ADU Before & After Gallery in Van Nuys | Ellery ADU Studio Van Nuys

ADU Before & After in Van Nuys, CA

We’ve designed, permitted, and built over 900 ADUs since 2015. Every project starts with a written price and ends with a documented photo record. These before-and-after stories show what that process actually looks like on real properties in Van Nuys and nearby neighborhoods.

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Recent Transformations

Garage Conversion ADU: Sepulveda Basin 2-Car to 1-Bedroom Rental

Detached two-car garage with sagging roof and original 1950s swing door, Sepulveda Basin, Van Nuys — Before: Original 1952 garage, 400 sq ft, unpermitted electrical, no insulation.

Completed studio ADU with stucco finish, new roof, and separate meter, Sepulveda Basin, Van Nuys — After: 420 sq ft studio ADU, permitted kitchenette, mini-split HVAC, separate electrical meter.

The owner bought a 1950s ranch in the Sepulveda Basin area with a detached garage that hadn’t held a car in a decade. The slab was 4 inches, within range for conversion, but the roof structure was failing and the original door opening was too narrow for current egress code. We ran a new 200A service with a sub-panel dedicated to the ADU, insulated the envelope to Title 24 standards, and converted the swing door to a 32-inch entry with a sidelight for natural light. The kitchenette is a 7-foot galley with a 2-burner induction cooktop and 24-inch refrigerator, which keeps the electrical load manageable on the existing service. Total project: $142,000 all-in, drawings through final inspection. Under Clause 5 (No Surprises), the scope was locked at signing. The owner now rents it for $1,850 per month.

New Detached ADU: Lake Balboa Backyard, Zero-Lot-Line Setback Variance

Narrow backyard with existing concrete patio and utility lines running close to property line, Lake Balboa, Van Nuys — Before: 45-foot-deep backyard, utility easement along the rear, zero-lot-line on the east side.

Modern 1-bedroom detached ADU with horizontal siding and covered porch, Lake Balboa, Van Nuys — After: 560 sq ft 1-bedroom, covered porch, storage shed integrated into roofline.

This Lake Balboa property had a challenging east-side property line, what we call a zero-lot-line condition, meaning the standard 4-foot side setback wasn’t available. We filed for a setback variance, the extra distance the city requires between your new ADU and the property line, and got approval by demonstrating fire-rated construction on that wall and a 6-foot-high parapet for privacy. The ADU is a Plant Prefab LivingHome 600 series that we specified and coordinated under our single contract, modified down to 560 sq feet to stay under Van Nuys’s local development thresholds. Site prep included relocating a sewer cleanout that sat exactly where the foundation needed to go. Total project: $198,000. The variance added 6 weeks to permitting, which we built into the timeline at contract. The photo record shows every utility relocation and the fire-rated wall assembly at rough inspection.

Junior ADU & Interior Conversion: Van Nuys Core, Existing Bedroom Split

Original 3-bedroom home interior with one bedroom adjacent to kitchen and separate exterior door, Van Nuys — Before: 1,180 sq ft 3-bedroom, bedroom 3 shares a wall with the kitchen and has a separate side door.

Converted junior ADU with efficiency kitchen, separate entrance, and sound-rated door to main house, Van Nuys — After: Junior ADU with efficiency kitchen, 220 sq ft, sound-rated interconnecting door, separate mailing address.

The owner in central Van Nuys, near Victory and Van Nuys Boulevard, had a bedroom that was functionally separate already, with its own exterior door and direct kitchen access through a shared wall. We converted it to a Junior ADU, which in California means it’s contained within the existing footprint, shares utilities with the main house, and requires owner occupancy of either the main house or the JADU. The efficiency kitchen is a 30-inch cooktop, under-counter refrigerator, and single-bowl sink, no dishwasher, which keeps it under the 80-square-foot kitchen maximum for JADUs. We sound-rated the interconnecting door to STC 50 so both units have privacy. Because this was interior work, our photo record documented every plumbing rough-in and the electrical panel load calculation showing the main house service could handle the addition. Total project: $67,000. The owner lives in the main house and uses the JADU income to cover property tax.

ADU Site Prep & Utilities: Panorama City Hillside, Tiered Foundation

Steep backyard with exposed soil, no access path, and utility poles running along the upper property line, Panorama City, Van Nuys — Before: 25% slope, no vehicle access, overhead power lines limiting crane placement.

Completed retaining wall with tiered pad, utility trenching, and graded access path, Panorama City, Van Nuys — After: Engineered retaining wall, 480 sq ft buildable pad, underground utilities, crane access staging area.

This Panorama City property, in the hills north of Roscoe Boulevard, had the view but not the flat ground. The 25% slope meant we needed an engineered retaining wall, tiered foundation, and a cut-and-fill plan that LADBS reviewed for geotechnical stability. We brought in a soils engineer for a compaction report, which is standard on any slope over 15% in this area. The overhead power lines ruled out a crane set for a modular unit, so we specified a site-built structure instead of the prefab options the owner initially asked about. Our utility scope included trenching 80 feet for sewer, water, and electrical, plus a separate gas line for the tankless water heater. The photo record shows every soil layer, the rebar cage before pour, and the compaction test results. Site prep and utilities alone: $54,000. The owner is now in design phase for the ADU itself, with the buildable pad ready.

Garage Conversion ADU: Van Nuys Airport Vicinity, Noise Attenuation

Attached 2-car garage with thin walls, single-pane windows, and original drywall, near Van Nuys Airport flight path — Before: Attached garage, 380 sq ft, uninsulated, single-pane aluminum window, under Van Nuys Airport flight path.

Sound-attenuated studio ADU with acoustic windows, insulated walls, and white noise ventilation, near Van Nuys Airport — After: Studio ADU, STC 45 walls, acoustic laminated windows, balanced ventilation with white noise masking.

Properties under the Van Nuys Airport flight path get a specific noise contour designation that affects window specifications. We converted this attached garage to a studio ADU with STC 45 wall assemblies, acoustic laminated windows rated for the 65 CNEL contour, and a balanced ventilation system with a white noise generator because you can’t just open a window for fresh air when jets are at 1,200 feet. The existing slab was 3.5 inches, below the 4-inch minimum for habitable space, so we poured a 2-inch bonded topping slab with radiant floor heating, which solved two problems at once. The kitchenette is a 6-foot Abodu modular unit we specified and dropped in once the envelope was complete. Total project: $156,000. The owner uses it as a guest suite and reports sleeping through the morning departure rush.

New Detached ADU: Valley Glen, Corner Lot with Alley Access

Corner lot with overgrown side yard, chain link fence, and alley access gate, Valley Glen, Van Nuys area — Before: Corner lot, alley access, overgrown side yard, no existing structures.

Modern 2-bedroom detached ADU with alley-facing entry, private courtyard, and solar array, Valley Glen, Van Nuys area — After: 760 sq ft 2-bedroom, alley-facing entry, private courtyard, 4 kW solar array, EV-ready.

This Valley Glen corner lot had alley access, which in Van Nuys means you can locate the ADU entry away from the main house and create genuine privacy for both units. We designed a 760 sq ft 2-bedroom with the entry on the alley side and a private courtyard on the main house side, separated by a 6-foot stucco wall with a locking gate. The owner wanted solar, so we sized a 4 kW array to cover the ADU load and backfeed the main house meter through NEM 3.0. We also stubbed 240V for EV charging in the alley parking space. The foundation is a post-tensioned slab, which we chose over standard rebar because of the expansive soil in this part of the Valley. Total project: $234,000. The photo record includes every conduit run, the post-tensioning cable layout before pour, and the solar commissioning report.

Want Results Like These?

Professionals reviewing ADU architectural blueprints and site maps on a laptop — Want Results Like These?

Every project you see here started with a free estimate and a written price before any work began, per Haven Standard Clause 1. We’ll look at your property, your goals, and your budget, then tell you what it actually costs. Call (424) 523-8492 to schedule your free estimate. If you already have a written estimate in hand, we’ll give you a free second opinion.

Written by Nadia Ellery, Owner at Ellery ADU Studio Van Nuys, serving Van Nuys since 2015.

Before & After Gallery - Ellery ADU Studio Van Nuys