ADU Before & After in Irvine, CA
Photos beat promises. Every project here started with a site visit, a written price, and a permit strategy - then ended with a documented photo record and a passed inspection. We’re showing the real math behind ADU work in Irvine: what the property looked like, what the city required, and what the finished unit delivers.
Recent Transformations
Garage Conversion ADU - Woodbridge, Irvine
The homeowner in Woodbridge had a standard two-car garage collecting storage bins and a 2008 treadmill. The slab was 4 inches - within range for conversion, so we didn’t need a foundation line item. The real issue was the 5-foot side setback; the garage sat right on the property line, which triggered a fire-rating requirement on the east wall. We specified Type X drywall on that assembly, ran the calcs, and got the plan check passed on first round. Under Clause 5 (No Surprises), the scope was locked at signing: no door-side upsells when the inspector flagged the wall. The client received the full permit set, a photo record from every visit, and a written 365-Day Done Right Promise. The unit now rents at market rate in the Woodbridge rental pool.
New Detached ADU - Northwood, Irvine
This Northwood lot had a drainage problem that would have rotted any new foundation. We found water pooling within 8 feet of the main house footings during the site walk - not unusual for Northwood’s clay-heavy soil after winter rains. Our site prep line item included regrading, a French drain to the curb, and a 6-inch raised stem wall on the ADU. We specified James Hardie siding for the fire-resistant exterior assembly the city wanted, and coordinated the prefab shell delivery to avoid crane placement over the mature avocado tree the client wouldn’t sacrifice. The documented photo record shows the drainage work, the crane path, and the final grade. The unit passed final inspection in March; the client has a signed lease starting next month.
Junior ADU & Interior Conversion - University Park, Irvine
University Park’s owner-occupancy requirement for JADUs means the main house must remain the owner’s primary residence - we noted that on the first site visit so the client understood the covenant before spending anything on drawings. The existing den already had a bathroom and a separate door, two of the three JADU requirements under state law. We added the kitchenette, separated the electrical with a sub-meter (not a full meter, which saved $1,800), and specified a 45 STC door assembly between the units for privacy. The city wanted proof the kitchenette didn’t share a wall with the main kitchen; we provided the dimensioned plan and got the comment cleared. The photo record shows every rough-in, every insulation batt, and the final door label. The client uses the unit for her mother and has the documentation if the city ever audits compliance.
Garage Conversion ADU - Turtle Rock, Irvine
Turtle Rock’s hillside lots often come with weird bonuses - this one had a plumbing rough-in from a 2007 pool house permit that never got built. We verified the line was still live and capped correctly, then designed the kitchen around it to avoid trenching new sewer. The 12-foot ceiling height was unusual for a garage; rather than drop it, we kept the volume and added clerestory windows on the south wall for daylighting without sacrificing privacy from the uphill neighbor. The city plan checker had one comment: prove the existing footing could handle the new window loads. We pulled the original 1984 structural calcs from Irvine’s archive, showed the correlation, and got the approval. The finished unit has a written price that held, a photo record from 14 site visits, and a tenant who moved in last Tuesday.
New Detached ADU - Westpark, Irvine
Westpark’s HOA doesn’t make ADUs easy, but they don’t ban them either - they require design review for any visible accessory structure. We specified the Abodu One system because its roof pitch and cladding options could match the existing Mediterranean-style house without custom millwork. The 8-foot utility easement along the north property line meant we couldn’t place the unit there; we shifted it to the rear corner, confirmed the setback with a surveyor, and got the HOA’s written approval before permit submittal. The prefab delivery required a 40-foot crane swing radius; we documented the tree protection plan and the crane mat placement in the photo record. Under Clause 1, the written price included the Abodu unit, the crane, the HOA submission, and the survey - nothing was “extra” when the crane showed up. The client has a signed lease and the HOA’s final sign-off in their file.
ADU Site Prep & Utilities - Orchard Hills, Irvine
Orchard Hills lots are beautiful and expensive to build on. This 15% grade would have sent any foundation sliding toward the canyon without an engineered retaining wall - we brought in a geotech report as the first line item, not after the city asked for it. The existing electrical panel was 200 amps and maxed out with the main house’s pool equipment; we specified a 400-amp upgrade with dual meters so the future ADU wouldn’t share a bill with the main house. The sewer lateral had to extend 80 feet uphill to reach the street - not cheap, but we priced it in writing before any trenching started. The client is holding the pad for now, planning the ADU build for 2026. They have the full photo record, the passed rough inspections for utilities, and a written price for the next phase whenever they’re ready. That’s the Haven Standard: lock the scope, document everything, and don’t make them restart the relationship for phase two.
Want Results Like These?
Every project here started with a free estimate and a written price before any work began. Call (657) 233-9738 to schedule your site visit in Irvine. We’ll walk the property, flag the real constraints, and give you a line-item quote you can compare - or bring us a written estimate already in hand for a free second opinion.
Written by Nadia Ellery, Owner at Ellery ADU Studio Irvine, serving Irvine since 2015.