ADUs and additions, Cerritos, Los Angeles County
ADU Construction in Cerritos
The first thing we look at on a Cerritos lot for an ADU is the electrical panel, then the sewer route, garage slab and setbacks before a unit is chosen.
On a Cerritos site visit for an ADU, our first stop is the electrical panel. Its main rating, the breakers in use and the free spaces left show whether a second home can run off the existing service or will need more capacity. That finding steers which ADU type fits, since a backyard cottage, an attached wing, a converted garage and a JADU each pull a different load and tie in at a different spot.
Load math before layout
We record the main breaker size, the bus rating and the open slots, then run a load calculation that adds the unit's range, water heater and heating and cooling. When the numbers fall short, the paths forward are a service upgrade, a subpanel fed from the main, or a second meter where the utility permits it. A detached unit usually needs the longest feeder, while a JADU can often draw on nearby circuits. Choosing a heat pump water heater or induction cooking shifts the totals, so those decisions are settled before the electrical plan is drawn.
Sewer, slab and setbacks next
Once the power picture is clear, we open the sewer cleanout and trace the path a new drain line would take to it. If a garage conversion is in play, the slab is checked for cracking and moisture and the wall framing for room to hold insulation and drywall. Setbacks, driveway width and any easements are then marked on the survey. The finished set goes to the building department that reviews Cerritos addresses, where plan check reads it against state ADU law and the zoning code in force.
What we build in Cerritos
Second units and room additions lead, with the rest of our services available on the same lot.
Planning a unit in Cerritos?
Send the address. We check which ADU types the lot allows and reply with the next step.