Frequently Asked Questions

Most Pasadena ADUs take 12 to 18 months from first meeting to final inspection. Design and permit drawings run 3-4 months, Pasadena's plan check averages 2-3 months, and construction spans 6-9 months depending on weather, trade availability, and inspection scheduling. Projects in the hillside zone or near historic districts add time for additional reviews. We provide a written timeline with your quote, updated monthly with photos and milestone status.

We walk your property, measure setbacks and utilities, discuss your goals and budget, and identify obvious constraints like oak tree protection zones or steep grades. Within a week, you receive a written feasibility summary with rough square footage, placement options, and a price range. There is no charge for this visit. Call (626) 427-9813 to schedule with Nadia Ellery's team.

We handle everything. Ellery ADU Studio is a design-build studio, not a general contractor. The drawings, the permit set, and the construction are one contract with one price. The ADU projects that go wrong are almost always the ones where the designer and builder can each blame the other. Our drafters work in-house, our permit expediters know Pasadena's planning counter by name, and our crews build from our own drawings. One call, one contract, one accountable party.

Probably. California state law overrides most local prohibitions, but Pasadena still enforces setbacks, height limits, parking requirements, and design review in certain zones. Lots in the historic districts near Old Pasadena or Bungalow Heaven face additional scrutiny. We research your parcel's zoning, general plan designation, and any overlay districts before we quote. Call (626) 427-9813 with your address and we'll pull the relevant codes within 48 hours.

Yes, in nearly all cases. We build detached ADUs as separate structures, so the main house remains fully occupied. Utility tie-ins require brief water or power interruptions, typically scheduled with 48 hours notice. For attached ADUs or garage conversions, we sequence work to maintain habitability, sealing off construction zones with dust barriers and separate entrances where possible. We photograph daily progress so you can monitor without walking the site.

James Hardie fiber cement siding performs exceptionally well in Pasadena's hot, dry summers and occasional winter rains. It does not warp in the sun like wood, it resists the termite pressure we see near the Arroyo Seco, and it carries a 30-year product warranty. We also specify it because Pasadena's design review staff recognizes its fire rating, which matters in the wildland-urban interface zones near the San Gabriel Mountains. Other materials are available, but Hardie is our default specification.

We offer both. Prefabricated options from Abodu, Cover, and Dvele work well on flat lots with good crane access, typically cutting 2-3 months off the construction timeline. Site-built construction suits irregular lots, custom designs, or properties where a crane cannot reach. During our first meeting, we evaluate your access and discuss which approach fits your timeline and budget. Both carry the same written warranty and The Haven Standard documentation.

We typically specify composition shingles with a Class A fire rating, matching the material palette of surrounding homes in Pasadena, Altadena, and La Canada Flintridge. Where the main house has clay tile or standing seam metal, we match or complement that material for design review compatibility. Flat roof sections, common on modern ADU designs, get TPO or modified bitumen with proper drainage scuppers. Every roof specification is noted in the permit drawings and written quote.

Yes. Every pro working under our name in Pasadena is required to hold the California contractor license and insurance that state law requires. Nadia Ellery's local team operates under those requirements, with license numbers documented in your contract. We do not claim to be state-licensed ourselves; we require it of every individual who sets foot on your property, and we verify those credentials before they do.

Every contractor on our Pasadena projects carries general liability and workers compensation coverage as required by California law. We also require named additional insured status on policies for projects over certain thresholds. Before work begins, you receive certificates of insurance for every trade on your job. This is standard practice, not a favor, and we document it under Clause 3 of The Haven Standard.

We pull all permits as the contractor of record. This includes building, electrical, plumbing, mechanical, and any Pasadena-specific clearances like oak tree permits or hillside grading approvals. Homeowners who pull their own permits become the responsible party for code compliance, which we do not recommend. Our permit expeditor submits complete packages, tracks plan check comments, and schedules inspections. You receive copies of every permit and approved correction letter for your records.

Pasadena typically requires foundation, framing, insulation, electrical, plumbing, mechanical, and final inspections, with additional reviews for fire sprinklers in certain zones. Hillside projects add geological and drainage inspections. We schedule inspections, meet the inspector on site, and address any corrections before the next trade begins. You receive photos of each passed inspection and the signed green tag in your project file.

Call (626) 427-9813 during our business hours: Monday through Sunday, 7:30 AM to 7:30 PM. Our warranty covers workmanship defects for the period specified in your contract, and we maintain records of every material specification and installation photo so we can diagnose issues without guesswork. For urgent matters like plumbing leaks or electrical faults, we prioritize same-week response. Our documentation system means we know exactly what was installed and can source matching materials without delay.

Every Pasadena project has a dedicated project manager reachable by text or phone during business hours, Monday through Sunday, 7:30 AM to 7:30 PM. We send weekly photo updates with milestone status, and we flag decisions requiring your input before they become delays. Clause 2 of The Haven Standard requires a real window, a named contact, and notice when we're on the way. You are not calling a dispatch center; you reach the coordinator who knows your job.

We revise and resubmit at no additional design fee. Plan check comments are normal, especially on first ADU submissions in Pasadena's complex zoning environment. Our drafters have worked with Pasadena planners since 2015 and anticipate most common objections before submission. If a fundamental issue emerges, we present options with revised pricing before proceeding. The written quote includes a permit submittal allowance that covers typical rounds of correction.

Every ADU carries a written workmanship warranty, with material warranties passing through from manufacturers like James Hardie, Abodu, Cover, or Dvele. The exact term and coverage are itemized in your contract before work begins, under Clause 1 of The Haven Standard. We warranty what we built, manufacturers warranty what they made, and we document both so there is no confusion about who to call. You receive warranty registrations and contact information at final walkthrough.

The Haven Standard is the documentation and accountability system that governs every Ellery ADU Studio project. Its five clauses are: 1) Have it in writing - flat price, written scope, written warranty before anyone starts; 2) Arrive on schedule - a real window, a named tech, a text when they are on the way; 3) Verified crews - licensed, insured, background-checked, with license numbers on the page; 4) Evidence on every job - photos and readings of what we actually found; 5) No surprises - no door upsell, no scope creep, no "while we are in here." Every Pasadena project follows this standard.

No, unless you approve a written change order. Clause 1 fixes the price when you sign. Clause 5 prohibits scope creep. If we encounter conditions we could not reasonably have discovered, such as unmapped utility lines or undocumented septic systems, we document with photos, explain the finding, and write a fixed-price change order before any additional work. You are never billed for "extras" you did not approve in writing.

You receive a complete project file: final permit drawings with as-built corrections, all passed inspection records, material specifications and warranty registrations, photos of key construction phases, and a final walkthrough checklist signed by you and Nadia Ellery's team. This documentation protects your resale value, simplifies future repairs, and proves code compliance. We maintain backup copies in our system as well.

Written by Nadia Ellery, Owner at Ellery ADU Studio Pasadena, serving Pasadena, Alhambra, Glendale, Arcadia, Temple City, Rosemead, Monterey Park, El Monte, East Los Angeles, Los Feliz, Burbank, and North Hollywood since 2015.