Design inspirationJunior ADU (JADU)
Up to 500 sq ft carved inside your existing home — the simplest permit path and often the fastest to income.
Junior ADU (JADU) across Greater Los Angeles.
A Junior ADU is built within the walls of your existing home — usually a bedroom or garage-adjacent room converted into a private 500-sq-ft unit with its own exterior entrance, efficiency kitchen, and (often) private bath.
A JADU can provide separate living space within the main home. At 500 sq ft or less it falls within the state impact-fee exemption for units of 750 sq ft of interior livable space or less (Gov. Code §66311.5(c)). This is not an exemption from every permit or utility charge.
Common junior ADU (JADU) options.
Bedroom-to-JADU
Convert a spare bedroom + closet + hallway into a JADU with its own entry, efficiency kitchen, and bath access.
JADU with private bath
Includes a full private bath — the higher-end configuration for rental.
JADU with shared bath
Shares a bath with the main house — cheaper, faster, still fully compliant.
In-law suite JADU
Interior-connected JADU with a locking door — perfect for aging parents.
JADU + garage conversion
Combine a JADU inside the house with a full ADU in the garage — max out unit count on one lot.
Studio JADU
Open plan with living, sleeping, and kitchen in one room. Cheapest configuration.
What's included in every HomeAdd project.
Every phase, in order.
- 1Design & feasibility
Room selection, entry location, kitchen layout.
- 2Permit set
Drawings, MEP, permit package.
- 3Plan check & permits
JADU plan-check submittal — usually fast.
- 4Demo & wall changes
Selective demo, new door opening, framing changes.
- 5MEP rough
Plumbing, electrical, HVAC rough.
- 6Drywall & finishes
Drywall, paint, flooring, cabinetry.
- 7Kitchen & fixtures install
Efficiency kitchen, plumbing fixtures, appliances.
- 8Final inspection & handoff
Building final, punch list, warranty.
Planning ranges (Los Angeles & Ventura)
Preliminary planning ranges vary by jurisdiction, site conditions, design, utilities, and finish level. A written proposal follows feasibility and design.
Bedroom or study converted with efficiency kitchen and private entry.
Full private bath plus efficiency kitchen — the higher-rent config.
One JADU inside the house plus a garage-conversion ADU on the same permit set.
Filed, corrected, inspected — by us.
We prepare and submit the permit package to the department that reviews your address, whether that is LADBS, LA County, Ventura County, or a city building department in Los Angeles or Ventura County. You never touch a portal, sit on hold, or drive to a counter.
- JADU permit
- Building permit for exterior entry
- Plumbing permit (if private bath / kitchen)
- Electrical permit
- Mechanical / ventilation permit
- Sound insulation compliance
- Deed restriction filing (state JADU requirement)
- Final building inspection
What this scope typically looks like.
Representative planning images of the kind of build described above.
Questions homeowners ask first.
Still have questions? Call (877) 544-1543 or request a callback — a HomeAdd project advisor will walk your address on Google Earth with you on the phone.
What's the difference between an ADU and a JADU?+
A JADU is built within the home, capped at 500 sq ft, with an efficiency kitchen. A full ADU has a full kitchen; detached ADUs can be larger, and local limits vary. A JADU of 500 sq ft or less falls within the state impact-fee exemption for units of 750 sq ft of interior livable space or less (Gov. Code §66311.5(c)); other charges may still apply.
Can I have both a JADU and an ADU?+
Yes — California law allows a JADU and an ADU on the same single-family lot, so one property can add two separate units.
Does a JADU need its own bathroom?+
No — JADUs can share a bath with the main house. That said, a private bath adds cost but also more independence for the occupant, and it affects the owner-occupancy rule (see below).
What's the owner-occupancy rule?+
Under state law (Gov. Code § 66333(b)), owner-occupancy of the main house or the JADU is required only if the JADU shares sanitation facilities with the main house. A JADU with its own bathroom does not carry that state requirement. Where it applies, a deed restriction is typically recorded as part of permit issuance.
How much rent can I expect?+
Rent depends on size, location, layout and condition. Check current local listings or a property manager for comparable units in your neighborhood.
Do I lose a bedroom count?+
Only in the sense that the room is now the JADU. Many clients convert a rarely-used guest room or downstairs office. How an appraiser treats a JADU depends on the property and local market.
Other ADU options for your lot.
Ready to plan your junior ADU (JADU)?
We'll walk your property, pull the zoning, and give you a real budget and timeline — before you spend a dollar on design.