Fast, Reliable Home Addition Contractor Across Sherman Oaks
Home additions in Sherman Oaks typically cost between $180 and $420 per square foot depending on scope, with detached ADUs and garage conversions running $160,000 to $320,000 and second-story additions ranging from $250,000 to $500,000. Most projects take 4 to 8 months from permit submittal to final inspection. If you’re weighing a room addition on a post-war ranch near Van Nuys Boulevard or planning a garage conversion off Ventura Boulevard, we’re the local team that puts the price in writing before a single nail is driven. Call (254) 602-5618 to schedule a free estimate with Russ Delmar.
Why Lodgewick ADU Builders Is Sherman Oaks’s Preferred Home Addition Contractor Company
Sherman Oaks homeowners call us because we already know what’s inside their walls before we open them. This is LA City jurisdiction, which means LADBS permit history on every lot matters. A 1958 ranch on a 7,000-square-foot R1 parcel near Kester Avenue carries a different paper trail than a split-level up toward the Mulholland corridor. We pull those records first. Russ Delmar leads every estimate walkthrough, and he’ll tell you straight if that detached garage slab needs replacement before conversion or if your second-story framing can carry the load.
The Kingswell Guarantee backs every Home Addition Contractor project we take on: a written price before work starts, a defined arrival window, a clean job site, and a written guarantee on the build. If something fails within 365 days, we come back and make it right. No arguments. That’s the difference between hiring a crew that knows Sherman Oaks and one that just drives over the hill.
Second Story Addition Contractor in Sherman Oaks
A second-story addition in Sherman Oaks runs $250,000 to $500,000 and usually takes 5 to 8 months when you factor in LADBS plan check, structural engineering, and the foundation work most 1950s and ’60s ranch homes need before going vertical. Homeowners in the flats south of Ventura Boulevard and along the tree-lined streets near Hazeltine Avenue pursue second-story additions when they want square footage without sacrificing yard space. It’s the right call on lots where setbacks won’t allow a ground-floor bump-out.
Foundation and Structural Work
Opening up a single-story Sherman Oaks ranch for vertical expansion almost always triggers seismic retrofit requirements. Many of these homes carry post-Northridge foundation repairs, and we reconcile every permit record through LADBS before engineering begins. Russ has seen too many quotes from out-of-area teams that skip this step and then blow up mid-project. We price the foundation scope from day one.
Re-Roofing and Upper-Floor Build-Out
Going up means losing your existing roof for a period. We sequence that work so your lower floor stays livable as long as possible, then build the upper envelope with Title 24 insulation and mini-split HVAC sized for Valley heat. Fire-rated wall assemblies are mandatory on hillside parcels near Mulholland Drive, and we spec those assemblies into the bid so the permit sails through.
Garage Addition Contractors in Sherman Oaks
Garage additions and detached garage conversions in Sherman Oaks run $160,000 to $280,000 depending on whether you’re converting in place, adding a second bay, or teardown-and-building-new. The 1950s and ’60s detached garages that line the alleys behind ranch homes near Chandler Boulevard and Magnolia Boulevard are the most common starting point for a new ADU. But here’s what out-of-area quotes miss: the slab underneath.
Slab Work Before Framing
Most of those original garage slabs are 3.5 inches thick, uninsulated, and cracked from Northridge-era settling. A habitable ADU needs a proper foundation, which usually means slab replacement or a raised floating floor system. We price that line item before demolition, not after. On a 1958 ranch near the Mulholland corridor, we found exactly this: a 3.5-inch slab with quake cracking plus undersized framing that wouldn’t meet current Title 24 insulation without major rework. The owner appreciated knowing the number before we swung a hammer.
Framing, Insulation, and Finishing
Sherman Oaks summers hit 100 – 108°F with regularity. A converted garage isn’t livable without a right-sized mini-split and proper insulation, and Title 24 compliance is non-negotiable in LA City. We frame, insulate, drywall, and finish every garage addition to full habitable-space code. James Hardie siding goes on the exterior where fire-rated wall assemblies are required in the hills. You get a written line-item price for all of it before work starts.
Trusted Brands We Service in Sherman Oaks
We work hands-on with established ADU and building material brands including Cover, Dvele, and Boxabl, matching each system to the lot, the budget, and the timeline. For Sherman Oaks customers, that means we aren’t guessing at a brand’s connection details or warranty terms. We know how Cover’s panelization sequences on a tight Valley lot, what Dvele’s high-performance envelope requires from a foundation, and where Boxabl’s compact footprint shines on a smaller parcel. Local parts availability and a real installer relationship mean faster turnaround when you need a build spec confirmed or a material ordered. We don’t push one brand. We tell you which one fits.
Common Home Addition Contractor Problems We See in Sherman Oaks Homes
- Skipped LADBS permit history checks. Post-Northridge foundation repairs and soft-story retrofits sit in permit records that out-of-area contractors never pull. We reconcile every file before quoting. When walls open, the scope holds.
- Unreinforced garage slabs quoted as-is. The 1950s – 60s garage pours are typically 3.5 inches thick, uninsulated, and cracked. A habitable conversion needs slab replacement or a raised floating system. We price it early. Competitors price it as a change order.
- Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone surprises. Parcels along the Mulholland Drive corridor need fire-rated wall assemblies and defensible-space setbacks. If your designer misses that, you’re redesigning after submittal. We spec it in from the start.
- Undersized HVAC for Valley heat. A window unit won’t cut it in a Sherman Oaks August. We size mini-splits for the actual load, not a generic coastal number. You stay cool, and Title 24 stays happy.
Pricing for Home Addition Contractor in Sherman Oaks, CA
Here’s what we’re actually seeing in Sherman Oaks right now:
- Room additions: $110,000 – $230,000 for a 400 – 700 sq ft ground-floor addition
- Second-story additions: $250,000 – $500,000 including foundation and structural retrofit
- Sunroom additions: $65,000 – $140,000 depending on glazing and foundation condition
- Bathroom additions: $45,000 – $95,000 when framing, plumbing, and finishes are included
- Garage additions and ADU conversions: $160,000 – $280,000 including slab work and Title 24 upgrades
- Bump-out additions: $60,000 – $120,000 for a 150 – 300 sq ft extension
What moves the price: slab replacement on older garages, seismic retrofit requirements on second-story work, fire-rated wall assemblies in the hills, and how much of the existing framing we can reuse. Every quote we give is a written, line-item price. Not an estimate. A price. Call (254) 602-5618 and Russ Delmar will walk your lot, pull your permit history, and tell you what the number actually is. The estimate is free.
We Also Serve Cities Near Sherman Oaks
Our crews serve the wider San Fernando Valley from the Sherman Oaks area, including Van Nuys, Encino, Studio City, and Tarzana. If you’re in a neighboring city and want the same written-price, written-guarantee approach, call us. We’ll pull your local permit records the same way we do in Sherman Oaks, and you’ll get a real number before work begins.
Serving Sherman Oaks, CA - Our Local Coverage Area
We’re based in the Sherman Oaks area and know this community well. Use the map below to see our service coverage - if you’re nearby, we can almost certainly help.
FAQs About Home Addition Contractor in Sherman Oaks
Sherman Oaks falls under City of Los Angeles jurisdiction, which means a standard R1 lot can host a full detached ADU plus a JADU, a junior accessory dwelling unit attached to or converted from existing space. That’s a layered opportunity neighboring cities like Burbank and Glendale don’t offer under their stricter municipal codes. We pull LADBS permit history on your property before planning, so any post-Northridge repairs or unpermitted work surface early and get addressed in the scope. Call (254) 602-5618 to find out what your specific Sherman Oaks lot allows.
The 1950s and ’60s detached garages across Sherman Oaks were built on slabs poured for parking, not living. Typically 3.5 inches thick, uninsulated, and often cracked from 1994 Northridge settling, these slabs don’t meet habitable-space code. The fix is slab replacement or a raised floating floor system, which adds $15,000 to $35,000 to a conversion. We price that line item in the original quote, not as a surprise later. Call (254) 602-5618 for an exact number on your garage.
We start with a full LADBS permit history reconciliation and a framing inspection before quoting, so most surprises surface before demolition. For anything that genuinely can’t be seen until walls open, we write allowances into the contract and price any additional scope in writing before we touch it. That’s how Russ Delmar runs every job: no change orders at the door, no “trust me” pricing. You approve the number first. Every time. Call (254) 602-5618 to discuss your project.
A right-sized mini-split system is the answer for almost every Sherman Oaks ADU. Valley floor temperatures routinely hit 100 – 108°F in summer, which is 15°F or more above coastal LA, so we spec mini-splits for the actual load on your lot, not a generic formula from a coastal manual. This also keeps Title 24 compliance straightforward. We handle the full installation as part of the build. Call (254) 602-5618 to get specifics for your addition.
Yes, with extra requirements. Hillside parcels along the Mulholland Drive corridor fall within Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones, which means fire-rated wall assemblies, defensible-space setbacks, and stricter siting rules. Your ADU can absolutely go in, but siting, materials, and plan check will differ from a flat parcel south of Ventura Boulevard. Most Sherman Oaks hillside ADUs we quote run $200,000 to $320,000 because of these requirements. Call (254) 602-5618 and we’ll assess your specific hillside lot.
Written by Russ Delmar, Owner at Lodgewick ADU Builders, serving Sherman Oaks and the San Fernando Valley. Russ has been leading ADU and addition projects since 2010 under The Kingswell Guarantee.