ADU Before & After Gallery in Pasadena | Ellery ADU Studio Pasadena

ADU Before & After in Pasadena, CA

We’ve found that most homeowners in Pasadena can’t picture what’s possible until they see it. These projects show real conditions we walked into, what the drawings and build required, and how each space finished out. Every job here started with a written price under Haven Standard Clause 1 and ended with a documented photo record and a 365-Day Done Right Promise in writing.

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Recent Transformations

Garage Conversion ADU: Leaky 1950s Garage to 420-Square-Foot Studio

Before: detached garage with water-stained drywall, single-pane aluminum windows, and cracked concrete slab in Pasadena — Before: 1950s detached garage, water intrusion at the slab edge, no insulation, aluminum single-pane windows.

After: completed studio ADU with new 9-foot ceiling, mini-split HVAC, full kitchenette, and separate meter in Pasadena — After: permitted studio ADU with 9-foot ceiling, mini-split, full kitchenette, and separate electric meter.

The homeowner on Los Robles Avenue had a garage that stored bikes and collected roof runoff every winter. The slab was 4 inches thick, which is within range for conversion, but the footings stopped 6 inches short of what Pasadena’s 2023 ADU code requires for habitable space. We brought in a structural engineer, specified a 12-inch stem wall retrofit, and designed a 420-square-foot studio with the kitchenette along the north wall to avoid afternoon heat gain. The roof structure stayed, we sistered in LVLs for the new ceiling load, and ran a new 100-amp service with separate meter. Total project ran $142,000-$168,000 all-in, drawings through final inspection. The city inspector passed it on the first visit for framing and final.

New Detached ADU: Backyard Slope and Oak Root Zone

Before: steep backyard slope with mature coast live oak, exposed roots, and no usable flat area in Pasadena hillside neighborhood — Before: 22-degree slope with coast live oak root zone, zero flat buildable area, drainage sheet-flowing toward the main house.

After: 560-square-foot one-bedroom ADU on engineered retaining wall with permeable patio and root-friendly pier foundation in Pasadena — After: 560-square-foot one-bedroom on pier foundation with grade beam, retaining wall, and permeable patio.

This Chapman Woods property had a backyard that looked unbuildable. The coast live oak was protected under Pasadena’s tree preservation ordinance, so conventional slab-on-grade was out. We designed a pier-and-grade-beam foundation that spans the critical root zone, specified an Abodu One unit for the shell to minimize site time, and built a 4-foot engineered retaining wall to create flat patio space. The drainage got regraded with a dry well so water no longer pooled against the main house foundation. The prefab coordination meant 70 percent of the build happened off-site; we handled permits, foundation, utility tie-ins, and finish. Project total: $198,000-$234,000. The oak is still there. The owner now rents it at market rate.

Junior ADU: Interior Conversion of a 1920s Utility Room

Before: cramped utility room with water heater, washer-dryer, and original 1920s plaster in Pasadena bungalow court — Before: 280-square-foot utility room, original knob-and-tube still live in walls, water heater and laundry occupying all usable space.

After: efficient junior ADU with Murphy bed, compact kitchenette, tankless water heater, and stacked laundry in Pasadena — After: permitted Junior ADU with Murphy bed, kitchenette, tankless heater, and stacked washer-dryer in a 6-foot closet.

A bungalow court owner on Mentor Avenue wanted to add a unit without touching the exterior envelope. The utility room had 280 square feet, 8-foot ceilings, and active knob-and-tube wiring behind the plaster. We rewired with AFCI protection throughout, relocated the water heater to a tankless wall unit on the exterior, and designed a Murphy bed system so the space functions as living area by day and bedroom by night. Pasadena requires Junior ADUs to have a separate entrance; we cut a new door into the existing side porch with a small landing and three steps. Because it’s a Junior ADU, no separate meter was required, we submetered the electric instead. All-in cost: $67,000-$84,000. The owner uses it for aging parent housing.

ADU Site Prep & Utilities: Trenching Through Pasadena’s Decomposed Granite

Before: bare backyard with exposed decomposed granite soil, no sewer cleanout visible, and overhead power only in Pasadena — Before: decomposed granite subgrade, no sewer lateral cleanout, overhead power only, gas line terminating at the main house.

After: completed underground utility trench with sewer lateral, water main tap, gas line extension, and electrical conduit stubbed for future ADU in Pasadena — After: underground utility corridor with sewer lateral, water tap, gas extension, and 1.5-inch electrical conduit stubbed for ADU build.

Some homeowners in Linda Vista want to phase the project: utilities first, build later. This property had decomposed granite from 4 feet down, which is stable but miserable to trench by hand. We brought in a compact excavator, located the 1950s clay sewer lateral with a camera first, then trenched a 40-foot run to the planned ADU pad location. The water main was 3/4-inch at the street; we upsized to 1-inch and added a pressure regulator because Pasadena’s static pressure in this zone runs 85 PSI, which will hammer fixtures over time. Gas got extended with TracPipe, electrical conduit went in at 18 inches with a pull string. We backfilled with sand bedding, compacted in lifts, and left the site ready for slab or foundation. Site prep and utilities only: $24,000-$31,000. The owner has a documented photo record of every trench depth and pipe slope, and a stubbed conduit waiting for the ADU contractor, whether that’s us or someone else.

Garage Conversion with Setback Variance: Zero-Lot-Line Challenge in Bungalow Heaven

Before: detached garage built to the property line with no side setback in Pasadena Bungalow Heaven neighborhood — Before: garage wall on the property line, zero side setback, non-conforming under current Pasadena zoning but legally existing.

After: converted ADU with fire-rated exterior wall assembly, egress window on the street-facing facade, and approved variance documentation in Pasadena — After: permitted ADU with 1-hour fire-rated exterior wall, street-side egress window, and recorded variance for zero-lot-line condition.

Bungalow Heaven has a lot of these: garages built to the property line in the 1920s, when nobody cared about side setbacks. Pasadena’s current code requires 4 feet, but the structure is legally existing and non-conforming. We applied for a setback variance, the extra distance the city normally requires between your new ADU and the property line, and demonstrated that the conversion doesn’t increase the building footprint or height. The fire marshal required a 1-hour fire-rated exterior wall assembly, which we built with 5/8-inch Type X drywall on both sides of the studs, fire-taped, and inspected before close-in. The only natural light wall faced the street, so we designed a 5.7-square-foot egress window with tempered glass and a sill at 44 inches per Pasadena’s amended IRC. Variance approval took 6 weeks, the build took 10. Total: $128,000-$156,000. The variance is recorded on title, so the next owner knows exactly what was approved and when.

Prefab Coordination: Dvele Unit on Hillside with Access Issues

Before: narrow driveway with 14-foot width, low oak canopy, and 8-foot side yard gate in Pasadena hillside — Before: 14-foot driveway, oak canopy at 11 feet, side yard gate at 8 feet, crane access limited by neighbor’s garage roofline.

After: installed Dvele S600 module on engineered foundation with utilities connected and finished patio in Pasadena — After: Dvele S600 module set and finished, utilities tied in, 200-square-foot permeable patio installed.

The homeowner wanted a Dvele unit for the speed and the net-zero-ready shell. The problem was access. The module is 12 feet wide on the truck, and the driveway had a 90-degree turn under an oak canopy. We hired a route survey with a pole truck, confirmed the crane could boom over the neighbor’s garage from the street, and specified a modular set that required only one day of street closure with Pasadena DOT. The Dvele arrived with windows, finishes, and MEP rough-in complete; our scope was foundation, set, utility tie-in, and patio. We specified a stepped pier foundation because the hillside grade dropped 18 inches across the module width. The homeowner got a net-zero-ready shell, we handled the local complexity. Project total: $214,000-$267,000 depending on finish selections. The module warranty runs through Dvele, the foundation and utility work runs through us, and it’s all under one contract with one written price.

Want Results Like These?

Two professionals reviewing ADU floor plans and construction documents — Want Results Like These?

Every project here started with a site walk and a written price before any work began. If you already have an estimate in hand, we’ll give you a free second opinion. Call (626) 427-9813 to schedule your free estimate. A live person answers, and you’ll receive a documented photo record on every visit, plus our 365-Day Done Right Promise in writing.

Written by Nadia Ellery, Owner at Ellery ADU Studio Pasadena, serving Pasadena since 2015.

Before & After Gallery - Ellery ADU Studio Pasadena