ADU Builder in Burbank, CA

Dn Builders Group Inc Services designs and builds accessory dwelling units in Burbank — garage conversions, detached units and JADUs — from drawings through final inspection. Burbank writes its own ADU rules, is rewriting them in 2026 under pressure from the state, and treats the Rancho horsekeeping zone and the Mountain Fire Zone differently from the rest of town, so we check which rules apply to your lot before anyone draws a floor plan.

What we build

For Burbank's building department and housing stock in general, see our Burbank contractor page and remodeling in Burbank.

Burbank's ADU rules are being rewritten in 2026

Burbank's ADU ordinance dates from 2020. On December 5, 2025 the state housing department (HCD) wrote to the city that the ordinance “may be outdated and out of compliance” with state ADU law and asked for a response by January 4, 2026. A noncompliant local ordinance is void, and state ADU law applies until a compliant one is adopted.

On July 28, 2026 the City Council voted 5–0 to keep and update its local ADU program, with its horsekeeping and fire-zone protections. Adoption is due by late fall. Planners also told Council that the state’s March 2026 ADU handbook reads the law to allow local ADUs on top of the state-mandated units — up to a house plus four ADUs on one lot.

The city’s ADU handout, dated July 2024, is partly behind state law — for example it still asks for an owner-occupancy covenant on every JADU, while state law since 2025 requires owner occupancy only when the JADU shares a bathroom with the house. We confirm the current text at submittal rather than design to an old handout. For the statewide count, see how many ADUs you can build on one lot in 2026.

The Rancho: conversions only in the R-1-H zone

The Rancho neighborhood near the Los Angeles River is zoned R-1-H, Burbank’s single-family horsekeeping zone. Under the city’s current ADU rules an R-1-H lot works differently from an ordinary R-1 lot: an ADU can be created only by converting an existing permitted garage, a permitted guest dwelling, or space inside the main house. Horsekeeping facilities and other accessory structures cannot be converted, and the lot gets one ADU or one JADU.

On a Rancho lot an unpermitted garage or a barn is not a starting point, so we pull the permit history first. The Council wants to keep this rule; the state may challenge it. See also garage conversion costs and legalizing unpermitted work.

The Mountain Fire Zone, heights and the BWP service

In the hillside streets Burbank maps as the Mountain Fire Zone, the city’s handout limits a lot to one ADU or one JADU and caps an attached or detached ADU at 800 sq ft. Elsewhere a detached studio or one-bedroom can reach 850 sq ft and a two-bedroom unit 1,000 sq ft. Fire-zone construction rules apply too — see Chapter 7A fire hardening and hillside lots, the hidden costs.

Burbank’s height rules are specific: a new detached ADU is limited to 17 feet, a unit built over a garage or another accessory structure to 23 feet to the roof, and an attached ADU to 30 feet. Interior height over 12 feet counts as two stories. Side and rear setbacks are 4 feet.

Power comes from Burbank Water and Power, not SCE or LADWP. An older 100-amp panel rarely carries the house plus a new unit, and BWP schedules its own field visits around a panel swap, so the upgrade is often the critical path. See how panel upgrades work with BWP.

What an ADU costs

Typical Los Angeles market ranges, not a quote: a garage conversion $100,000–$200,000, a JADU $40,000–$100,000, a detached 600–800 sq ft unit $150,000–$350,000. State law bars impact fees on ADUs of 750 sq ft or less. Plan review timing is covered in how long a Burbank permit takes. More detail in what an ADU costs in 2026 and ADU vs JADU.

Licensed and bonded

Dn Builders Group Inc Services holds an active California General Building license (#1139710), carries a $25,000 surety bond, and is fully insured. In California any project over $500 in labor and materials legally requires a licensed contractor. Verify the license with the California Contractors State License Board before you sign anything — with us or with anyone else. Here is how to check a contractor's license.

How we work

We check the zone, permit history and electrical service, and give you a fixed, itemized scope before anything is demolished. Permits are pulled by us. Change orders are approved in writing. You get a weekly update and a detailed walkthrough when we finish. You can see finished work on our portfolio page.

Questions

Are you a licensed contractor for ADUs in Burbank?

Yes. Dn Builders Group Inc Services holds an active California General Building contractor license (#1139710), carries a $25,000 surety bond, and is fully insured. Our office is in Burbank, and we handle ADU drawings, permits with the City of Burbank, BWP coordination and inspections.

Can I build a detached ADU in the Rancho R-1-H zone?

Not a new one under Burbank's current local rules. In the R-1-H horsekeeping zone an ADU can only be made by converting a permitted garage, a permitted guest dwelling or space inside the house, horse facilities cannot be converted, and the lot gets one ADU or one JADU. The city is rewriting its ordinance in 2026, so we confirm the rule at submittal.

How big can an ADU be in Burbank?

Under the city's handout, a detached studio or one-bedroom ADU can be up to 850 sq ft, and a unit with two or more bedrooms up to 1,000 sq ft. In the Mountain Fire Zone and in the front setback the cap is 800 sq ft, and a JADU is limited to 500 sq ft.

What does an ADU cost in Burbank?

A garage conversion typically runs $100,000 to $200,000, a JADU $40,000 to $100,000, and a detached 600 to 800 square foot unit $150,000 to $350,000. These are typical Los Angeles market ranges, not a quote. The electrical service, slope and sewer run move the number most.

Where else we work

ADUs in Glendale, ADUs in Pasadena, Toluca Lake, and Greater Los Angeles.