Frequently Asked Questions

From signed contract to certificate of occupancy, most Van Nuys ADUs take 12 to 18 months. Design and permitting consume 6 to 10 months; construction adds another 6 to 8 months. LADBS review times have improved since 2022 but still vary by project complexity. We've had simple garage conversions in Sherman Oaks clear in 4 months, while hillside projects in Encino with grading plans took 14 months for permits alone. We give you a realistic timeline in writing during our first meeting, updated monthly.

We handle architecture, engineering, permitting, and construction under one contract with one price. You meet with our designer to establish the program: size, bedrooms, accessibility features, aesthetic direction. We produce schematic drawings, refine through two revision rounds, then advance to permit-ready construction documents. Our in-house permit expeditor submits to LADBS and manages corrections. Once permitted, our build team executes. This integration matters because ADU projects that go wrong are almost always the ones where the designer and builder can each blame the other. Since 2015, we've completed 900+ ADUs with this single-responsibility model.

Yes. We prepare the full permit set, submit to LADBS, respond to plan check corrections, schedule inspections, and do not consider the job complete until we hand you the signed certificate of occupancy. In Van Nuys, this means navigating both city planning and building departments, plus occasional Coastal Commission or Hillside Ordinance triggers for properties near the Santa Monica Mountains. Our permit expeditors know the specific plan checkers and inspectors by name, which reduces cycle time.

For detached ADUs, absolutely. The work happens in your yard, not your living space. For garage conversions or attached ADUs, you'll have noise, dust, and temporary utility interruptions. We sequence demolition and utility tie-ins to minimize impact, and we specify in your contract which days will be most disruptive. In dense Van Nuys neighborhoods like the area near Victory Boulevard, we also coordinate street parking for our crews to preserve your driveway access.

We build across Van Nuys proper, including Lake Balboa, Panorama City, Valley Glen, and the Van Nuys Civic Center area. Our service radius extends to Sherman Oaks, Encino, North Hollywood, Studio City, Northridge, Tarzana, Burbank, Beverly Hills, West Hollywood, West Los Angeles, and Chatsworth. Each of these markets has distinct zoning quirks: Burbank has its own building department with different fees; Beverly Hills has stricter design review; Chatsworth properties often encounter hillside grading requirements. Our local knowledge prevents surprises.

We specify materials for durability and low maintenance, not brand loyalty. For siding, we often use James Hardie fiber-cement products because they perform well in Van Nuys' hot, dry summers and resist the termite pressure common in the San Fernando Valley. For prefabricated structures where the project fits, we've worked with Abodu and Cover units, integrating them into sites with foundation and utility connections we manage. For accessory structures and storage that complement the main ADU, Tuff Shed products sometimes fit the program. We discuss material options during design and document our selections in your construction specifications.

Yes, within the allowances in your contract. We provide a standard package of flooring, tile, countertops, plumbing fixtures, and lighting that meets our quality floor. You can upgrade any item by applying your allowance toward a different product and paying the difference. We do not markup materials, so you see actual costs. Some clients in Encino and Studio City bring us specific tile or fixture selections; we verify compatibility with our construction schedule and warranty terms before ordering.

We do, when the site and program suit it. Prefab units from brands like Abodu or Cover can reduce construction time by 2 to 4 months because factory fabrication happens concurrent with site prep and permitting. The tradeoff is less customization and specific foundation requirements. We evaluate your lot dimensions, access for crane delivery, and utility locations before recommending prefab versus stick-built. In tight Van Nuys lots with narrow driveways, we've sometimes ruled out prefab due to delivery constraints.

Yes. Every pro working under our name is required to hold the license and insurance California requires for residential construction. Our local branch operates under the Ellery ADU Studio brand standards, with Nadia Ellery leading the Van Nuys team. We carry general liability and workers compensation coverage, and we provide certificate of insurance documentation upon request. Haven Standard Clause 3 requires verified crews: licensed, insured, background-checked, with license numbers documented.

Yes. Our designers and builders have worked exclusively in California's ADU regulatory environment since 2015, the year state law changed and the permitting queue became the actual product. We know LADBS' specific requirements for fire separation, utility metering, and parking replacement that differ from other Southern California jurisdictions. This specialization matters: a general contractor who builds one ADU every three years often misses code updates that we track monthly.

Under Haven Standard Clause 4, you receive photos and readings of what we actually found: pre-construction site survey with utility locations, foundation depth confirmations, structural connection details, insulation R-value verification, and final inspection sign-offs. We also provide a final binder with permit copies, warranty documents, equipment manuals, and as-built drawings showing any field changes. This documentation protects your investment and simplifies future sales or refinancing.

Contact your project manager directly. Every Ellery ADU has a named point of contact, not a rotating dispatch system. For urgent issues like water line breaks or structural concerns discovered during excavation, we respond during our business hours: Monday through Friday 7:00 AM to 7:30 PM, Saturday and Sunday 8:00 AM to 7:30 PM. We do not operate 24/7, but we do prioritize active construction emergencies within those hours and have protocols for after-hours situations that cannot wait until morning.

We document with photos, explain the condition and options, and get your written approval before proceeding. Common surprises in Van Nuys: undocumented septic systems in older Lake Balboa properties, clay soil expansion requiring deeper footings, or unpermitted previous additions that complicate setback calculations. Haven Standard Clause 4 requires evidence on every job, so you see what we see, not just our description of it.

Sometimes. We evaluate partially completed projects case by case. The most common scenario we see: a homeowner hired a general contractor who abandoned the job after permit delays or cost overruns. We review the existing permits, inspect the work completed, and provide a written assessment of what's usable and what needs correction. We do not take over projects where the previous work creates liability we cannot document and warranty properly.

We provide a written workmanship warranty on every project, with specific coverage periods for different building systems. Structural elements carry longer terms than finish items subject to normal wear. The exact terms are in your contract, under Haven Standard Clause 1: flat price, written scope, written warranty, before anyone starts. We do not ask you to trust a verbal promise; we document it. Since 2015, every one of our 900+ ADUs has left with this written warranty.

The Haven Standard is our documented commitment: every ADU job is quoted in writing before it starts and leaves a documented record when we left. The five clauses are Have it in writing, Arrive on schedule, Verified crews, Evidence on every job, and No surprises. This is not a marketing phrase; it's the operational standard Nadia Ellery's team in Van Nuys works to, backed by the documentation system that proves compliance. If we fail to meet a clause, we have a written remediation process.

We warranty that our permit submissions are complete and code-compliant based on information you provided and our site survey. We do not control LADBS staffing or review timelines, so we cannot guarantee specific approval dates. What we do guarantee: if a rejection results from our error or omission, we correct it at our expense. If a delay stems from city backlog, we keep you informed with weekly status updates and adjusted construction schedules.

Our workmanship warranty transfers to subsequent owners with proper documentation. We provide a warranty transfer form at closing. This adds value: buyers and their lenders increasingly scrutinize unpermitted or poorly documented ADUs, which are common in the San Fernando Valley. A permitted, inspected, and warranted ADU from Ellery ADU Studio clears due cleanly. We've had past clients in Sherman Oaks and North Hollywood tell us this documentation helped their sale.

Call (424) 523-8492 to schedule your free estimate. We'll visit your property, assess zoning feasibility, discuss your program and budget, and provide a written line-item quote if the project makes sense. There's no pressure to commit during the first meeting; we prefer you review the numbers and ask questions. That's Haven Standard Clause 1: have it in writing before anyone starts.

Written by Nadia Ellery, Owner at Ellery ADU Studio Van Nuys, serving Van Nuys and the San Fernando Valley since 2015.