ADU Construction in Burbank
ADUs and garage conversions in Burbank placed around the old sewer lateral, the electric panel and the gas meter, and designed to suit the main house.
The exit point of the old sewer lateral can decide where a Burbank ADU sits. A unit whose drain can fall toward the existing line flows by gravity, and one set lower than it may need an ejector pump. On the opening walk-through we find the lateral, the electric panel and the gas meter, then sketch the unit around them, so trench routes stay short and the old foundation is left alone.
Burbank Water and Power and the panel
Burbank runs its own electric utility, Burbank Water and Power, so a service upgrade for an ADU is coordinated with that utility as well as the city's building division. Before the design is fixed we total the planned loads: heat pump, water heater, range, laundry and any car charger. That figure tells us whether the main house's panel can feed a subpanel or whether a new service is the cleaner path. An older house may also hide a fuse box or knob-and-tube circuits, and those are worth replacing while the trench is open and an electrician is already on the job.
Gas or all-electric
An old gas meter sized for a furnace and a stove may have no room for a second kitchen and water heater. We ask early whether the unit will be all-electric, which removes the gas question and leaves the meter where it is. If gas is wanted, the utility may need to upsize the meter, and the pipe run gets sized for the added length. Either way the decision feeds the panel math and the trench plan, so it is settled before the plans go to the Burbank building division for review.
About our ADU Construction serviceEverything we do in Burbank
ADU Construction in Burbank: common questions
Each utility gets traced from the street to the main house first. The sewer lateral is scoped with a camera, the water service is checked for galvanized pipe and pressure, and the panel is opened to read its rating. With those known, we can say whether the ADU shares the existing services or needs new ones, and where each connection is made.
Yes, provided the shell is sound enough to keep. An older garage may sit on a slab poured without a vapor barrier, and its walls may lack the hold-downs current code wants. We check the slab for cracks and level, pull a little siding to look at the plates, and tell you plainly whether converting or starting fresh makes better use of the space.
Begin with the roofline. If the main house has a low hip roof, the ADU gets one at the same slope, with the same eave overhang. The windows follow, sized and divided to echo the front of the house, and so does the exterior finish, whether stucco texture or wood siding. Small details like vent covers and light fixtures complete the match.
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Send the details and we will set up a walk-through and a written scope.