ADU models › Garage Conversion
Garage Conversion — 400 sq ft, from $74,000
Your existing garage, rebuilt as a complete living unit with a real kitchen.
The fastest path to a rental unit or a place for family: the shell is already there. We replace the garage door with a framed, insulated wall and windows, bring the slab, walls and ceiling up to residential standards, and build a full kitchen and bathroom inside. Plans and permits are included.
Best for: Lowest entry price; Lots without room for a new structure; Fastest route to rental income.
Floor plans and pricing
- Open studio — studio, 1 bath. The front door opens into the kitchen and living room across the front. The bath and laundry closet open off it on the plumbing wall, and the sleeping area is open to the living room at the back. Base price from $74,000 in Los Angeles ($96,200 Bay Area); move-in ready with flooring and bathroom finishes $78,000. Rooms: Living + kitchen 20×12 ft, Bath 5×8 ft, Laundry / closet 4×8 ft, Sleeping area 11×8 ft.
- One bedroom — 1 bedroom, 1 bath. The front door opens into the living room with the kitchen across the front. The bath, the laundry closet and the 10 by 11 bedroom all open off the living room; the bedroom has two closets. Base price from $74,000 in Los Angeles ($96,200 Bay Area); move-in ready with flooring and bathroom finishes $78,000. Rooms: Living + kitchen 20×9 ft, Bath 5×8 ft, Closet 5×3 ft, Bedroom 10×11 ft, Laundry 5×3 ft, Walk-in closet 5×8 ft.
Prices as of October 2026. Kitchen cabinets and countertops are included in every model; finishes to choose from: White & oak, Sage green, Walnut, Navy & white. Bay Area pricing runs about 30% above Los Angeles for labor, fees and materials.
Add-ons
- Flooring material — Luxury vinyl plank or laminate flooring throughout. Installation labor is already in the base price; this adds the material.
- Bathroom finish package — Tile and bathroom finish materials for each bathroom in the layout you choose. Labor is in the base price.
Included in the base price
Design, engineering and permits
- Architectural plans for the layout you choose, adapted to your lot
- Structural engineering and Title 24 energy calculations
- Permit application, plan check and corrections handled for you
- Inspections scheduled and attended through final sign-off
Structure and shell
- New concrete foundation (garage conversion: existing slab brought to code)
- Framing, roofing, insulation and weather barrier
- Exterior siding or stucco, exterior doors and windows
- Drywall, interior doors, trim and interior paint
Systems
- Electrical wiring, panel connection and recessed lighting
- Plumbing rough-in and fixtures
- Mini-split heating and cooling
- Tankless water heater
Kitchen
- Kitchen cabinets and countertops, included in every model
- Sink, faucet and appliance hookups
- Flooring and bathroom tile installation labor (materials are the two add-ons below)
Priced after the free site visit
- City permit and school fees. Set by your city and school district; paid at cost, we show you the schedule up front.
- Utility connections. Sewer lateral, water line and the electrical run from your main panel depend on distances on your lot.
- Electrical panel upgrade. Needed only when the existing main panel has no capacity for the new unit.
- Solar. California requires solar on most new detached ADUs; sized to the roof you end up with.
- Demolition and site prep. Removing an old structure, trees, concrete or regrading a slope.
- Hillside or soils work. Sloped lots and some soils need a geotechnical report and a deeper foundation.
- Fire sprinklers. Required only when the main house has them.
- Appliances, landscaping and exterior concrete. Chosen with you; many clients supply their own appliances.
Not prefab
These are not prefab or modular boxes. Every model is custom construction: a permanent foundation poured on your lot, walls framed on site, and your city inspecting each stage, the same way the main house was built.
How it works
- Free site visit — We check setbacks, utilities, access and the garage or yard, and confirm your price on the spot.
- Plans and engineering — Your layout is adapted to the lot, engineered and prepared for submittal.
- Permits — We submit, answer plan-check corrections and pull the permit. Time depends on your city.
- Construction — 18 to 24 weeks from the start of construction to final inspection.
- Final inspection and keys — City sign-off, a walkthrough with you, and the certificate of occupancy.
Renderings and floor plans are design concepts; plans are drawn for each lot after a site visit. Prices are published by Oria Builders and cover plans, permit handling, construction and the kitchen; site-specific items are priced after a free site visit.
Other models
- The Studio — 400 sq ft, $160,000
- The 600 — 600 sq ft, $180,000
- The 800 — 800 sq ft, $250,000
- The 1000 — 1,000 sq ft, $330,000
- The 1200 — 1,200 sq ft, $400,000