Planning
How long does a renovation take in Los Angeles?
Two things determine your timeline: how long permits take, and how long construction takes once they’re issued. Both vary a lot by project — here’s a realistic planning range for each.
Rough timelines by project
If nothing structural moves, this can skip plan check entirely or clear it in days through LA’s express-permit process. Construction itself is usually the longer part, often a few weeks to a couple of months.
Moving plumbing, electrical, or walls means real plan check — commonly 2–6 weeks — on top of construction time.
LA’s plan check alone commonly runs 6–12 weeks (faster for small additions under $30,000 in value), plus 2–3 months of design and engineering before that, plus construction after.
Once permitted, construction is commonly 3–4 months for a straightforward conversion — add the permit timeline on top.
LADBS’s ADU Express program targets 2–4 weeks of plan check, but utility clearances (LADWP electrical approval alone has run around 3 months) often make the real total much longer. Construction after permits: roughly 3–4 months for a small unit, 6–8 months for a large one.
Scales directly with how much of the home is involved and whether systems get replaced. Get a realistic schedule from your contractor based on your specific scope, not a general number.
What actually determines your timeline
- Whether you need plan check at all. Cosmetic work that doesn’t touch structure, plumbing, or electrical can often skip it entirely through LA’s express-permit process — same day to a few days in simple cases.
- Utility clearances, for ADUs especially. Plan check being fast doesn’t mean you’re done — electrical service approval through LADWP has been a common bottleneck, independent of how quickly LADBS itself moves.
- Revisions. A plan set with issues gets kicked back for corrections, which restarts part of the clock. Complete, accurate drawings the first time is the single biggest lever on permit speed.
- Material lead times. Custom cabinetry, specialty tile, or back-ordered appliances can hold up construction independent of labor availability.
- Your contractor’s actual schedule. A contractor who’s booked out adds real calendar time before work even starts — worth asking about directly when comparing estimates.
Timelines synthesized from LADBS program descriptions, permit consultants, and contractor estimates for 2026; sources don’t fully agree and none of this is official LADBS guidance. Check current processing times at ladbs.org, and ask your contractor for a schedule specific to your project.
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