Before & After Gallery - Ellery ADU Studio Menifee

ADU Before & After in Menifee, CA

We’ve designed, permitted, and built more than 900 ADUs since 2015. Every project started with a written price and ended with a documented photo record. Below are representative transformations we’ve completed in Menifee and surrounding Riverside County cities. These aren’t stock photos - they’re the actual conditions we encounter, the decisions we make, and the results our clients move into.

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Recent Transformations

Garage Conversion ADU: Sun City, Menifee - 400 Sq. Ft. Studio

Before: cluttered two-car garage with roll-up door and exposed framing in Sun City, Menifee — Before: Original two-car garage used for storage, 1980s slab, no insulation, standard 8-foot roll-up door.

After: completed studio ADU with kitchenette, separate entrance, and permitted occupancy in Menifee — After: Permitted studio ADU with full kitchenette, 3/4 bath, mini-split HVAC, and dedicated meter.

The homeowner had a 20-by-20-foot garage in Sun City collecting boxes and a broken refrigerator. The slab was 4 inches thick, which is within range for a conversion but required a moisture barrier and new floating floor assembly to meet HCD insulation standards. We ran a new 100-amp electrical service, converted the roll-up door to a framed wall with a 36-inch entry door and egress window, and designed a compact kitchenette around a 24-inch range. The city of Menifee approved the permit set in six weeks - typical for garage conversions with no setback issues. The project ran $85,000-$110,000 all-in, drawings through final inspection, with the written price locked at signing under Haven Standard Clause 1. The client now rents it for $1,400 a month.

New Detached ADU: Menifee Lakes - 560 Sq. Ft. One-Bedroom

Before: bare backyard with slope drainage issues and utility stub location marked in Menifee Lakes — Before: Sloped backyard with drainage toward the main house, utility stub 80 feet from proposed pad location.

After: completed detached ADU with covered porch, matching stucco, and separate address in Menifee — After: 560 sq. ft. one-bedroom with covered porch, stucco to match the main house, and separate address.

This Menifee Lakes lot had a 4 percent rear slope that sent runoff toward the foundation - a common issue in the area’s clay-heavy soil. We regraded for positive drainage, brought in a 6-inch compacted aggregate base, and poured a monolithic slab with stem walls. The sewer lateral was 80 feet away, so we specified a grinder pump system rather than trenching through established landscaping. Nadia Ellery coordinated the prefab shell through Plant Prefab, which we then finished with HardiePanel and a standing-seam metal roof to match the existing home’s profile. Total project: $165,000-$195,000. The client received the full permit set, weekly photo records, and the 365-Day Done Right Promise in writing before we broke ground.

Junior ADU & Interior Conversion: Quail Valley, Menifee - Existing Bedroom Conversion

Before: oversized master bedroom with exterior wall access and separate entrance potential in Quail Valley, Menifee — Before: 420 sq. ft. master bedroom with exterior wall on separate HVAC zone, existing bathroom nearby.

After: permitted Junior ADU with kitchenette, private entrance, and interior lock-off door in Menifee — After: Junior ADU with efficiency kitchen, 3/4 bath, private entrance, and lock-off door to main house.

Quail Valley’s older homes often have oversized bedrooms that predate modern square-footage expectations. This 1978 ranch had a 420-square-foot master with an exterior wall facing the side yard - perfect for a Junior ADU under Menifee’s JADU ordinance, which allows up to 500 square feet within the existing footprint. We added a kitchenette with a two-burner cooktop and compact refrigerator, converted a nearby closet to a 3/4 bath with a wall-hung toilet to save space, and installed a lock-off door with sound-rated assembly. Because JADUs share utilities with the main house, we kept costs down: $45,000-$65,000 total. The homeowner uses it for her mother and will convert it to rental income later. Every visit included a documented photo record - she has 340 images showing rough plumbing, insulation, and final finishes.

ADU Site Prep & Utilities: Romoland, Menifee - Grading and Trenching for Detached Unit

Before: undeveloped hillside with oak tree protection zone and utility trench path marked in Romoland, Menifee — Before: Hillside lot with protected oak tree, no utility trench, and undocumented fill from prior owner.

After: graded pad with retaining wall, utility trench with conduit, and erosion control in place in Menifee — After: Compacted pad, segmental retaining wall, utility trench with conduit and tracer wire, erosion control.

Romoland’s rural lots often come with surprises - in this case, three feet of undocumented fill that failed compaction testing. We stripped it, brought in engineered fill in 8-inch lifts, and compacted to 95 percent modified Proctor before pouring. The oak tree protection zone, required by Riverside County’s oak ordinance, dictated our pad location and retaining wall alignment. We trenched 120 feet for electrical and sewer, installed schedule 40 PVC with tracer wire for future locate requests, and built a 4-foot segmental retaining wall with drainage aggregate behind it. This was site prep only - the client is using our design-build contract for the ADU itself next year. The utility and grading package ran $35,000-$50,000, with every stage photo-documented and the written scope locked under Haven Standard Clause 5 (No Surprises).

Garage Conversion ADU: Heritage Lake, Menifee - Two-Car to One-Bedroom with ADU Site Prep

Before: detached two-car garage with failing roof, no electrical panel, and gravel driveway in Heritage Lake, Menifee — Before: Detached garage with failing comp shingle roof, 60-amp subpanel from 1987, gravel driveway.

After: converted one-bedroom ADU with new roof, dedicated panel, and concrete approach in Menifee — After: One-bedroom ADU with new standing-seam roof, 200-amp dedicated service, concrete approach, and landscaping.

Heritage Lake’s HOA requires architectural review for any exterior modification, so we submitted the full permit set plus material samples before work started - no surprises at the HOA meeting. The existing garage had a failing roof and an undersized electrical feed, so we stripped to framing, sistered rafters for insulation depth, and installed a new 200-amp meter-main combo. The gravel driveway got replaced with concrete to meet Menifee’s fire department access requirements for ADUs over 400 square feet. We also ran a new water service from the main house, which meant trenching through the front yard - we photo-documented the sod removal and replacement so the client could verify restoration quality. Final cost: $95,000-$125,000. The project took 14 weeks from permit to final, typical for a detached garage conversion with utility work.

New Detached ADU with Prefab Coordination: Menifee - Abodu One Unit

Before: flat backyard with access constraints for crane delivery and utility locations marked in Menifee — Before: Flat backyard with 10-foot side-yard access, overhead power lines, and existing sewer cleanout.

After: installed Abodu One prefab ADU with deck, landscaping, and occupied status in Menifee — After: Installed Abodu One with wraparound deck, privacy screening, and landscaping - occupied within 8 weeks of delivery.

This client wanted speed without sacrificing the single-contract accountability of our design-build model. We specified the Abodu One, a 340-square-foot studio module, and coordinated directly with Abodu’s factory in Healdsburg while handling all Menifee permitting and site work ourselves. The site challenge was crane access: overhead power lines on the street side meant we needed a 90-ton crane with a 120-foot boom from the alley, which required a Southern California Edison line drop - two weeks’ notice, $800. We managed that scheduling, poured the foundation to Abodu’s bolt pattern, and had the unit set in four hours. Total project with site work, utility connections, and deck: $185,000-$220,000. The client moved in 47 days after delivery. Nadia Ellery handled the factory coordination personally - no handoffs to a third party.

Want Results Like These?

Architect designing an accessory dwelling unit floor plan with professional tools — Want Results Like These?

Every project above started the same way: a free estimate with a written price before any work began. If you already have a written estimate from another builder, we’ll give you a Free Second Opinion - no obligation, no pressure. Call (951) 528-2967 to schedule yours. A live person answers 24/7, and you’ll receive a documented photo record on every visit, guaranteed.

Written by Nadia Ellery, Owner at Ellery ADU Studio Menifee, serving Menifee and Riverside County since 2015.