Frequently Asked Questions

From signed contract to certificate of occupancy, most Glendale ADUs take 12 to 18 months. Design and engineering run 3 to 4 months, Glendale Planning & Community Development review adds 4 to 6 months, and construction is typically 5 to 8 months depending on weather and trade availability. We give you a real schedule with named milestones, not a sales guess. Call (424) 325-4322 for a timeline based on your project type.

We measure your lot, photograph existing conditions, check setbacks against Glendale's Zoning Ordinance, and identify utility locations and access constraints. You receive a written findings report with photos and a preliminary feasibility assessment within 48 hours. This visit is free and carries no obligation. Call (424) 325-4322 to schedule yours.

We handle everything: design, engineering, permit submission, city coordination, construction, and final inspection. The ADU projects that go wrong are almost always the ones where the designer and builder can each blame the other. Our single-contract model prevents that. Permitted, built, and finished to the drawings. Call (424) 325-4322 to discuss your project.

Yes, and most of our Glendale clients do. We stage materials to minimize disruption, work within city noise ordinances, and coordinate utility tie-ins to avoid service interruptions. We text you the night before with the next day's plan and any access we need. Haven Value 2: arrive on schedule, with a real window and a named lead. Call (424) 325-4322 to talk through logistics for your specific property.

We've designed and permitted ADUs in Rossmoyne, Chevy Chase Canyon, Glenwood, Sparr Heights, and the mid-century neighborhoods south of Colorado Boulevard. Each area has distinct soil conditions, slope challenges, and design review considerations that we've documented from prior projects. Call (424) 325-4322 and we'll share relevant examples from your neighborhood.

We specify James Hardie fiber-cement siding for most exteriors due to its fire rating and performance in Glendale's summer heat cycles. For prefabricated structures where speed and minimal site disruption matter, we've worked with Abodu and Cover units that arrive pre-finished and install in days rather than months. Every specification is documented in your permit set and build contract. Call (424) 325-4322 to discuss material options for your project.

Tuff Shed's larger cabin-style structures can serve as the shell for a finished ADU, though they require significant interior build-out, insulation, and utility rough-in to meet California's Title 24 energy code and Glendale's residential standards. We've converted Tuff Shed shells in North Hollywood and Studio City; the feasibility depends on your lot coverage and setback compliance. Call (424) 325-4322 and we'll evaluate whether a shell conversion makes sense for your site.

You can, but we require them on site before rough-in begins so our trades can verify fit and warranty coverage. Owner-supplied materials aren't covered under our workmanship warranty if they fail due to manufacturing defect. We recommend selecting from our standard catalog, where we've already vetted compatibility and service support in the Glendale area. Call (424) 325-4322 to review our specifications.

Every pro working under our name is required to hold the license and insurance California requires for residential construction. We carry general liability and workers' compensation, and we list license numbers on every contract and permit application. Haven Value 3: verified crews, with documentation you can verify yourself. Call (424) 325-4322 and we'll provide our current certificates.

We pull all permits as the responsible party. This includes Glendale's planning review, building permit, and any required utility or fire department approvals. You sign authorizations, but we handle submission, correction cycles, and inspection scheduling. Permits pulled and inspections passed is part of our standard scope. Call (424) 325-4322 to confirm what's required for your specific project.

Glendale requires a separate address for detached ADUs, which we coordinate with the city's Addressing Division. Separate electric meters are optional for most ADUs under state law, though we recommend them if you plan to rent the unit, as Glendale Water & Power bills separately by address. We handle this coordination during the permit phase. Call (424) 325-4322 for guidance on your utility strategy.

We document what we find with photos and written description, pause work, and present you with a change order that includes the problem, the solution, and the price before any additional work proceeds. No surprises is Haven Value 5. In 11 years of ADU work, the most common unexpected condition in Glendale is undocumented fill soil in hillside lots, which we test for during our initial geotechnical review when possible. Call (424) 325-4322 and we'll explain our discovery protocol.

Your project has a dedicated lead who texts updates and responds to messages during business hours: Monday through Friday 7:30 AM to 8:00 PM, Saturday and Sunday 8:30 AM to 8:00 PM. For urgent issues during construction, our live coordinator connects you with the local team. We don't promise response outside these hours because we don't staff outside these hours. Call (424) 325-4322 during business hours to reach your project lead.

Stop work and call us. We photograph every stage of construction under Haven Value 4, evidence on every job, so we can review together what was specified versus what was built. If we missed the drawings, we correct at our cost. If the issue is a design preference not in the contract, we'll quote the revision before proceeding. Either way, we resolve it before the next trade starts. Call (424) 325-4322 at any point in your project.

We provide a written one-year workmanship warranty on all construction, plus manufacturer warranties on materials and fixtures as specified. The warranty is documented in your contract under Clause 1, with specific coverage, exclusions, and the process for filing a claim. We've honored this standard on every ADU we've built since 2015. Call (424) 325-4322 and we'll send you a sample warranty document.

Not unless you request changes or we discover conditions that no reasonable inspection could have revealed. Our written quote is a fixed price with a defined scope, under Clause 1 of The Haven Standard. If we missed something in our evaluation, that's our cost, not yours. In 11 years, we've learned to price for what we can see and what experience tells us is likely hidden. Call (424) 325-4322 for a written quote that holds.

You receive a final permit set, as-built drawings, all manufacturer warranties, maintenance schedules, and a photo log of key construction stages. This packet is your record for future sale, refinance, or repair. Haven Value 4 means evidence on every job, and that evidence belongs to you. Call (424) 325-4322 to see a sample closeout package.

Nadia Ellery leads our Glendale branch of Ellery ADU Studio, bringing the brand's design-build model to homeowners from Los Feliz to Pasadena. She oversees every project from feasibility through final inspection, ensuring The Haven Standard is met on each build. The Ellery name on the shingle reflects a founder's surname used the way design practices use them: an ADU is a year-long relationship and a six-figure decision, and people want to know whose practice it is. Call (424) 325-4322 to speak with Nadia or her team about your project.

Written by Nadia Ellery, Owner at Ellery ADU Studio Glendale, serving Glendale, Burbank, Los Feliz, Pasadena, North Hollywood, Studio City, Alhambra, West Hollywood, Downtown Los Angeles, Monterey Park, East Los Angeles, and Beverly Hills since 2015.