ADUs and additions, Hacienda Heights, Los Angeles County
ADU Construction in Hacienda Heights
How an ADU in Hacienda Heights is planned for an inland suburban lot: sun on the shell, runoff after a dry spell and plan check by Los Angeles County.
An inland suburban lot in the San Gabriel Valley puts a backyard unit through hard sun, dry gusts and now and then a heavy downpour, and that is the setting for an ADU in Hacienda Heights. Before detached, attached, garage conversion and JADU are weighed for the parcel, we look at which walls and roof planes will take the most exposure, because that shapes window placement, roof color and the way water leaves the site.
Heat on the shell
A detached cottage is exposed on every side, so its walls get continuous insulation and its attic gets enough depth for the batts or blown fill the energy forms call for. Glass on the sunniest walls is kept modest and specified with a low solar heat gain rating. A light roof covering reflects more of the sun back out. Units that lean on the house, attached or converted from a garage, split some of that load with it, which can shrink the cooling equipment, though an old garage wall often has no insulation and has to be opened up to receive it.
Storm water and county review
Hard ground after a dry stretch sends a sudden rain across the surface, so the pad for a new unit is graded to fall away from its footing and the gutters empty into a splash block or a drain line. If the lot slopes, a swale above the unit can steer runoff around it. Hacienda Heights is unincorporated, which puts plan check and inspections with Los Angeles County. The county examiner reads the drainage notes along with the setbacks, the height and the fire rated separation an attached unit needs.
What we build in Hacienda Heights
Second units and room additions lead, with the rest of our services available on the same lot.
Planning a unit in Hacienda Heights?
Send the address. We check which ADU types the lot allows and reply with the next step.