Garage Conversion ADUs in Los Angeles

If your garage holds more boxes than cars, it may be the most practical place on your lot for a new home. Tehran Construction & Remodeling turns attached and detached garages into permitted living spaces, from a quiet studio for a parent to a one-bedroom unit for a long-term tenant.

Our office is on Ventura Blvd in Woodland Hills, and we serve homeowners across Los Angeles. Every garage conversion in Los Angeles that we take on starts the same way: a free, no-obligation feasibility review, so you know what's possible before you spend money on plans. The city makes the final permit decision.

10 years of experience · 237+ clients · $52M+ in projects. We speak English and Farsi (فارسی).

Why Convert a Garage?

A garage already has a slab, walls and a roof, so a conversion often starts further along than a brand-new building and keeps your backyard open. Homeowners usually convert to keep family close or to rent to a long-term tenant. If you're weighing a garage conversion against a new backyard unit, our ADU page walks through every option.

Types of Garage Conversions

Detached Garage to ADU

A freestanding garage becomes its own small home, with a kitchen, bathroom and private entrance. California law allows ADUs to be built inside existing detached garages.

Attached Garage to ADU or JADU

An attached garage can become a separate unit connected to your house. In some cases it can be set up as a junior ADU (JADU) of up to 500 square feet, which has its own entrance and an efficiency kitchen and may share a bathroom with the main home.

Garage to Living Space for Your Own Home

Some homeowners turn the garage into a family room, office or bedroom for the main house instead. If that's closer to your plan, see our room additions page.

What's Included

• Feasibility review of your lot, the garage and its existing foundation, framing and utilities

• Layout, drawings and engineering for the city

• Permit application and plan-check corrections

• Replacing the garage door with walls, windows and an entry door

• Insulation, drywall, flooring and ceiling work

• New plumbing, electrical, heating and cooling

• Kitchen or kitchenette, bathroom and finishes

• Coordinating city inspections through final sign-off

Garage Conversion Rules in Los Angeles

In the City of Los Angeles, building permits for ADUs are handled by the Department of Building and Safety (LADBS). State law requires ADU applications to be reviewed ministerially, which means a project that meets the objective standards doesn't need a public hearing.

When a garage is converted to an ADU, state law generally doesn't let the city require you to replace those parking spaces.

Other fees can still apply, including permit and plan check fees and school fees for ADUs of 500 square feet or more. When existing space is converted, state law generally limits new utility connection fees, and we confirm which fees apply to your project during the feasibility review.

Los Angeles City Planning released a draft update to the city's ADU ordinance in September 2026, so some local details may change. Lots that are in both a designated Hillside Area and a Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone can face extra requirements. We check the current rules for your lot during the feasibility review, and the city makes the final permit decision.

Garage Conversion Pricing and Timeline

2-car garage conversions start at $90,000. If converting isn't the right fit, ground-up ADUs start at $290 per square foot.

These are build-only starting prices. Design, permits, city fees and utility upgrades are extra. Starting prices aren't a quote; your final price is set in your written estimate. The final number depends on the garage's condition, size, site and finishes.

Timelines run from about 3 months, depending on scope and city review.

Our Process

1. Free, No-Obligation Feasibility Review

We visit, look at the garage and the lot, and talk through what may fit, a realistic schedule and a cost range.

2. Design and Plans

We design in-house or with trusted partner architects and engineers, and prepare the drawings the city needs.

3. Permits

We submit the application, answer plan-check comments and keep you posted until the permit is issued.

4. Build

Our team handles the work from the slab up, with one point of contact the whole way.

5. Final Inspection

We schedule the city inspections, take care of any corrections and walk the finished unit with you.

Why Homeowners Work With Us

• A local office. We're in Woodland Hills, and you can visit us Monday to Saturday.

• Straight answers early. The feasibility review tells you what we see, including problems.

• One team for the paperwork and the build. You don't have to manage the city on your own.

• English and Farsi. Talk through your project in the language you're most comfortable with.

Garage Conversion FAQ

Can I turn my garage into an ADU in Los Angeles?

In many cases, yes: state law allows ADUs inside existing attached and detached garages. Whether your garage works depends on its condition, your lot and local rules, which we check in the free review.

Will I have to build new parking?

Usually not. When a garage is converted to an ADU, state law generally prevents the city from requiring replacement parking.

How much does a garage conversion cost?

2-car garage conversions start at $90,000 as a build-only starting price; design, permits, city fees and utility upgrades are extra, and your final price is set in your written estimate.

How long does it take?

From about 3 months, depending on scope and city review. We'll give you a realistic schedule after the review.

See What Your Garage Could Become

Call or WhatsApp us at (818) 818-8366 (WhatsApp: wa.me/18188188366) to book your free feasibility review, or send a note through our contact page. We're open Monday to Saturday, 8 AM to 6 PM.

Licensed contractor: Bardia Ekrami, CSLB #1143589.