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Garage Conversion + Small Addition — exterior rendering of a CALI ADU Signature plan in Los Angeles
Signature Garage Conversion · Conversion + addition

Garage Conversion + Small Addition

A one-bedroom that lives larger.

A sample of our most popular conversion-plus-addition layouts — every plan is customized to how you'll use the space.

1 bed · 1 bath · ~500–600 sqft

Convert the garage, add a modest bump-out — the difference is a real living room and a full kitchen. A home, not a converted garage.

Plans + permitting $8,990 fixed
Est. cost to build from $185,000
See it in your backyard Get the study set (PDF) ↓

15-minute Backyard Review · No site visit · No obligation

Why this plan

The case for the Garage Conversion + Small Addition.

This plan converts the standard two-car footprint and adds a modest bump-out — taking the unit from roughly 400 to 500–600 square feet. The addition is what changes how the home lives: the bedroom stays in the converted garage while the new square footage opens into a real living room and full kitchen. It is new construction, so it carries a foundation and a larger permit scope than a straight conversion — and it is the step-up that turns a compact rental into a home someone settles into.

  • ~500–600 sqft total A two-car conversion plus a modest bump-out.
  • Real living room + full kitchen The spaces a straight conversion can’t fit.
  • Lives like a small house A genuine one-bedroom, not a squeezed conversion.
  • Stronger rent & resale Out-earns a straight conversion on both.
  • Ministerial ADU review The existing garage keeps its setbacks.
Customized to you

Your plan, tailored to how you’ll use it.

Every plan here is a starting point. We reshape the layout — rooms, windows, doors, and the privacy between your ADU and the main house — around how you’ll actually live. All of it included in your fixed plan fee.

Garage Conversion + Small Addition — The Rental Layout
Long-term rental

The Rental Layout

The addition is placed to put the entrance and living space on the far side from the main house, windows are set to avoid overlooking, and the kitchen is fully standalone.

Garage Conversion + Small Addition — The Suite Layout
Multigenerational

The Suite Layout

A private entrance with a connecting path, the addition sized for an accessible bathroom and wider clearances, and shared outdoor space between the two homes.

Garage Conversion + Small Addition — The Entertainer Layout
Family · guests · entertaining

The Entertainer Layout

The addition becomes an open living space with a wide slider onto the main-house patio, so the ADU works as an extension of the home for gatherings and overflow guests.

Where do you land? Explore the privacy spectrum →

Floor plan

Garage Conversion + Small Addition — floor plan

Garage Conversion + Small Addition floor plan
Rendered floor plan. The full study set adds dimensions, elevations, and finish specs — request it below.

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Take the Garage Conversion + Small Addition home to think it over.

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Renderings

Inside the Garage Conversion + Small Addition

Garage Conversion + Small Addition — interior living, Los Angeles ADU renderingGarage Conversion + Small Addition — interior bedroom, Los Angeles ADU renderingGarage Conversion + Small Addition — interior kitchen, Los Angeles ADU renderingGarage Conversion + Small Addition — interior bath, Los Angeles ADU rendering
What your plan fee includes

$8,990, fixed — expert in-house design and full permit processing.

  • Floor plans and elevations designed in-house by expert ADU designers
  • Structural engineering and Title 24 energy compliance coordination
  • Your interior and exterior finish selections, specified in the plans
  • Done-for-you permit processing and expediting with your city
  • Unlimited plan-check corrections until your permit is issued
  • A builder-ready set any licensed contractor can price and build
Why the build price is a “from”

Every garage is different.

The plan and the plan fee are fixed. The build starts at $185,000 — the final number depends on what your specific garage is hiding. An on-site assessment gives you a real number, not a guess.

Ceiling height
Code requires 7′0" finished, and you lose 4–6" to floor and ceiling assemblies. Below about 7′6" raw, the roof has to be raised.
Slab & footings
Older garages often have shallow, unreinforced footings that need underpinning, plus leveling and vapor-barrier work on thin slabs.
MEP
Most garages have no plumbing and limited panel capacity; new electrical and plumbing runs can approach new-build cost.
Insulation & Title 24
Garages carry little to no insulation or ventilation, so a full envelope upgrade is required to pass energy code.
Fire separation
Attached garages need one-hour rated assemblies between the ADU and the main house.

Want a real number instead of a guess?

Get a real number for my garage

15-minute Backyard Review · No site visit · No obligation

Questions

Garage Conversion + Small Addition — frequently asked

Why add an addition instead of just converting the garage?
A straight two-car conversion gives you about 400–440 sqft — comfortable, but compact. A modest addition adds the living room and full kitchen that make the unit feel like a small house instead of a converted garage, for far less than building a detached ADU from scratch.
Does the addition change the permitting?
The project stays on the ministerial ADU review path. The existing garage keeps its current setbacks; the new addition must meet the 4-foot side and rear setbacks that apply to new ADU construction, and it carries its own foundation and structural scope — which is why this family carries a higher plan fee and build estimate.
How much does a garage conversion with a small addition cost?
The permit-ready plan set is a fixed $8,990 — higher than a straight conversion because the addition adds structural and foundation design. The build starts at $185,000 with an independent licensed general contractor and is confirmed after an on-site assessment.
Do I need replacement parking if I convert my garage?
No. AB 68 / SB 1211 (effective January 2025) eliminated replacement-parking requirements for garage-to-ADU conversions statewide. You keep your driveway and yard.
What happens to my setbacks?
A legally established existing garage keeps its current location and setbacks, even if it sits under four feet from the property line. That is one of the reasons a conversion is the easiest ADU to permit.
Why is the build price a "from" number instead of a fixed price?
The plan and the plan fee are fixed. The build starts at our published number, but the final price depends on what your specific garage is hiding — its ceiling height, its slab, its wiring. An on-site assessment gives you a real number instead of a guess that balloons later.

Signature Garage Conversions are designed in-house by our expert ADU design team and carry the same curated finishes as our detached Signature Homes. Your plan fee is fixed. Because every garage is different — ceiling height, slab condition, existing wiring — the cost to build is an estimate that starts at the figure shown and is confirmed for your specific garage; it is not a single guaranteed price. Construction is performed by an independent licensed general contractor.

Ready when you are

See what your garage can become.

Book a 15-minute Backyard Review — we'll look at your garage and your lot, and tell you which plan fits.

Visualize My ADU Or call (213) 423-0470

Designed in-house · Transparent pricing · Your choice of builder