ADU Before & After in Torrance, CA
We’ve designed, permitted, and built over 900 ADUs since 2015. Photos don’t lie about slab conditions, roof lines, or whether the final square footage matches the permit set. Here’s what actually changed on real Torrance properties.
Recent Transformations
Garage Conversion ADU - Southwood, Torrance
The Southwood homeowner needed rental income without losing yard space. The existing slab was 3 inches - an inch shy for habitable space under Torrance’s adopted CBC. We cut, trenched, and poured a 4-inch floating slab extension tied to the original with rebar dowels, not a full replacement. That saved $8,400 off a full demo-and-repour. We relocated the water heater to a new exterior closet per Torrance Fire Department clearance rules. The permit set included a Title 24 compliance report; the city passed inspection on first walkthrough. The ADU rents at $2,150 now. Under Haven Standard Clause 1, the written price was $147,000 before we pulled the first permit.
New Detached ADU - Walteria, Torrance
Walteria’s clay-heavy soil and that ficus root system made a standard slab a bad bet. We specified a pier-and-grade-beam foundation - 12 piers to 18 inches, engineered for lateral load in Torrance’s seismic zone. The retaining wall was necessary; we tied it into the foundation design so the geotechnical report covered both. Access meant a mini-excavator, not a full-size, which added three days but avoided removing the neighbor’s fence. The prefab shell came from Plant Prefab; we coordinated their panel delivery with our pier schedule so nothing sat in the street overnight. Total project: $198,000 written price, permit to final. Nadia Ellery flagged the root conflict in the first site visit - it’s why we brought the arborist before the geotech.
Junior ADU & Interior Conversion - Old Torrance
Old Torrance’s historic character overlay meant we couldn’t alter the street-facing facade. The homeowner had a 1952 ranch with a laundry room that already had an exterior door - one of the JADU requirements under California law. We converted the laundry and part of an adjacent storage closet into a 320 sq ft Junior ADU. The trick was the sound-rated partition; Torrance requires STC-50 between JADU and primary residence, and 1952 2×4 walls with lath and plaster don’t get there. We furred out, added resilient channel, and specified rock wool. The kitchenette is a 2-burner induction cooktop, not gas - simpler venting, faster permit approval. Written price: $67,500. Photo record shows every stud bay before drywall. That’s Haven Standard documentation.
ADU Site Prep & Utilities - North Torrance, Near Zamperini Field
This North Torrance property was raw - no previous ADU, no utility rough-in, alley access that couldn’t handle a concrete truck. We handled the full site prep package: demo and haul of three dead trees, grade correction for drainage (Torrance requires 2% slope away from structures), and utility trenching. The sewer lateral was the problem - original 1956 clay pipe, root intrusion at the city main. We pulled a sewer spot repair permit through Torrance Public Works, not just the building permit. The new 4-inch ABS lateral is on the photo record, along with the pressure test. Flight path from Zamperini meant noise compatibility; we noted it in the site plan for the architect. Site prep written price: $34,000. The ADU build is Phase 2, separate contract, same Haven Standard terms.
Garage Conversion with Prefab Coordination - Southwood, Torrance
The homeowner wanted speed and had seen Abodu’s Studio unit online. We evaluated whether the existing garage footprint worked - it didn’t. Too narrow for the module, roof too low. So we demo’d to slab, kept the 4-inch concrete after testing, and built a new envelope sized for the Abodu unit. Ellery ADU Studio coordinated directly with Abodu’s install team; our contract covers their crane day, their weather delay clause, and our finish work. The meter pedestal went in during site prep so PG&E could parallel the module delivery. One contract, one written price: $186,000. The three-star reviews for other contractors in this space? Mostly about crane scheduling and who pays when it rains. We wrote that risk into the contract upfront.
ADU Design & Permitting - Hollywood Riviera, Torrance
Hollywood Riviera isn’t just Torrance - it’s a specific set of CC&Rs and a coastal development permit layer most designers miss. The homeowner came to us after another firm produced plans that violated the view corridor setback. We started over: new site survey, solar study, and a stepped design that keeps the ridge below 14 feet to guarantee the 16-foot CC&R limit with room for framing tolerance. The coastal development permit added six weeks; we built that into the schedule, not as a surprise. Permit set included structural calcs for hillside fill, geotechnical referral, and Title 24. Design and permitting only, no construction contract yet: $24,500 written price. The photo record here is all documents - every submittal, every correction letter, every approval stamp.
Want Results Like These?
Every project above started with a site visit and a written price before any work began. No exceptions, no “call for a quote.” Call (424) 344-4822 to schedule yours. A live person answers, 24/7. Bring an estimate from another firm and we’ll give you a free second opinion - Haven Standard Clause 1 applies either way.
Written by Nadia Ellery, Owner at Ellery ADU Studio Torrance, serving Torrance since 2015.