Burbank Remodeling Contractor builds junior accessory dwelling units and in-law suites inside existing Burbank homes. A JADU is a specific legal category: no more than 500 square feet, carved out of the existing walls of a single-family house, with its own exterior entrance and an efficiency kitchen. An in-law suite is the looser version, a private bedroom, bathroom and sitting area that may or may not have its own kitchen.
Both solve the same problem. Someone in the family needs their own space and their own door, and building a whole new structure in the back yard is either not possible on the lot or not worth the money. Call (747) 330-0305 and we will look at whether your floor plan can give up a corner.
JADU Versus In-Law Suite: Which One You Actually Need
The distinction matters legally and financially. A permitted JADU is a recognized dwelling unit, which affects how the property is appraised and what you can legally rent. An in-law suite without a kitchen is just bedrooms and a bath, which is simpler and cheaper to permit but is not a separate unit in the eyes of the city.
If the goal is housing a family member with dignity and privacy, an in-law suite frequently does the job at half the cost and complexity. If the goal is rental income or maximizing the property's legal unit count, the JADU is the one to build. We ask what you are solving for before we draw anything.
What Goes Into a Junior ADU Conversion
The Separate Exterior Entrance
Required for a JADU and the change most owners underestimate. It usually means cutting a new door opening through an exterior wall, adding a header, and building a path, landing and lighting that meets code.
The Efficiency Kitchen
A JADU needs cooking facilities, a sink and food prep counter, plus the electrical and plumbing to support them. Running water supply and a waste line to an interior corner of the house is often the most disruptive part of the whole job.
Interior Separation and Sound
A wall between the unit and the main house, ideally with real acoustic treatment: staggered or resilient framing, insulation in the cavity and sealed penetrations. People underestimate how much of a shared-house arrangement succeeds or fails on sound.
The Bathroom
A JADU can share a bathroom with the main house under state rules, but almost nobody wants that. Building a dedicated bathroom is the usual choice and the plumbing route determines where in the floor plan the unit can go.
Designing an In-Law Suite for Someone Who Is Aging
Most in-law suites in Burbank get built for a parent moving in, and the ones that work are designed for the person they will be in ten years rather than the person they are today. That means a curbless shower, blocking in the walls for grab bars whether or not they go in now, door openings wide enough for a walker, lever handles, and lighting that is bright enough for older eyes at the transitions.
None of that reads as institutional if it is designed in from the start. It is far cheaper to frame it correctly once than to tear out a finished bathroom in five years.
Build the suite on the ground floor with a level path from a parking spot to the door. It is the detail that decides whether the space still works after a hip replacement.
Cost and Timeline for a JADU or In-Law Suite in Burbank
Because the work happens inside an existing envelope, these projects are considerably less expensive than ground-up construction. Most Burbank JADU conversions run in the range of a substantial interior remodel, and cost is driven almost entirely by how far plumbing has to travel and whether a new exterior entrance is required.
Design and permitting typically take two to three months. Construction usually runs two to four months. Because the work is inside the house, the family generally stays in place, with a disruptive stretch during demolition and the plumbing rough.
Talk to a Burbank general contractor about your project
Tell us what you have in mind and we will give you a straight answer on scope, permits, timeline and price.
Call (747) 330-0305Frequently asked questions
Can I build a JADU and a detached ADU on the same Burbank lot?
Under state law, single-family properties can generally have both a JADU inside the existing house and one ADU, subject to local standards. That combination is one of the more effective ways to add legal units to a Burbank property. We verify the specific allowances against your parcel before design.
Does a JADU need its own utilities?
No. State law specifically prohibits cities from requiring separate utility connections or connection fees for a JADU, which is a large part of why they are so much cheaper than a full ADU. The unit runs off the house's existing water, sewer and electrical service.
Will this add value to my house?
A permitted unit with its own entrance and kitchen generally does, both for appraisal and for the pool of buyers it appeals to. The word that matters is permitted. A bedroom with a hot plate and a side door does nothing for an appraisal and can complicate a sale.
Can the suite be closed off from the main house completely?
Yes, and most clients want the option to go either way. We typically build a lockable connecting door plus the separate exterior entrance, so the space can function as part of the house while a family member lives there and as a fully independent unit later.