City and the rest of Central LA.
Frequently asked questions about ADU plans & permits in Pico-Union
What happens after I leave my details?
We call you back within 24 hours to briefly go over your plans. After that, if you want, we run your free feasibility check and set up a site visit with a vetted contractor from our network.
Do you visit the property first in Pico-Union?
Yes. For most projects the licensed contractor we match you with starts with a free site visit at your property in Pico-Union. That way your lot and the existing structure are properly assessed, and the proposal you receive is realistic.
How soon can you start in Pico-Union?
That depends on your contractor's schedule, the size of your project and the LADBS plan review, which we guide you through. After your request we contact you within 24 hours and map out a realistic timeline right away.
Do you serve all of Pico-Union?
Yes, our network covers all of Pico-Union and also nearby neighborhoods such as Koreatown, West Adams and Mid-City. Not sure whether your address falls within our service area? Just call and you will know right away.
Is my request really no-obligation?
Yes. A phone consultation, a site visit and a feasibility check never commit you to anything. You decide if and when you want to move forward.
Do you also work in the area around Pico-Union?
Absolutely, including in Koreatown, West Adams and Mid-City. Take a look at our service areas page for every neighborhood we cover.
Ready for your ADU plans & permits in Pico-Union?
Call now or leave your name and phone number. We discuss your project with no obligation and you hear from us within 24 hours.
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