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Los Angeles design-build · CSLB #1105249

Detached ADUs and garage conversions in Los Angeles. DesignedPermittedConstructed Under one contract.

Your vision stays yours. We make it buildable, coordinated, and code-safe.

Most LA ADU projects do not stall on the design. They stall in the gap They stall in the handoff — between architect, plan check, engineering, and the field.mdash; between LADBS plan check, utility hookups, Title 24, and the trades.

We close that gap.

Apply for Project Review See how we work
  • CSLB #1105249 · Licensed, bonded, insured
  • BBB A+ accredited
  • 100+ LA permits cleared across LADBS + 10 independent depts
  • Design + permit + build under one contract

This page is for you if

  • Your ADU scope is $200K+ — detached ADU, garage conversion, attached ADU, or JADU.
  • Your property is in LA County or Ventura County and you own a single-family home.
  • You want one team handling design, LADBS permits, and the 15+ trades.
  • You’re prepared for a realistic 10–16-month timeline (4–6 weeks design + 8–16 weeks plan check + 12–20 weeks build).
  • You’re looking to decide on a builder in the next 12 months — not next year, not "someday."

This page is not for you if

  • Your budget is under $200K. A detached ADU in LA in 2026 doesn’t pencil at that price; a JADU under $150K is rare.
  • You want a fixed-price contract before plan-check submittal. That bid would be fiction.
  • You expect a 6-month total timeline. LADBS plan check alone runs 8–16 weeks before construction starts.
  • You want to skip permits. We don’t do unpermitted work — title companies flag it, lenders require retroactive permits, and LADBS can issue demolition orders.
  • You’re bidding us against 5+ contractors as a commodity. Design-build isn’t a commodity service.

The value stack

What "one contract, one team" actually buys you on an ADU

Hiring an architect, a structural engineer, an MEP engineer, a Title 24 consultant, a permit expediter, a utility coordinator, and a general contractor as seven separate parties means seven contracts, seven invoicing cycles, seven accountability gaps — and a homeowner who becomes the de-facto project manager. ADU plan check at LADBS alone runs 8 to 16 weeks. Every week the design team and the GC are misaligned is another week added.

  1. Site-eligibility analysis. Lot coverage, setbacks, easements, utility access. We confirm buildability before you commit — no surprise "your lot doesn't actually fit an 800 sq ft detached ADU" moments at week six.
  2. Architectural plans drawn to LADBS code. Custom plans designed to pass plan check the first time — no rework cycles, no plan-checker pushback that adds 4 to 8 weeks.
  3. Structural engineering + Title 24 energy compliance. In-house, stamped, submitted with the plan set. No separate engineer to coordinate. No Title 24 surprises after submittal.
  4. Utility separation engineering. Electrical panel upgrade (100A → 200A typical), sewer lateral capacity check, water pressure verification, gas line sizing. The hidden costs other contractors discover at month three, we map at week one.
  5. LADBS plan check management. We submit, respond to corrections, walk approvals through. Plan check runs 8 to 16 weeks; we keep it moving with clean first-submittal sets and fast correction responses.
  6. AB 68 / SB 9 / AB 1033 fluency. We know which state-law exemptions apply to your lot — 4-foot setback waivers, parking exemptions near transit, owner-occupancy elimination per SB 13. Most contractors are still quoting setbacks from the 2018 code.
  7. Fire-zone, hillside, and HPOZ navigation. VHFHSZ triggers Chapter 7A assemblies and sprinkler review. Hillside ordinances add soils reports and retaining walls. HPOZ adds design review. We map every overlay upfront, not at month four.
  8. 15+ trade orchestration with pre-inspection. Foundation, framing, MEP, finish, glazing, landscape. We pre-inspect every phase before LADBS — never crossing fingers at final.
  9. Rental-readiness package (if you want to rent it). Separate meter, separate entry, code-compliant means-of-egress, finishes that hold up to tenants. Photographed for your listing on the day of certificate-of-occupancy.

From the portfolio

A small sample. Project sizes reflect contract value at substantial completion, anonymized to protect client privacy.

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The process

How we build your ADU

  1. Discovery + site eligibility

    Free 30-minute project review. We pull your address against LADBS, ZIMAS, AB 68 / SB 9 setback waivers, VHFHSZ, hillside, HPOZ, and lot-coverage rules. You leave with a real eligibility verdict and a scope-confidence range for your specific lot — not a generic pitch.

  2. Design + permits

    4 to 6 weeks design (custom plans drawn to code) + 8 to 16 weeks LADBS plan check. We submit a clean plan set the first time, respond to corrections fast, manage utility separation engineering, and walk approvals through. Title 24 energy + structural + MEP all stamped and submitted in-package.

  3. Construction + close-out

    12 to 20 weeks build. Foundation → framing → MEP → finish. We pre-inspect every phase before LADBS, walk every inspection, hand you a certificate of occupancy at the end. If you’re renting it, we deliver it rental-ready: separate meter, separate entry, photographed for listing.

Recent projects

Four LA ADUs, four jurisdictions

Same process, scoped to four different lots.

Project sizes and budget deltas anonymized per client privacy.

Detached ADU · Pacific Palisades

1,180 sq ft · $625K contract · 16-month build

Jurisdiction
LA city (LADBS) + Coastal Commission dual jurisdiction. Hillside ordinance triggered soils + geology + retaining walls. VHFHSZ triggered Chapter 7A assemblies.
Preconstruction
Coastal Commission CDP application, hillside grading review, sewer lateral capacity confirmed, 200A panel upgrade designed in.
Permits cleared
LADBS plan check + Coastal Commission + hillside grading + sprinkler review. Pre-Palisades-Fire expedited rebuild track applied.
Timeline
16 months from site mobilization to certificate of occupancy. Plan check 14 weeks; Coastal review 11 weeks (parallel).
Budget delta
Final contract within 2.4% of preconstruction budget (foundation rock encountered).

Detached ADU · Sherman Oaks

950 sq ft · $385K contract · 11-month build

Jurisdiction
LA city (LADBS). South-of-Ventura hillside ordinance limit. AB 68 setback waivers applied (4 ft side/rear).
Preconstruction
Lot coverage analysis, sewer lateral inspection (rooted), 100A → 200A panel upgrade design.
Permits cleared
LADBS standard ADU pathway, AB 68 setback compliance documented, Title 24 2025 energy stamped.
Timeline
11 months from site mobilization to certificate of occupancy.
Budget delta
Final contract within 1.6% of preconstruction budget.

Garage conversion ADU · Studio City

480 sq ft · $245K contract · 8-month build

Jurisdiction
LA city (LADBS). Garage-conversion pathway under AB 68 + SB 9. Foundation upgrade required (slab undersized for habitable code).
Preconstruction
Existing slab assessment, firewall-separation engineering, full MEP design (electric, gas, water, sewer extension from main house).
Permits cleared
LADBS conversion permit, Title 24 envelope upgrade, sprinkler exemption secured (under 400 sq ft).
Timeline
8 months including 9-week plan check.
Budget delta
Final contract within 3.1% of preconstruction budget (slab replacement scope grew).

JADU + detached ADU · Encino

490 sq ft JADU + 800 sq ft detached · $520K combined · 14-month build

Jurisdiction
LA city (LADBS). Both JADU + ADU on same lot under AB 68 (allows one of each per single-family lot).
Preconstruction
Master plan coordinating JADU layout inside main house + detached ADU site placement + separate utility connections for the detached unit.
Permits cleared
LADBS dual-permit submittal (JADU and ADU as separate applications), one cycle of corrections cleared in 3 weeks.
Timeline
14 months total (parallel construction phases).
Budget delta
Final contract within 2.0% of preconstruction budget.

Four LA jurisdictions, four lot conditions, the same documented process.

Budget delta across the four: 2.3% average against preconstruction.

The lots change; the process doesn’t.

LA service map

We know the LA jurisdiction map

Twenty-four LA-county jurisdictions we have pulled permits in.

Each has its own overlay logic — getting it wrong adds months.

  • Beverly Hills

    Independent city — permits through Beverly Hills B&S, NOT LADBS. Design Review Board oversight. R-1 mansion-permit caps, strict FAR. Tree-preservation ordinance.

  • Hollywood Hills

    Baseline Hillside Ordinance, VHFHSZ, geological soils reports, fire-department access on narrow roads, haul-route permits for significant grading.

  • Pacific Palisades

    Coastal Commission dual jurisdiction, Chapter 7A fire-resistant assemblies, post-Palisades-Fire expedited rebuild track, hillside ordinance.

  • Studio City

    Hillside ordinance south of Ventura, BMO/RFA in flat areas, Specific Plan considerations on major corridors, studio-adjacent noise/parking rules.

  • Bel Air

    Mansionization Ordinance, hillside grading limits, view-corridor protections, mega-mansion review for very large projects.

  • Pasadena

    Independent city — permits through Pasadena B&S. Landmark district reviews, design review for many additions, tree-protection ordinance.

  • Santa Monica

    Independent city — permits through Santa Monica B&S. Green Building Ordinance, soft-story retrofit mandate, coastal-zone overlay, R1-Single Family ordinance.

  • Encino Hills

    BHO south of Ventura Blvd, VHFHSZ, protected-oak ordinance with arborist review, BMO/RFA mansionization.

  • Malibu

    Independent city + Coastal Commission dual permits. Local Coastal Program (LCP) required for major work. Septic systems, VHFHSZ, post-fire expedited rebuild tracks.

  • Hancock Park

    HPOZ overlay — Historic Preservation Overlay Zone review required for exterior changes and additions. Boundary checks for properties at the HPOZ edge.

  • Manhattan Beach

    Independent city. Coastal-zone overlay, tight setbacks, height limits strictly enforced (30'), garage-encroachment rules, view-blockage objections.

  • Sherman Oaks

    BMO/RFA, hillside ordinance in south-of-Ventura properties, Specific Plan along Ventura Blvd, older-home system upgrades (knob-and-tube, galvanized) typical.

  • Hidden Hills

    Independent city (gated). Equestrian R-A zoning, gated construction-vehicle access scheduling, Mountains Restoration Trust consultation, oak protection plan.

  • Los Feliz

    LA city. Los Feliz Heights HPOZ on the hill side. Baseline Hillside Ordinance on canyon properties. Older 1920s–30s housing stock — system replacements typical.

  • La Cañada Flintridge

    Independent city. Hillside zoning (HZ-1, HZ-2), view ordinance, CalTrans coordination on properties near the 210, fire-access verification.

  • Brentwood

    Hillside zones with grading limits, view ordinance, BMO/RFA in flat areas, fire-zone designation in canyon properties.

  • Venice

    LA city + Coastal Commission. Venice Coastal Zone Specific Plan (VCZSP) — strict on density, mass, setbacks, parking. Walk Streets and Canals have additional overlays.

  • South Pasadena

    Independent city. Cultural Heritage Commission for additions to historic homes, narrow-lot patterns, tree-protection ordinance.

  • Holmby Hills

    LA city. Mansionization Ordinance, hillside ordinance on canyon lots, view-corridor protections, Holmby-Westwood Specific Plan adjacencies.

  • Silver Lake

    Hillside ordinance, older housing stock with knob-and-tube and galvanized plumbing common, Silver Lake Reservoir Specific Plan in some corridors.

  • Beverly Hills Post Office

    LA city (LADBS) inside 90210 zip. Baseline Hillside Ordinance, RFA mansionization, VHFHSZ portions, fire-access road review.

  • Calabasas

    Independent city. Old Topanga Canyon Specific Plan, Mountains Restoration Trust input, Green Building requirements, hillside ordinance for steeper lots.

  • San Marino

    Independent city. Design Review Board mandatory for most exterior changes. Tree preservation ordinance (mature canopy), historic resource considerations.

  • Toluca Lake

    LA city. Character residential zone considerations, BMO/RFA, narrow-lot patterns, studio-adjacent sound & parking factors (Disney, Warner Bros.).

Twenty-four shown above · we work across all 165+ LA-county jurisdictions. Don’t see your neighborhood? Just apply — we work everywhere LA County issues a permit.

Risk reversal

Where we put our risk on the line

Every NPLD contract carries these operational guarantees in writing. They are not slogans.

  • If we miss a permit deadline through our negligence, we eat the city's expedite fees. Not "we'll try to make it up." A line item in your contract.
  • If a city inspection fails on work we performed, we re-do the work at zero cost. Re-inspection fees included.
  • Scope is documented line item by line item in the contract. Price does not move unless scope moves — and scope changes require your written approval before work continues.
  • Change orders are priced and signed before any work happens. No "yeah just add it." No surprise invoices.
  • If at punch-list you can identify a deliverable from our contract that we did not produce, we install it or rebuild it at no charge. The punch list closes; we do not.

How most NPLD clients pay

Financing your ADU

In-house financing through Hearth and partner lenders. We never push debt — and we don't earn lender fees. Our job is to build well; the lenders' job is to fund well.

Pre-qualify in 60 seconds

Soft-credit pull through Hearth. Real offers from up to 17 partner lenders, no impact to your credit score, no obligation. We get a copy of your offers so we can build the budget around what you actually have.

Start with Hearth pre-qual

Use your home equity

HELOC or cash-out refinance against the existing house. Most LA homeowners in our $500K-$2M range fund renovations this way. We'll send you the side-by-side math against a construction loan during your project review.

Discuss equity options

Construction-to-perm loan

For ground-up custom homes and tear-down-rebuilds, a construction-to-perm loan covers the build and converts to a standard mortgage at completion. We work with specialty LA lenders who actually understand 18-month build timelines.

Discuss construction loans

Financing via Hearth (Aspire Financial Services LLC NMLS #1810501) and other partner lenders.

Subject to credit approval.

NP Line Design Inc. (CSLB #1105249) is not a lender and earns no lender fees.

The team

Who actually shows up

Three named principals — design-build, operations & software, interiors & storage — one accountable team. Same email, same phone, every week of the project.

Design-Build

Netanel Presman

General Contractor & Architectural Designer · CSLB #1105249

Netanel draws it and builds it. Over a decade as a residential architectural designer in LA — plan sets, permit drawings, hillside / HPOZ / coastal pathway, and structural coordination with stamping engineers — and the field GC who walks every inspection, sequences every trade, and signs off the punch list. 100+ completed LA projects across hillside, HPOZ, and coastal overlays. One person carrying design through permit through build means no architect-builder gap, no “that wasn’t in the drawings” fights, no re-coordination after permit issuance.

  • 10+ yrs designing · permit-set author
  • LADBS · 10 independent permit depts
  • Hillside · HPOZ · Coastal · VHFHSZ

Operations & Software

Jason

Design Coordination · Preconstruction · Operations · Systems

Jason runs design coordination, preconstruction budgeting, project sequencing, scheduling, and homeowner communication on every NPLD project. Same email and phone every week — no PM swap-outs. He’s also founder of AskBaily.com, the AI-driven marketplace and business-automation platform for general contractors and specialty pros — live in LA and 18 expansion metros — covering CRM, TCPA compliance (phone-verified consent, suppression cascade, recovery SMS), lead-lifecycle reconciliation, conversational AI intake, calendar & gcal sync, and a native pro mobile app. NPLD’s own back office runs on that same stack, which is why your project gets software-grade operational rigor: every decision dated, every milestone tracked, every neighbor letter logged — nothing living in a whiteboard or a lost text thread.

  • Preconstruction value engineering
  • Preconstruction sequencing · decision calendar
  • AskBaily.com · pro & GC ops platform

Interiors & Storage

Aksana Presman

Interior Designer · Custom Closets & Built-Ins

Aksana handles interior design — finishes, fixtures, lighting feel, and the custom-storage layer most GCs leave to a finish-out subcontractor. Thirteen years specifying closets, mudrooms, and built-ins across LA at three firms, now senior designer at California’s largest design-build custom-storage brand. NPLD clients get her direct line, designer-trade access at her firm, and a closet plan drawn into the framing — not bolted on at finish-out. Married to Netanel; same team, same standards, every project.

  • 13+ yrs custom-closet specification
  • Closet plans integrated at framing stage
  • Designer-trade pricing · curated finishes
Phone
(818) 605‑1388
Call or text. Same number, Netanel direct.
Office
22616 Kittridge St
Los Angeles, CA
License
CSLB #1105249
Bonded, insured, BBB A+ accredited.
Hours
Mon–Fri 8a–6p PT
Email replies same business day.

Apply for Project Review

Before you apply

Common questions, honest answers

Why does ADU pricing vary so wildly — $150K to $450K+ for the same size?

Three reasons. First, scope inclusion: one bid covers design, structural engineering, MEP, Title 24, and utility hookups; another quotes only the shell with "allowances" for everything else. Second, site conditions: foundation type, sewer lateral capacity, panel upgrade, fire-zone status. A $50K difference between two bids is often just $50K of site-condition difference. Third, change-order discipline: a $250K bid that becomes $400K in change orders is more expensive than a $325K bid that includes everything. We line-item the comparison so you can see exactly where the differences are.

What is AB 68 / SB 9 / AB 1033 and how does it affect my ADU?

AB 68 (2019) reduced setback minimums to 4 ft side/rear and eliminated owner-occupancy on ADUs permitted before 2025. SB 9 (2021) allows lot splits + duplexes on single-family lots statewide. AB 1033 (2023) allows ADUs to be sold as condos in cities that opt in. SB 13 eliminated impact fees on most ADUs. The practical impact: most LA single-family lots can fit a permitted ADU even with tight setbacks, often without parking replacement near transit. We map the specific exemptions that apply to your lot.

How long does a typical LA ADU project actually take?

Ten to sixteen months total. Design: 4–6 weeks. LADBS plan check: 8–16 weeks (currently averaging 11). Construction: 12–20 weeks for detached, 8–12 for garage conversion. The gap between "construction time" (3–5 months) and "total project duration" (10–16 months) is where most homeowners get blindsided. Contractors who quote you "six months total" are quoting a number that has not survived plan check.

Is a garage conversion ADU really cheaper than a new-build ADU?

Not as much as marketing suggests. Garage conversions still require foundation upgrades (existing slabs are usually under-designed for habitable code), full insulation, Title 24 compliance, firewall separation, complete MEP (electrical, plumbing, gas, ventilation), and code-compliant means-of-egress. Often 70–80% of new-build ADU cost. The savings come from no excavation, no new foundation, and no exterior shell — but those are typically only $40K–$80K of a $300K project.

I am considering a prefab ADU. Is that cheaper than a custom build?

The prefab shell is 30–40% of total project cost. The other 60–70% — foundation, utility connections, grading, setback compliance, LADBS permit, plan check — you handle yourself, often with a separate site-work contractor. Total site work usually runs $80K–$150K on top of the prefab price. Custom design-build often nets the same total cost with one accountable team instead of two.

Do I need a permit for an ADU?

Yes — without exception. Unpermitted ADUs are flagged by title companies at sale, by lenders at refinance, by insurers at claim time. LADBS can require retroactive permits (more expensive than doing it right the first time) or issue demolition orders. AB 68 made ADU permits cheaper and faster than they used to be — it's not the headache homeowners remember from a decade ago.

Do you offer financing?

We don't lend; we connect you with lenders. Our primary partner is Hearth — a 60-second soft-credit pre-qualification that returns real offers from up to 17 partner lenders. We earn no fees on Hearth loans. For larger ADUs, we work with HELOC providers and construction-to-perm lenders who understand LA ADU timelines.

Does an owner have to live in the house if I build an ADU?

Under SB 13 (in effect 2020–2025), owner-occupancy was eliminated for new-build ADUs in most cases. Starting 2025, owner-occupancy may apply to new permits depending on the local jurisdiction. Existing permitted ADUs from the 2020–2024 window are generally grandfathered. We confirm the current rule for your specific city on the call.

What does a project review actually include?

Thirty minutes, free, no follow-up sales sequence. We pull your address against LADBS, ZIMAS, AB 68 / SB 9 setback waivers, VHFHSZ, hillside, HPOZ, and lot-coverage rules before we meet. You leave with a permit map for your specific property, a scope-confidence range, a code-trigger list, and a realistic timeline. If we're not the right fit for your project, we tell you that and recommend someone who is.

Still have a question? Text or call Netanel directly · (818) 605‑1388

Next step

Apply for your ADU project review

Eight short questions, about three minutes. Pick your slot on the next page — calendar invite lands the instant you book. If we’re not the right fit for your ADU, you’ll know on the spot — no waiting, no chase.

  • No deposit to apply
  • Instant calendar booking
  • Honest fit-check · no sales pitch
Apply for Project Review →

Prefer to talk first? Text or call Netanel directly · (818) 605‑1388