01
Detached backyard ADU
A separate home gives the occupants more independence, but it also brings the whole yard into the job. Check access, utilities, setbacks, open space, and the relationship to the main house.
Local residential construction team · Anaheim, California
Your Anaheim ADU contractor—built around your property.
We help Anaheim homeowners build detached ADUs, garage conversions, attached units, and JADUs. Before we price the job, we walk the property, study the utility routes, and list the work the proposal needs to cover.
10+ years residential construction experience
Who we help
Anaheim homeowners considering a detached ADU, attached addition, garage conversion, or JADU.
What we do
Property review, construction planning, permit coordination, written scope, field work, inspections, and handoff.
Compare the four project types
Each ADU option changes the work.
Look at the home, the work area, and who will use the new space before choosing an ADU type. Those facts usually rule options in or out.
02
Attached addition
New living area joined to the primary home. Existing structure, roof tie-ins, privacy, and utility routing shape the scope before the floor plan is finalized.
03
Garage conversion
An existing shell can reduce ground-up work, but it still needs a real review of slab, ceiling height, waterproofing, fire separation, utilities, and legal parking conditions.
04
Junior ADU
A compact unit created within the home’s existing space. JADUs follow a distinct path, including owner-occupancy and recorded covenant considerations that should be understood early.
Anaheim-specific review paths
Match the City path to the property.
Anaheim offers more than one route. The address, design, and current eligibility rules determine which one belongs in the project plan.
Open the City’s ADU hub ↗Path A · Custom
Standard review
For a site-specific design or a proposal that does not use an expedited path. The package must respond to both the building design and the property conditions.
Read the official submittal checklist ↗Path B · Catalogue
City pre-approved plans
Catalogue plans can reduce building-plan design work. They do not pre-approve the lot: placement, utilities, access, site plan, and current City requirements still matter.
View the City catalogue ↗Path C · Eligible projects
ADU Express
An expedited process for projects meeting Anaheim’s current eligibility criteria. Verify the latest qualifications before organizing a submission around this route.
Check ADU Express eligibility ↗From site visit to proposal
Answer the expensive questions early.
Property facts, the City route, and the written work list should agree before construction begins. That reduces redraws and makes contractor proposals easier to compare.
- 01
Read the property
Map the existing structures, access, grade, utilities, likely setbacks, easements, and the areas the household still needs to use.
- 02
Choose a City path
Compare standard review, a pre-approved catalogue design, and ADU Express against the actual site and proposed use.
- 03
Define the buildable scope
Align drawings, utility assumptions, finishes, exclusions, and proposal milestones before committing to construction.
Anaheim before-submittal check
Four items that can change the drawing set.
Confirm applicability and current instructions directly with the City and serving utilities. The official checklist controls—not this summary.
- 01Sewer capacity verification
Identify the required verification and the proposed point of connection before treating a utility route as settled.
- 02Electrical meter spot, where applicable
Coordinate the location and service approach early enough to reflect clearances and routing in the site plan.
- 03New address request
Plan for the City’s addressing step and keep the assigned address consistent across the submittal documents.
- 04JADU covenant
If a JADU is proposed, understand the recorded covenant and owner-occupancy implications before selecting that project type.
Primary-source checkpoint
Anaheim ADU Submittal Requirements Checklist ↗Anaheim ADU Frequently Asked Questions ↗“A useful proposal makes unknowns visible before they become change orders.”
Scope and proposal guidance
Compare the work, not just the total.
An early ADU proposal should separate confirmed scope from allowances and unresolved conditions. Look for clarity on plan coordination, utility work, site access, finish level, owner selections, agency fees, and exclusions.
- Which site and utility assumptions support the number?
- Which design, engineering, permit, and agency tasks are included?
- What remains an allowance, option, or owner responsibility?
- What milestone must be reached before price or schedule can be refined?
Questions we hear from homeowners
Anaheim ADU FAQ
Rules and processes change. These answers were reviewed September 5, 2026 and should be checked against the current City pages and California HCD guidance.
Read the California HCD ADU Handbook ↗Does a pre-approved Anaheim plan mean my property is approved?
No. The City’s catalogue can streamline review of the building design, but your lot, placement, utilities, fire access, and other site conditions still require project-specific review. Confirm current catalogue and submittal rules with Anaheim staff.
What is ADU Express?
Anaheim describes ADU Express as an expedited pathway for eligible projects. Eligibility is not automatic. The project must fit the City’s current criteria and still needs the required documents and reviews.
Should I choose a design before checking utilities?
Usually, no. Sewer route and capacity, electrical service, water, access, and site constraints can materially change a promising layout. A coordinated feasibility pass gives the design a more dependable starting point.
Can you promise a permit date or construction price from this page?
No. Permit timing and construction cost depend on property facts, selected scope, plan completeness, agency review, and market conditions. A responsible proposal identifies assumptions and exclusions instead of presenting a generic online number as a guarantee.
Your next useful step
Bring the property into the conversation.
Call with the Anaheim address, intended project type, who will use the space, and what you already know about access and utilities. Use the private planner if you want to organize those notes first.
Prepare for an estimateReview Anaheim service areas · Meet the team approach · Contact