From the first design meeting to a finished room, a ground-floor addition in Los Angeles takes 9 to 14 months: 6 to 12 weeks for drawings and engineering, 2 to 4 months of city review, and 4 to 7 months of construction. A second story takes longer.
Drawings and engineering
Checking the lot, surveying, schematic design, construction drawings and structural calculations. This phase moves at the speed of your decisions. Clients who answer questions in a day or two get through it in six weeks; clients who sit on them take three months.
City review
A residential addition under 500 square feet commonly takes 6 to 12 weeks for a first review in the City of Los Angeles, and most projects go through more than one round. Each correction cycle adds roughly 3 to 6 weeks. Smaller cities vary in both directions. Hillside and historic properties add steps.
Construction
Foundation and framing go quickly and feel like progress. Inspections, connecting the addition to the existing house, and interior finish take the rest. Weather rarely matters in Los Angeles except during heavy winter rain.
Los Angeles County figures, reviewed 2026-10-29 by America General Contractors, California contractor licence CSLB 1083262. Planning ranges, not a quote, and not legal advice. We confirm the current rules for your parcel before anything gets drawn.
