Additions, ADUs & Major Renovation

Start with how the space will be used. An addition expands the main house, which suits a growing family that wants more bedrooms or a bigger kitchen. An ADU creates a separate, self-contained unit with its own entrance, which suits aging parents, adult children, guests, or rental income. Moving makes sense when the lot cannot accommodate either, or when you need a different location entirely. Paragon reviews your lot, zoning, and budget during a site visit and shows which options are actually buildable before you pay for design.

California law generally requires a city to approve or deny a complete ADU application within 60 days, though plan corrections and resubmittals extend the real-world timeline. Room additions and second stories go through standard plan check, which varies with city workload, project complexity, and whether structural or Coastal Zone review applies. Budgeting a few months for design, engineering, and permitting before construction starts is realistic. Paragon prepares complete submittals and turns around plan check comments quickly to keep the clock moving.

Usually, but only on the new construction. Under California's Proposition 13 rules the county assessor adds the assessed value of the new square footage to your existing base value, and the rest of your home is not reassessed at current market value. How much it adds depends on the assessor's valuation of the work. Certain improvements, such as some seismic and accessibility work, may qualify for exclusions. For your specific situation, check with the Los Angeles County Assessor or a tax professional before you build.

Often, but it depends on the lot and the existing structure. The foundation and framing have to carry the added load, which means structural engineering and sometimes foundation work first. Each city sets height limits, setbacks, and floor area rules, and some neighborhoods add design review, view considerations, or HOA restrictions. A second story also needs a staircase location that works with the floor plan below. Paragon evaluates feasibility, including engineering, before design goes far, so you learn early what is buildable.

California law limits the down payment on a home improvement contract to 10 percent of the contract price or $1,000, whichever is less, and later payments should track work actually completed. Paragon works from a written contract with a fixed price after an on-site visit and finalized plans, and a payment schedule tied to milestones such as foundation, framing, and rough inspections. Allowances for finishes you have not selected yet are listed clearly, and change orders are priced and signed before that work proceeds.