Solid ADU
Your detached ADU in Tarzana
From first idea to final inspection: Solid ADU guides the entire detached ADU process for homeowners in Tarzana and matches you with the right licensed contractor. Free advice, clear agreements.
- Free feasibility check for your specific lot
- Matched with vetted, CSLB-licensed contractors
- Clear fixed proposals before construction starts
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 Tarzana and are you considering a detached ADU? Then you are in the right place. Solid ADU guides these projects throughout Tarzana and also in Encino, Woodland Hills and Reseda, and matches you with a vetted licensed contractor who does the building.
Tarzana grew out of the ranch that author Edgar Rice Burroughs named after his most famous character, and the neighborhood has kept a spacious, unhurried feel ever since. South of Ventura Boulevard, long driveways lead to ranch homes and estates on deep lots, while the flats to the north hold classic mid-century tract homes with two-car garages. Both ends of that spectrum work well for ADUs: the estate lots have room for a detached unit with its own yard, and the tract homes offer garages that convert cleanly into rentable studios. Homeowners here often want a unit that serves changing needs over time, a home office now, housing for family later, rental income after that, and a well-designed ADU covers all three. We start with a free feasibility check of your specific lot and follow with a detailed fixed proposal, so the decision is easy to make. Think of ranch homes and estates on deep lots, mid-century tract homes and hillside properties south of Ventura Boulevard: we tailor the approach to the type of home and the condition of your lot and existing structures.
A detached ADU (Accessory Dwelling Unit) is a stand-alone home in your backyard, fully separate from your main house. It has its own entrance, kitchen and bathroom, which makes it ideal as a long-term rental, a home for parents or adult kids, or a private office and guest house in one.
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 Tarzana lot?
Call now or leave your phone number. We walk through your situation for free, with no obligation.
Detached ADU in Tarzana: what is possible
Free feasibility check
Before you spend anything, we review your lot: zoning, setbacks, existing structures, slope, access and utility locations. You get a clear answer on what size and placement are realistic on your property.
Design and architectural plans
Together with you we shape the layout, and design professionals turn it into full construction drawings: floor plan, elevations, structural details and the energy calculations California requires. You approve the design before anything is submitted.
LADBS plan check and permits
We guide you through the LADBS permit process: your contractor's team prepares and submits the plans, responds to plan check corrections and pulls the building permit. You do not have to stand in line or decode correction letters, and you always know where the application stands.
Site preparation and grading
Your contractor clears the build area, demolishes and hauls away any old sheds or slabs, and grades the site so water drains away from the new unit. On sloped lots, retaining and drainage solutions are planned up front.
Foundation work
Most detached ADUs sit on a concrete slab foundation; some sites call for a raised foundation instead. Your contractor forms, reinforces and pours the foundation and has it inspected before the structure goes up.
Framing and structural shell
For a site-built ADU, your contractor frames the walls, roof and openings on your lot, following the engineered plans. Shear walls and hardware are installed to meet California's seismic requirements.
Prefab and modular ADU installation
Prefer a factory-built unit? Our network includes contractors who prepare the foundation and utilities, coordinate delivery and crane placement, and complete the on-site connections and finish work so the unit is approved for occupancy.
Utility connections
Your contractor trenches and connects water, sewer and electrical service from your main house or the street to the new unit. Where the existing electrical panel is too small, the upgrade is included in the plan.
Roofing, windows and exterior finish
The shell is closed in with roofing, dual-pane windows, exterior doors and your choice of siding or stucco. The exterior can match the look of your main house or give the ADU its own character.
You can find the full overview on our detached ADU page.
Why invest in a detached ADU?
Most homeowners we talk to want a backyard ADU but get stuck before the project even starts. Does any of this sound familiar?
- You are not sure whether your lot even qualifies for a detached ADU, or how big it could be.
- The permit process feels like a maze: plan check, corrections, inspections, and no idea how long each step takes.
- Contractors give you vague ballpark numbers that keep shifting, so you cannot budget with confidence.
- You would have to coordinate an architect, an engineer and multiple trades yourself, without knowing who is responsible when something goes wrong.
- Nobody can tell you up front what the utility connections will involve, or whether your electrical panel can handle a second home.
- You have heard stories of backyard projects that stalled for months halfway through construction.
What happens after you reach out
- 1
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.
- 3
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.
- 5
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.
Detached ADU costs in Tarzana
What a detached ADU costs depends heavily on your lot and your choices. A compact studio on a flat lot with utilities nearby is a very different project from a 1,200 sq ft two-bedroom on a slope that needs an electrical panel upgrade. That is why you will not find standard prices here: for your situation they would almost always be too high or too low.
- The size of the unit in square feet and the number of bedrooms and bathrooms
- Site conditions: slope, soil, access for equipment and material deliveries
- The foundation type your lot requires
- Site-built construction versus a prefab or modular unit
- The distance from the unit to water, sewer and electrical connections
- Whether your electrical panel needs an upgrade to serve a second dwelling
- The finish level of the kitchen, bathroom and flooring
- Design complexity: roof lines, ceiling heights, custom features
Get a free feasibility check for your project
Leave your phone number and we will call you back within 24 hours.
A project nearby: Van Nuys
A licensed contractor from our network completed this project in Van Nuys, in the same part of Los Angeles as Tarzana.
Want a similar result on your property?
Talk your project through with us. Free, and with no strings attached.
Also serving the area around Tarzana
We also guide detached ADU projects in Encino, Woodland Hills, Reseda and the rest of San Fernando Valley.
Frequently asked questions about detached ADU in Tarzana
Do I need to know exactly what I want?
No. You do not need to have chosen a layout, materials or finishes yet. During a free consultation we walk through the options and help you decide what fits your property and your goals.
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 Tarzana?
Yes. For most projects the licensed contractor we match you with starts with a free site visit at your property in Tarzana. That way your lot and the existing structure are properly assessed, and the proposal you receive is realistic.
How soon can you start in Tarzana?
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 Tarzana?
Yes, our network covers all of Tarzana and also nearby neighborhoods such as Encino, Woodland Hills and Reseda. 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.
Ready for your detached ADU in Tarzana?
Call now or leave your name and phone number. We discuss your project with no obligation and you hear from us within 24 hours.
Want to know more? All about detached ADU · Our service areas · Request a free quote