ADU Architect in Glendale
An ADU architect in Glendale has to fit a small building onto a small lot, often on a slope and often in a fire zone, and get it through plan check without a hearing. Verdugo Studio designs detached ADUs, garage conversions and junior ADUs for Glendale homeowners who want a unit that looks like it belongs, not a prefab box.
Who this is for
Glendale homeowners planning a rental unit, a home for a parent or adult child, or a home office they can later rent out.
Types of ADU we design
- Detached new ADUs up to the size the city allows for your lot, with the unit placed for light, privacy and the least excavation.
- Garage conversions, including raising the roof, adding a bathroom and bringing an old slab up to code.
- Attached ADUs and junior ADUs carved from an existing house, with a separate entry and a kitchenette.
- Two-story ADUs where the lot and setbacks support one.
What Glendale requires
Glendale reviews conforming ADUs ministerially, which means no public hearing and a decision within the state's 60-day window once the application is complete. Size, height and setback limits depend on your lot and zone, and detached units above a certain size run into floor-area and lot-coverage limits. Many Glendale lots north of the 134 sit in a Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone, which changes the roof, vents, windows and deck materials. We confirm all of this at the site visit before you pay for design.
What you get
A complete permit set: site plan, floor plan, elevations, sections, structural engineering, Title 24 energy compliance and the details the city's plan checkers ask for. We handle the submittal, respond to comments and coordinate with your contractor through construction.
Cost and timeline
Design and permits for a detached ADU typically take four to six months. Construction runs six to ten months. Architectural fees are quoted as a fixed fee after the site visit, and we can give you a construction cost range from recent Glendale ADU bids so the budget is real before drawings start.
Questions about this work
How big can an ADU be in Glendale?
Most lots can build a detached ADU of at least 800 square feet regardless of lot coverage. Larger units, up to the city's maximum, depend on your lot size and zone. We confirm your lot's limit before designing.
Can I build an ADU on a hillside lot?
Usually, yes. Slope affects foundation cost and access, and lots in the fire zone have stricter materials requirements. The Adams Hill ADU on this site is one example.
Do I need a hearing for an ADU?
No. ADUs that meet the city's standards are approved ministerially by staff.
Related work
All projectsStart with a site visit.
A site visit is the first step. We walk the property, tell you what the lot allows, and give you a cost range before you commit to a fee.
Not sure the lot is buildable? Ask about a site feasibility review.