ADU Before & After in Pomona, CA
We’ve completed over 900 ADU projects since 2015, and every one started with a problem someone was living with. Below are real transformations we’ve delivered across Pomona and the surrounding San Gabriel Valley. Each project includes a written price before work started, a documented photo record, and our 365-Day Done Right Promise.
Recent Transformations
Garage Conversion ADU - Ganesha Hills, Slab Heave and Zero Insulation
The homeowner bought the property specifically for the ADU income potential, but the existing garage slab had heaved 2 inches at the center from Pomona’s expansive clay soils. We brought in a geotechnical report, designed a floating floor system that isolates the new conditioned space from slab movement, and specified a raised subfloor with continuous rigid insulation. Under Haven Standard Clause 1, the $127,000 written price covered structural engineering, permit expediting through Pomona Building & Safety, and all finishes. The documented photo record showed every phase, including the vapor barrier installation most crews never photograph. The unit now rents for $1,850 monthly.
New Detached ADU - Lincoln Park, Zero-Lot-Line Setback Puzzle
This Lincoln Park lot looked unbuildable. The city required 4 feet from the property line, the utility easement took another 4 feet, and Pomona’s tree protection ordinance placed a 25-foot radius around the oak off-limits for excavation. We worked with an arborist and Pomona Planning to secure a setback variance - the extra distance the city requires between structure and property line - that allowed a 2-story footprint of just 16 by 14 feet. The $198,000 written price included the variance application, structural engineering for the narrow footprint, and connection to the existing sewer lateral with a backflow preventer because the ADU sits below the street grade. Nadia Ellery flagged the drainage issue in the first site visit; most designers miss it until construction starts.
Junior ADU - Westmont, Interior Conversion with Separate Entrance
The owners needed to move aging parents in but couldn’t afford a detached build. California’s Junior ADU law allows up to 500 sq ft within the existing footprint, but Pomona still requires a separate entrance, owner occupancy of the main residence, and either separate utility metering or a signed shared-utility agreement. We identified the master suite as the only viable space, then solved the sound isolation problem most JADU designers ignore. The $67,000 written price included a new 100-amp electrical service to the main panel, a mini-split with independent condenser, and a sound-rated door assembly with automatic closer. Under Haven Standard Clause 5 (No Surprises), the scope locked at signing; no upsell for “better” insulation after walls were open. The parents moved in 11 weeks after permit submission.
ADU Site Prep & Utilities - Phillips Ranch, Hillside with Failed Septic
Phillips Ranch’s hillsides look buildable until you dig. This lot had three problems that kill most ADU budgets: a failed septic system that couldn’t handle the additional bedroom count, bedrock 8 inches below grade at the proposed pad location, and a 35% slope that triggers Pomona’s hillside development ordinance. We brought in a soils engineer for a compaction plan, designed a pressure-dosed septic system with an Aerobic Treatment Unit to meet Sanitation Districts of Los Angeles County requirements, and specified an 18-inch engineered fill section over the bedrock with a geogrid reinforcement layer. The $89,000 site prep price was separate from the $156,000 detached ADU build, both written before any work started. The documented photo record included every lift of fill compaction-tested to 95% modified Proctor. Without that documentation, the city wouldn’t have passed the pad inspection.
Prefab Modular ADU - Downtown Pomona, Tight Access with Crane-Set Unit
The client wanted speed and had researched Abodu directly, but Abodu doesn’t handle site prep, utility connections, or Pomona’s permit process. We function as the single-contract coordinator for prefab brands - in this case, specifying the Abodu One, managing the crane set from the alley over the existing bungalow, and handling every connection after the module landed. The $214,000 written price included the module, crane rental with Southern California Edison temporary power-line drop, foundation, utility connections, and final inspection. Under Haven Standard Clause 1, there was no “call Abodu for module pricing and us for everything else” - one written price, one responsible party. The module was set on a Tuesday; the client had certificate of occupancy in 6 weeks.
Garage Conversion ADU - Mayfair, Fire-Damaged Structure with Asbestos
A kitchen fire in the main house spread to the garage roof before LA County Fire knocked it down. Most contractors would have demoed everything and started over, but the slab was salvageable with epoxy injection and a new vapor barrier. The bigger issue was the original asbestos-cement siding, which triggers Cal-OSHA notification and abatement requirements before any demolition. We brought in a certified asbestos contractor, documented the abatement with air monitoring reports, and specified James Hardie fiber-cement siding for the replacement - a brand we specify regularly and know performs in Pomona’s heat cycles. The $134,000 written price included abatement, structural engineering for the new roof diaphragm, and all finishes. The 365-Day Done Right Promise covered the slab epoxy; if cracks reappear, we make it right.
Want Results Like These?
Every project above started with a free estimate and a written price before any work began. If you already have a written estimate from another designer or builder, we’ll give you a free second opinion. Call (657) 286-7915 to schedule your free estimate. A live person answers 24/7, and you’ll receive a documented photo record on every visit.
Written by Nadia Ellery, Owner at Ellery ADU Studio Pomona, serving Pomona and the San Gabriel Valley since 2015.