ADU development concurrent with main house

[Brian C.]

To anyone that has knowledge/dealt with ADU's being developed in these cities: Pasadena, Highland Park, Glassell Park, Alhambra, Montebello, Monterey Park.

Can I work concurrently on the main house remodel while converting a garage to an adu or does the main house need to be completed with all inspections signed off before any work can commence on the ADU conversion?

I've already asked the building department in each of these cities, but just wondering if anyone has dealt with this firsthand already.

[Sebastian Marroquin]

this is more of a strategy question and having available funds for both. If you do have the availability of capital: then Read on: 

In a similar situation: we have gotten 2 permits: (the reason) bc one takes longer than the other. 

you can get a remodeling permit for the main home first: this will be over the counter (meaning, right away) and you can start the renovations today! 

The renovations should take about 4 to 12 weeks (depending on scope of work) : this is assuming that you are not doing any structural work to the main home. 

If you are, then you have to weigh that out also from a timing perspective, as any structural work: like removing a wall or doing a new layout for the home will require structural reviews and a planning phase with city engineers (which will add more time to your project in the permit phase). 

To make things easy to understand: 

January 1st (for example) 

Permit 1: you submit this permit and start the renovation right away on say... Jan. 3rd. 

Permit 2: you submit for it January 1st: for ADU but will have to go first through planning, zoning, public works, fire... etc etc building etc... the first portion will take you about 2 to 3 months (maybe less)... and then the next portion of permits will take about 2 to 4 months: to get the RTI (ready to issue permits)

Meanwhile you are finishing the home remodel. 

months: Main home:  1  2  3  (project completion) 

months: ADU : 1 2 3 4 5 (start of project) 6 7 8 (project completion) depending on city of course

Otherwise: 

You could do a combo permit : 

1st and 2nd permits at the same time: and the whole thing would take 3 to 5 months for the RTI permits: and then 

you would have to renovate the home and the ADU conversion at the same time... (in my opinion, this would not make sense).

bc you could live in the home or Air b and b it or rent it out while you finish the ADU.

Hope this helps! Let me know if I can help you in any way?