ADU Before & After in Woodland Hills, CA
You can read about square footage and floor plans all day, but nothing tells the truth like standing in a finished space that used to be a forgotten corner of your lot. That’s why we photograph every project before the first hammer swings and after the last drawer pull goes in. Here’s a look at the work our crews have done around Woodland Hills, from raw dirt to rent-ready homes.
Recent Transformations
Detached Garage Conversion on Burbank Boulevard
The garage had good bones but a floor that sloped a full inch from back to front, and the existing electrical was never meant for a living space. We leveled the slab with a self-leveling underlayment, ran a new 100-amp subpanel from the house, and framed in a full bath where the old workbench sat. The result was a 480-square-foot one-bedroom ADU that rents for $2,400 a month, and the owner’s mortgage now covers itself.
Backyard ADU for Multigenerational Living Near Pierce College
A homeowner on the edge of Winnetka wanted her mother close by, but the lot dropped two feet from the back door to the rear fence. We graded and compacted the pad, rebuilt the retaining wall with a proper drainage plane, and worked with Cover to place a 540-square-foot one-bedroom unit that cleared the setback requirements by 18 inches. Her mother moved in six months after the first site visit. The lemon tree didn’t make it, but we replanted a dwarf Meyer in the planter bed by the front step.
Garage Conversion with Vaulted Ceiling in Woodland Hills
The owners wanted a two-bedroom rental, but the garage ceiling height made it feel like a cave. We reframed the roof over that section to gain a vaulted ceiling that peaks at 11 feet, relocated the water heater to an exterior enclosure, and insulated with closed-cell spray foam to keep the July heat from cooking the space. The second bedroom sits where the old garage door was, with a large picture window facing the front yard. Total project time from permit to final inspection was just under five months.
Prefab ADU on a Challenging Flag Lot in Tarzana
This flag lot behind a 1950s ranch had a 14-foot access easement and no room for a traditional foundation crew to stage equipment. We worked with Abodu to specify a unit that came in modules narrow enough to crane over the existing house, and we poured a pier foundation that kept the root zones of two mature oak trees intact. The owners now have a 500-square-foot studio with a full kitchen and a private entrance off the side street.
Home Addition for a Growing Family in Canoga Park
The family needed a third bedroom and a dedicated laundry room, but their existing den was a tear-down. We demolished it, poured a new foundation that matched the original house elevation, and rebuilt the addition with a proper pitched roof, dual-pane windows, and a full closet. The laundry room now sits where the old water-damaged corner was, with a deep sink and a stackable washer-dryer hookup.
Small Yard ADU with James Hardie Siding in Encino
The lot had exactly 14 feet of side yard, and the homeowner wanted a home office that could later convert to a rental. We pulled permits for a 320-square-foot ADU with a 9-foot ceiling, then clad it in James Hardie plank siding painted to match the main house. The old shed came down in a day, and the new unit went up in six weeks because we used a panelized wall system from Plant Prefab. The owners now work from home with a separate entrance for clients.
Want Results Like These?
Every project you see here started with a simple phone call and a walkthrough of the lot. We’ll give you a written price before any work starts, and the 365-Day Done Right Promise covers the finished build. Call (559) 249-3776 to schedule your free estimate in Woodland Hills or the surrounding area.
Written by Ben Ortega, Owner at Seedling ADU Woodland Hills, serving Woodland Hills and the San Fernando Valley.
