ADU Before & After in Anaheim, CA
We’ve completed over 900 ADU projects since 2015, and every one started with a problem someone was living with - a garage full of boxes, a backyard going unused, a family member needing a door of their own. These before-and-after stories show what a single contract, one written price, and a crew that documents every visit can actually produce in Anaheim.
Recent Transformations
Garage Conversion ADU - The Colony: From Storage Dump to 480-Square-Foot Rental
The homeowner had parked in the driveway for six years. The garage held holiday decorations, a broken treadmill, and a slab with enough slope that rainwater pooled against the back wall. We measured the existing 4-inch slab, found it within tolerance for a conversion with a floating floor system, and produced a permit set that treated the garage as an existing footprint under Anaheim’s reduced setback rules for conversions. Under Haven Standard Clause 1, we quoted $142,000-$168,000 all-in - drawings through final inspection - before any work started. The photo record from our first site visit shows the water staining; the record from our last shows the certificate of occupancy taped to the new front door. The unit now rents for $1,950 per month, and the owner has the permit set, the photo record, and the 365-Day Done Right Promise in writing.
New Detached ADU - Anaheim Hills: Backyard Slope Becomes Two-Bedroom Cottage
Anaheim Hills lots often drop off faster than people expect, and this backyard had a 12-foot grade change that made the space basically unusable. The city required a geotechnical report and an engineered retaining wall - not optional extras, but permit conditions we identified during the feasibility study. We brought in a grading contractor under our single contract, built the pad, and set a Plant Prefab system that we specified and coordinated as part of the same written scope. The homeowner received the permit set, the geotech report, the photo record showing each retaining wall pour, and the final inspection sign-off. Total project: $284,000-$312,000, locked at signing under Clause 5 (No Surprises). No one pointed at another contractor when the slope got complicated.
Junior ADU & Interior Conversion - West Anaheim: Single-Family Wall Becomes Two Households
The owner’s mother needed to move in, but neither of them wanted the tension of shared space without boundaries. A Junior ADU - a conversion within the existing walls, under 500 square feet, with an efficiency kitchen - fit the relationship better than a full addition. We identified the load-bearing wall between the original kitchen and the side laundry room, engineered the opening, and ran a separate electrical meter and gas line so the utility split was clean. The JADU qualified for Anaheim’s expedited plan check under state law, and we had the permit in 22 days. Written price before work: $89,000-$106,000. The photo record shows the wall before we cut it, the beam during installation, and the final inspection sticker. The owner has the permit set, the utility separation diagram, and the warranty.
ADU Site Prep & Utilities - Platinum Triangle: Tuff Shed Shell to Finished Studio
The homeowner bought a Tuff Shed shell thinking the hard part was over. It sat on a dirt pad for eight months while they tried to find a contractor who would handle just the connection work - sewer lateral to the main, electrical service upgrade, gas line stub - without demanding to redo the shell. We took the project under our Site Prep & Utilities scope, specified the Tuff Shed as the existing structure, and built the infrastructure around it. The Anaheim Public Works sewer lateral permit required a 4-inch PVC run with a cleanout at the property line; we pulled that permit, passed the air test, and documented each stage. The photo record shows the trench before backfill, the panel before the meter, and the final walk-through. Written price for site prep and utility connection: $67,000-$79,000. The shell became a permitted ADU because the infrastructure was done to code, documented, and inspected.
Garage Conversion ADU - Southeast Anaheim: 1950s Garage with Zero Insulation
Southeast Anaheim has pockets of postwar housing stock that predate every current energy code, and this garage had block walls with no insulation, asbestos-cement siding, and a door that barely closed. We brought in an asbestos abatement contractor under our contract, stripped the siding, insulated the block with rigid foam and a new stucco system, and brought the whole assembly up to Title 24. The permit set included a HERS rating and a CF-1R form - the energy compliance documentation Anaheim requires before they’ll issue a certificate of occupancy. We quoted $156,000-$184,000 before any demolition started, and the photo record shows the asbestos wrap, the bare block, the foam application, and the final stucco color coat. The owner received the permit set, the HERS certificate, the photo record, and the 365-Day Done Right Promise in writing.
New Detached ADU - Anaheim Resort Area: Prefab Abodu Unit for Extended Family
The Anaheim Resort Area has tight lots, mature trees the city protects, and alley access that can simplify or complicate utility runs depending on where you start. This homeowner wanted a detached unit for a sibling returning from out of state, and we specified an Abodu One - a prefab studio we coordinate under our single contract, not a separate purchase the homeowner manages. We surveyed the oak’s drip line, positioned the unit outside the protected radius, and ran sewer and electrical from the alley rather than disturbing the front yard. The prefab delivery required a crane permit and a street closure - both pulled by our team, not left to the homeowner to figure out. Written price: $198,000-$224,000 including the Abodu unit, transport, crane, foundation, connection, and finish. The photo record shows the tree survey, the crane placement, the set, and the final walk-through. The owner has the permit set, the crane permit, the photo record, and the warranty documentation.
Want Results Like These?
Every project here started with a free estimate and a written price before any work began - that’s Haven Standard Clause 1, and it’s how we operate on every ADU in Anaheim. Whether you’re looking at a garage conversion, a new detached unit, a Junior ADU, or site prep for a prefab system you already own, we’ll tell you what it costs, what you’ll receive, and what happens if something’s not right. Call (657) 366-5740 to schedule your free estimate. If you already have a written estimate from another contractor, we’ll give you a free second opinion - no obligation, no pressure.
Written by Nadia Ellery, Owner at Ellery ADU Studio Anaheim, serving Anaheim since 2015.