Los Angeles ADU Ordinances & Requirements
So, you’re interested in building an Accessory Dwelling Unit. We think that’s a great idea, so we’re here to help you cut through the considerable rules, regulations, and process guidelines governing the construction of these small, innovative affordable housing units in adherence with the Los Angeles ADU ordinance.
The first step to building an ADU (also known as granny flats and in-law units) is ascertaining whether or not your property is qualified with our free consultation. Up until now, California ADU laws, which were initially passed in 2017, might have seemed complicated for most homeowners to interpret. With California accessory dwelling units, permissible heights, parking spot limitations, and other matters were so scattershot, it was incredibly hard to figure out whether you could build an ADU.
Luckily, a new California second dwelling law that goes into effect in January, AB 68, clarifies a lot of the issues and creates a much more uniform set of standards. Here’s what you need to keep in mind when setting out to build an ADU, based on the various Los Angeles ADU ordinances passed over the last three years.
Property Lines and Setback
This is a big one in the City of Los Angeles ADU ordinance, where homes are often closely clustered together. There are several different kinds of ADUs, with the primary distinction being that some are attached to or inside an existing building and others are standalone units.
In both cases, you need to have at least four feet of setback on your property, meaning that there needs to be at least four feet of space between the edge of the unit and the property line. That’s a big deal for detached standalone units in particular and represents the first real checkpoint for homeowners.
The exception: If you’re converting an old garage or other structure, or building from the ground up in the exact same footprint, you don’t need to worry about setbacks at all. Garage conversion laws in California make it easy to build an ADU!
It should also be noted that you cannot sell a detached ADU separate from the main property. You can, of course, rent it out (more on that later).
ADU Size Limit for California
If you’ve got that space, you’re off to a good start. But there are a number of other property size requirements, as well. United Dwelling focuses on detached ADUs, but it’s worth noting an ADU that’s attached to an existing home can only be 50% of the size of the main unit.
For example, if a home is 2000 square feet, the attached ADU can max out at 1000 square feet.
On the other hand, a detached ADU can be up to 1200 square feet, no matter the size of the main building.
ADU Interior Space Requirements
There are also requirements for minimum interior space and how it breaks down — unfortunately, if you were planning on building one giant bathroom in your ADU, you’re going to have to adjust your plans. The living room/bedroom needs to be at least 70 square feet.
The kitchen (along with the hallways and closet) must measure in at 50 square feet.The bathroom must be at least 30 square feet and contain a toilet, sink, and a shower stall or tub.
ADU Height Requirements
Generally speaking, an ADU has to be less than 16 feet tall. And if your ADU is below that 16 foot height and is under 750 square feet, its building permits can’t be blocked.
If you’re building an ADU within a home or existing building, the ADU can max out at the maximum height of the existing structure.
ADU Building Materials
The size of your ADU is important, but just as crucial are the materials you use to build it. There are critical standards to ensure that granny flats represent high quality housing options.
There are any number of exterior cladding options, but a few are against regulations. Builders may not use single piece composite, laminates, or interlocked metal sheathing. As for the roof, it can’t be made of wooden shingles. It must also have a minimum of a 2:12 pitch for greater than 50 percent of the roof area.
Windows, meanwhile, must be at least double-pane glass and labelled for building use, and they can’t have exterior trim.
ADU Electricity and Utilities
You can connect the ADU to your current fuse box. However, there may not be enough space. If you intend to rent the ADU, you should have it separately metered. Either way, there is a few thousand dollars of electrical work to be done here. The ADU can share the water connection with the main house of have its own meter. We generally recommend sharing the main house water connection as it is not worth the cost of separate metering. The sewer line is not allowed to connect to the house. It must connect to the sewer line downstream of the house.
How Many ADUs Can I Build?
According to California granny flat law, owners of single-family homes can now build both a regular detached ADU as well as a smaller unit that’s known as a Junior ADU.
A Junior ADU is a smaller ADU that is part of an existing main building; it can extend the building up to 150 square ft. feet beyond the original footprint of the house. In many cases, a junior ADU is a remodeled extra large bedroom or garage that includes its own bathroom and some kitchen appliances.
If you own a multi-family home, you can build two full-size ADUs on the property (provided you have the space for it, of course).
ADU Parking Requirements & Restrictions
Thanks to AB 68, homeowners that turn their garages into ADUs (or knock the garage down to build an ADU from scratch) no longer have to replace the lost parking spaces.
Additionally, there is now no parking spot requirement at all for units built within half a mile from public transportation. Around LA, it’s rare that some place isn’t within a half mile of some kind of public transport.
You also don’t need a parking spot if you’re in a historic district.
Permitting an ADU
Unless you’re an architect or engineer, all the math gets pretty confusing. And unfortunately, you can’t just eyeball it, given the sometimes-complicated approval process that has to be completed before any building gets started.
“For a homeowner to do this, they have to do a few things: They have to find somebody to do the design work, they have to find a contractor to build it, and then they have to submit all of that for approval,” explains United Dwelling founder Steven Dietz.
“The approvals need to come from the Department of Water and Power and the Department of Building and Safety,” Dietz adds. “The whole process of getting the designs created and applying for the permits is about $6,000. So homeowners are into this for $6,000 before they even know if they can build something.”
The difficulty of finding an architect and contractor, combined with the permitting confusion, makes building an ADU in Los Angeles a time consuming and often cost-prohibitive process.
ADUs can be an elegant solution to a housing crisis and help build property value, but the ADU cost one built has been prohibitive… until now.
That’s where United Dwelling comes in. We take care of all the Los Angeles ADU requirements, including permitting and construction work, as well as all the marketing, tenant management, and maintenance, and share the monthly rent with you. Owning a home is supposed to be your most important long-term investment, and with an ADU, you’ll grow both your monthly return and maximize the ultimate value of your property. United Dwelling makes it easy to get the most out of your home and help society at the same time. It’s a win-win, so get started with our free consultation to learn more.
Photo by Sven Mieke on Unsplash.