A free site visit, a check of what your lot allows and a written, line-item price.
Get your free estimateADU Company in Manhattan Beach, CA
An ADU in Manhattan Beach is a second, smaller home built on the same lot as your main house, and it’s one of the smartest ways to add living space or rental income without moving. But Manhattan Beach lots run tight, zoning is strict, and the salt air punishes cheap materials, so this is not a city where you want a contractor learning on your dime. We’re Lodgewick ADU Builders, part of the Kingswell family of home-service companies since 2010, and we put a written price and a written guarantee in your hands before any work begins. Call us at (213) 698-7116 for a free estimate.
Why Manhattan Beach Homes Are Different
Manhattan Beach’s coastal zoning and small lots make ADUs a high-stakes game of maximizing square footage within tight setback and height limits, often requiring creative two-story or over-garage designs that preserve ocean views and neighbor privacy. We see this every week from the Hill Section to the Tree Section to El Porto. Most homes here are single-family builds from the 1950s onward, with raised foundations and wood framing, plus a mix of newer custom houses on lots that often run 3,000 to 5,000 square feet. That means the footprint for an ADU is limited before you even start, and the answer is usually to build up, not out.
Salt air and the marine layer add another layer. Cool, foggy mornings and high humidity mean insulation, moisture control, and ventilation have to be done right the first time, or you’ll be chasing mold and warped siding within a couple of years. We specify corrosion-resistant fasteners and materials suited to the coast, and we match brands like James Hardie siding and Abodu or Cover prefab panels to the lot and the exposure. The over-garage ADU is the classic Manhattan Beach move here, because it preserves the small yard you have and works inside the height limits the city enforces. That pattern drives a lot of what we quote and build in this city.
Our Main Manhattan Beach Services
Most Manhattan Beach homeowners call us about one of three things: adding square footage to the main house, converting a garage into living space, or building a detached ADU from the ground up. Each service has its own page with local pricing and details.
Home Addition Contractor in Manhattan Beach
Adding a room or a second story in Manhattan Beach usually means working around a raised foundation and a tight lot line, which changes how we frame, where we place windows, and how we handle the city’s height and setback review. We handle the full addition from foundation to finish, including helping you understand what the coastal zoning rules will allow on your specific street. Many additions here pair naturally with an ADU later, so we plan both possibilities from the start. Learn more on the Home Addition Contractor in Manhattan Beach page.
Garage Conversion Contractor in Manhattan Beach
A garage conversion in Manhattan Beach is usually the fastest route to a rentable ADU, because the structure already exists and the footprint doesn’t change. The catch here is that older detached garages near the coast often have moisture issues and shallow footings that need correction before we can insulate and finish the space. We also see a lot of conversions in the Tree Section where the garage sits right on the property line, which pushes us toward very careful wall and flashing details. See how we approach it on the Garage Conversion Contractor in Manhattan Beach page.
ADU Builders in Manhattan Beach
New detached ADUs in Manhattan Beach lean toward two stories or over-garage layouts because yards are small and height allowances matter. We work with prefab manufacturers like Abodu, Cover, and Dvele when the lot and timeline support it, and we pair those shells with local concrete, electrical, and waterproofing crews who know coastal conditions. Whether you’re planning a rental unit or a place for family, we give you a written price before any work starts. Read the full breakdown on the ADU Builders in Manhattan Beach page.
What happens when you call
- 1
A real person answersNo phone trees - you reach a local pro.
- 2
You get an upfront price rangeHonest numbers before anyone is dispatched.
- 3
A background-checked tech heads outLicensed & insured, dispatched right away.
- 4
You approve before work beginsNothing starts until you say go.
Brands We Service in Manhattan Beach
We work with established ADU and building-product brands including Abodu, Cover, Dvele, and James Hardie, matching each to the lot, budget, and coastal exposure. The right choice for a foggy Hill Section lot is not always the right choice for a sunny Tree Section yard. See our brands for the full picture.
Pricing for ADU Company in Manhattan Beach, CA
| Service | Typical range in Manhattan Beach |
|---|---|
| Detached ADU (full build) | $250,000 – $450,000 |
| Garage conversion to ADU | $120,000 – $200,000 |
| ADU above existing garage | $180,000 – $320,000 |
| JADU (interior conversion) | $70,000 – $120,000 |
| Prefab ADU installation | $220,000 – $380,000 |
| Home addition (single room) | $90,000 – $180,000 |
| Home addition (second story) | $250,000 – $500,000 |
| Foundation repair or upgrade | $8,000 – $35,000 |
| Architectural and permit drawings | $6,000 – $20,000 |
Costs in Manhattan Beach push toward the higher end of these ranges when the lot is tight, the soil needs extra work, or the coastal wind and salt exposure drives material upgrades. Whatever the number, you get it in writing before we start, and it does not change at the door.
Neighborhoods We Serve in Manhattan Beach
We work throughout Manhattan Beach, from the ocean side of the Hill Section to the inland edges of the Tree Section and the streets around El Porto. Most estimates are scheduled within a few business days, and our crews come from our Los Angeles dispatch office to serve Manhattan Beach locally.
- Hill Section
- Tree Section
- Sand Section
- El Porto
- Manhattan Village
Service Area – Cities Near Manhattan Beach
Along with Manhattan Beach, we take on ADU, garage conversion, and home addition projects in nearby cities along the coast and just inland. You’ll find us working regularly in Lawndale, CA, Culver City, CA, Venice, CA, and Santa Monica, CA. Each city has its own zoning quirks, and we handle them one permit at a time.
Serving Manhattan Beach, CA - Our Local Coverage Area
We’re based in the Manhattan Beach 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 ADU Company in Manhattan Beach
Yes. We prepare and submit the drawings and paperwork for Manhattan Beach’s coastal zoning review, including height, setback, and neighbor-notification requirements when they apply. We also coordinate inspections and keep you updated as the permit moves through the city.
A garage conversion usually runs four to seven months, while a new detached ADU can take eight to fourteen months, with prefab options sometimes trimming a few weeks off the build. Permitting timelines at the city can add a month or more, so we factor that in when we give you a schedule.
It will if the wrong materials are used. Salt air corrodes untreated metal and shortens the life of cheap siding and flashing. We specify corrosion-resistant fasteners and moisture-rated materials on every Manhattan Beach project, and we cover the work with our written 365-Day Done Right Promise.
Call (213) 698-7116 to schedule your free estimate. We’ll put the price in writing, answer your questions straight, and come back if anything isn’t done right.
What happens when you call
- 1A real person answersNo phone trees - talk to a local adu pro.
- 2You get an upfront price rangeHonest numbers before anyone is dispatched. No surprises.
- 3We come out and measureLicensed & insured, at a time that suits you - the visit and the quote are both free.
- 4You get the price in writingLine-itemed, yours to keep, and nothing starts until you say go.
What Manhattan Beach Customers Say
"Quality work on a home addition. It did run a few weeks longer than the original estimate, mostly waiting on the city for inspections, which they explained. The build itself was done right."
- Marcus Delgado"Garage conversion into an office and guest room. Fair written price, finished close to on schedule, and they fixed a small drywall crack under warranty months later without any hassle."
- Diana Cho"Added a suite for my dad. They walked us through every cost before a hammer swung and stuck to it. The written price is what we paid, no change orders."
- Ingrid Salazar
