New Construction & Additions
ADU Construction in Monterey Park, CA
Backyard ADUs built to Monterey Park's ADU standards and California ADU law, from lot review and plans through city permits, utility connections and final inspection.
- Licensed California general contractor
- Plans, engineering & permits handled
- Written, line-item estimates
- One team from design to final inspection
ADU Construction
A Second Home on Your Lot, Built to Last
ADU construction in Monterey Park answers to two sets of rules: California's accessory dwelling unit laws and the city's own ADU ordinance, which is written to work alongside them. We design and build detached, attached and garage-conversion units under one contract, and we check your lot against both before anyone draws a floor plan.
The city allows ADUs of up to 1,200 square feet, with 4-foot rear and interior side setbacks for new construction, and it offers a pre-approved plan program meant to shorten review. For owners of the city's many post-war houses, a backyard unit adds a complete, separate dwelling for family or a long-term tenant without reworking the main home.
What's Included
What Our ADU Builds Include
Lot and utility feasibility
We confirm setbacks, easements, sewer lateral location, electrical panel capacity and equipment access before you commit to a size or a layout.
Custom or pre-approved design
We develop a custom design or help you weigh the city's pre-approved ADU plans, then adapt the site plan, foundation and utility routing to your lot.
Permit submittal and plan check
We prepare the application, respond to corrections and track review until the permit issues, organizing each submittal to avoid extra correction rounds.
Foundation and framing
A slab or raised foundation built to the structural design, then wood framing, sheathing and hold-downs detailed for Southern California's seismic conditions.
Kitchen, bath and utilities
Water, sewer and electrical connections, heating and cooling, and a full kitchen and bathroom, because an ADU must provide complete independent living facilities.
Energy compliance and finishes
Insulation, windows and mechanical equipment that meet Title 24, followed by flooring, cabinetry, tile, fixtures and exterior work through final sign-off.
Is It Right for You?
Is a Backyard ADU Right for Your Property?
You have open rear yard
A detached unit needs room for the building plus 4-foot side and rear setbacks. Level, open yards are simplest; sloped yards need more foundation work.
Family needs a home nearby
An ADU gives parents, adult children or a caregiver their own kitchen, bathroom and entrance while staying a short walk from the main house.
You want long-term rental income
ADUs in Monterey Park can be rented for terms of 30 days or longer, though the unit cannot be sold separately from the primary home.
The garage holds boxes, not cars
An underused garage can become an ADU with less new construction, no new setbacks to meet and no replacement parking required under state law.
Our Process
Our ADU Construction Process
Site review
We visit, measure, and review your survey, utilities and slope, then explain which ADU types fit the lot under state law and Monterey Park's standards, with rough sizing for each.
Design and line-item bid
We finalize a custom or pre-approved design and give you a bid that separates foundation, framing, utilities, finishes and city fees before you sign anything.
Permits
We submit to the Planning Division and Building and Safety, answer plan check comments and coordinate utility requirements, keeping you informed at each round of review.
Construction and inspections
Foundation, framing, plumbing, electrical and mechanical rough-in, insulation and drywall each pass a city inspection before the next stage of work begins, and we schedule every one.
Finishes and final
Cabinets, tile, fixtures, paint and exterior work are completed, then the city performs its final inspection and signs off the permit so the unit can be occupied.
Options Compared
Comparing ADU Types
Each ADU type carries different size limits, setbacks and cost drivers. Here is how they compare under state law and Monterey Park's standards.
| Option | Best For | What to Know |
|---|---|---|
| Detached ADU | Open rear yards and owners who want privacy | Up to 1,200 sq ft and 16 feet tall; needs 4-foot setbacks and its own foundation and utility runs. |
| Attached ADU | Tight yards where the house can extend | Up to 25 feet or the main home's height limit, whichever is lower; adds fire separation and structural tie-in. |
| Garage-conversion ADU | Garages no longer used for parking | Exempt from new setbacks, no replacement parking, and up to 150 sq ft of expansion for ingress and egress. |
| Junior ADU | A small suite inside the existing home | Up to 500 sq ft within the house or attached garage, with an efficiency kitchen; the owner must live on site. |
| Pre-approved plan ADU | Owners who want a simpler review | Base design already checked by the city; site plan, foundation and utilities are still specific to your lot. |
Budget Planning
What Drives ADU Construction Cost
An ADU is a complete house at a smaller scale, so it carries the same core costs: foundation, framing, a kitchen, a bathroom and utilities. We quote each unit line by line after a site visit instead of from a per-square-foot chart, because utility runs and site conditions vary between lots.
Size and impact fees
Units under 750 square feet are exempt from impact fees under state law, which can make a slightly smaller ADU noticeably cheaper to permit.
Utility distance and capacity
Long trenches to the street, sewer lateral upgrades and electrical panel or service upgrades are among the most variable lines in any ADU budget.
Type of construction
Conversions reuse walls, roof and slab; detached units need everything new; attached units add structural tie-in and fire separation work.
Access and slope
Yards reached only through a narrow side yard mean more hand labor, and sloped yards need engineered foundations or retaining walls.
Local Knowledge
ADU Rules That Apply in Monterey Park
Monterey Park lets detached ADUs reach 16 feet and attached units 25 feet. ADU parking is capped at one space per bedroom and waived entirely within a half-mile walk of public transit. An ADU cannot be sold apart from the main house, and rentals must run at least 30 days. Fire sprinklers are not required in an ADU when the primary residence does not need them. The city's pre-approved ADU plans have already been reviewed against local standards, and we can tell you whether one suits your yard or whether a custom design fits better.
Why Choose Us
Why Homeowners Choose Simply Construction for ADU Construction
Permit handling from submittal to sign-off
We prepare the application, respond to plan check comments and schedule inspections through the city's online permit portal, where review status and inspection results are tracked. California requires cities to act on a complete ADU application within 60 days, and a complete, well-organized submittal is what keeps that clock meaningful. You get updates from us instead of calling the permit counter yourself.
Contracts that follow California law
Our ADU contracts are written, as California requires for home improvement work over $500. The down payment is capped at $1,000 or 10 percent of the contract price, whichever is less, and progress payments never run ahead of work performed or materials delivered. On a project of this size, that structure protects your money at every stage, and we follow it on every ADU we build.
Bids built from your actual site
We price the ADU after walking your lot, checking the electrical panel and tracing the sewer route. The bid separates foundation, framing, utilities, finishes and fees, so you can compare, side by side, a unit under the 750-square-foot impact fee threshold against a larger one. As a licensed California general contractor, we carry the project from plans through final inspection and permit sign-off.
Service Area
ADU Construction Across Los Angeles & Ventura Counties
Our ADU construction work extends well beyond Monterey Park. Choose your city for local permitting notes, housing details and planning considerations.
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Related Services
Often Paired With ADU Construction
New Construction & Additions
Garage Conversions
Turn an underused garage into a permitted ADU, suite or living space with real insulation, egress and utilities.
Explore Garage ConversionsRemodeling & More
Junior ADUs (JADU)
Junior ADUs of up to 500 square feet created inside your existing home or attached garage.
Explore Junior ADUsRemodeling & More
SB 9 Lot Splits & Duplexes
Construction of the new units that California's SB 9 allows on qualifying single-family lots.
Explore SB 9 DuplexesWant to know who you would be working with? Read about Simply Construction, see our project gallery, or contact our Monterey Park office.
FAQ
ADU Construction Questions, Answered
How large can an ADU be in Monterey Park?
The city allows attached and detached ADUs up to 1,200 square feet on single-family lots, and state law guarantees at least an 800-square-foot unit with 4-foot side and rear setbacks regardless of local lot coverage or floor area limits. Junior ADUs are capped at 500 square feet.
Do I need to add parking for an ADU?
Often not. Monterey Park limits ADU parking to one space per bedroom and waives it within a half-mile walking distance of public transit. When a garage is converted to an ADU or demolished to make room for one, state law bars the city from requiring the lost spaces to be replaced.
How long does ADU approval take?
State law requires local agencies to act on a complete ADU permit application within 60 days. Correction rounds can extend the overall review, so we aim to submit a complete, coordinated set the first time. Construction length depends on the ADU type, and conversions generally move faster than detached new builds.
Can I sell my ADU separately?
No. Monterey Park does not allow an ADU to be sold or conveyed separately from the primary residence. You can rent it for 30 days or longer. If you want two separately owned homes, an SB 9 urban lot split may be worth exploring, with its own owner-occupancy affidavit and lot size rules.
Are pre-approved ADU plans cheaper?
They can reduce design fees and shorten review, since the city has already checked the base plan against its standards. You still pay for work specific to your property: the site plan, foundation adjustments for your soil, utility connections and construction. We compare a pre-approved plan with a custom design before you choose.
Start Your Project
Ready to Plan Your ADU Construction Project?
Share a few details and we will set up a site visit, review your goals and give you a written, line-item estimate.
Licensed California General Contractor · CSLB [CSLB LICENSE # PLACEHOLDER]