Culver City 2-Bed Detached ADU
A two-story 750 sq ft two-bedroom ADU built in a compact Culver City rear yard — preserving outdoor space for the main house while maximizing rental income in one of LA's strongest ADU markets.
All-inclusive project cost covering design, engineering, permitting, construction, and certificate of occupancy.
Challenge, Solution, and Result
Maximum Unit Size on a Compact Lot
The homeowners' goal was clear: maximize rental income with a two-bedroom unit. The challenge was fitting a 750 sq ft structure into a rear yard that also needed to remain usable for the primary residence — a constraint complicated by Culver City's setback requirements and the homeowners' desire to preserve at least a small private garden adjacent to the main house. A single-story 750 sq ft footprint would have consumed virtually the entire rear yard, requiring either a smaller unit or a two-story approach. Two-story ADUs introduce their own complexity: heightened structural requirements, more involved permitting, and neighbor notification obligations under certain Culver City conditions.
Compact Two-Story Footprint — 375 Sq Ft Per Floor
We recommended a two-story design from the outset — 375 sq ft per floor — which reduced the ground footprint by roughly 45% compared to a single-story configuration. This preserved a meaningful garden area for the main house while delivering every square foot of the target program. The structural design used engineered wood framing with a moment-frame system at the ground level, which eliminated the need for shear walls that would have compromised the open-plan ground-floor layout. Culver City's planning department approved the two-story design without requiring discretionary review, as the building height remained within the city's standard 16-foot ADU height limit by using a low-slope roofline. Neighbor notification proceeded without objection.
Renting at $4,200/Month — 19% Gross Annual Yield
The finished two-bedroom ADU is a genuinely premium rental unit. Ground floor contains an open kitchen, dining, and living area with concrete-look tile floors and 10-foot ceilings. The upper floor has two bedrooms — both with western exposure for natural light — sharing a full bath with double vanity. A private rooftop deck accessible from the second floor is the feature most frequently cited by prospective tenants. The homeowners leased to an Amazon MGM Studios couple at $4,200/month on a 24-month lease. Annual gross rental income of $50,400 represents a 18.8% gross yield on construction cost and is projected to fully recover the investment within 6 years including management costs.
Build Highlights
The specific decisions, solutions, and features that defined this project.
Phase-by-Phase Breakdown
From initial design through certificate of occupancy — every phase, every duration.
Design & Architecture
5 weeksTwo-story feasibility study, structural concept with moment-frame system, Culver City height limit compliance review, neighbor notification package, and full architectural and structural drawing set.
Permitting
12 weeksCulver City Community Development plan check — two-story structures receive standard review (not discretionary). Neighbor notification completed without objection. One correction round for structural drawing clarification. All permits issued at 12 weeks.
Construction
18 weeksEngineered foundation, moment-frame ground-floor framing, second-floor assembly, rooftop deck structure, full mechanical rough-in, insulation, drywall, large-format tile, kitchen and bath, painted exterior, and rooftop deck decking and railing.
Final Inspection & Occupancy
1 weekCulver City final inspection — passed first visit. Certificate of occupancy issued. Unit leased within 8 days at asking rent.
Project Cost: $268,000
All-inclusive — covering architectural design, engineering, permitting, full construction, and certificate of occupancy. No surprises, no change order culture.
- Architectural design and engineering
- All permit fees and city approval management
- Full construction — foundation through finish
- Final inspection and certificate of occupancy
- LocationCulver City
- Project Cost$268,000
- Monthly Rent$4,200/mo
- Timeline9.5 months
Build Something Like This on Your Property
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Services Behind This Project
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Custom ADU plans and architectural design tailored to your property and Los Angeles zoning requirements — from initial concept to permit-ready drawings.
ADU Permits & Approvals
We manage the full ADU permitting process across Los Angeles and LA County — plan check, corrections, and final approval handled end to end.
Detached ADU Construction
New-construction detached ADUs in Los Angeles — from foundation to certificate of occupancy. Full-service design, permitting, and construction under one contract.
Related City Guide, ADU Model & Projects
Dig deeper into the location, the model used in this build, and other completed projects from our portfolio.
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