How United Build Partners helps Burbank homeowners
We're not a construction company. United Build Partners is an ADU advisory and contractor-matching service: we start with a free review of your property and goals, help you understand what's realistic for your lot under Burbank's rules, and — when it's a good fit — connect you with up to three contractors in our network suited to your project type and neighborhood. From there, you compare proposals and decide who to work with; the licensed contractor you choose handles the actual design and construction.
ADU rules and permitting in Burbank
Like every California city, Burbank's ADU rules build on the statewide floor — ministerial review and a 60-day clock on complete applications (our California ADU laws guide covers the framework). The city updated its local ADU/JADU ordinance in late 2023 (Ordinance 23-4,002, effective December 8, 2023), and publishes a regularly-updated ADU handout.
What's specific to Burbank
- Burbank Preapproved ADU Program (BPAP). The Community Development Department maintains a library of preapproved ADU plans intended to streamline permitting — check the current catalog before assuming a design.
- Match-the-main-house design rule. Per the city's ADU handout, an ADU's exterior design must match the main dwelling — building forms, materials, colors, exterior finishes, roof forms, and the style of doors and windows. Budget design attention (and money) for this; a stock plan may need façade adaptation.
- Local size structure. The city's materials state that an ADU larger than 850 sq ft must provide at least two bedrooms and cannot exceed 1,000 sq ft — a local cap structure layered over the state floors (which still guarantee at least 850/1,000 sq ft by bedroom count).
- Burbank Water & Power reviews plans. Burbank runs its own utility, and BWP publishes its own electric plan-check requirements for residential ADUs — an extra reviewer in the chain that most investor-owned-utility cities don't have. Factor it into your timeline.
- Owner-occupancy certification — ask the city. City materials describe an owner-occupancy certification tied to ADU approvals. State law (AB 976) now broadly limits owner-occupancy mandates for ADUs — though JADUs still carry one — so how this applies to your specific project is a question worth putting directly to the Planning Division rather than assuming either way.
- Transit parking relief. No ADU parking is required within a half-mile walk of public transit or on permit-parking streets, consistent with state law.
Property and lot considerations
Burbank's residential fabric is largely flat, established single-family neighborhoods with alley access in some tracts and hillside terrain rising toward the Verdugos. The match-the-main-house rule means your existing home's architecture effectively sets your ADU's design language — a mid-century ranch begets a mid-century-looking ADU. Hillside parcels add slope and access considerations; flatland lots with existing garages are strong conversion candidates.
Common ADU types for Burbank homeowners
A garage conversion is often Burbank's most natural path — the structure already matches the house. A detached ADU from the BPAP library works where yard space allows, budgeted for any façade adaptation the design rule requires. A Junior ADU suits larger homes (noting JADUs carry a state owner-occupancy requirement), and an attached ADU inherently satisfies the match rule.
Cost factors in Burbank
Burbank pricing tracks the higher end of LA County. Two local line items deserve early attention: façade adaptation to satisfy the design-match rule, and any BWP-specific electrical requirements — both belong in the bid, not the change orders. Anchor against our cost guide and soft-cost categories, then get exact fees from the city.
Financing your Burbank ADU
Most homeowners fund ADU construction through a HELOC, cash-out refinance, a construction loan, or some combination — see our ADU financing overview and loan payment calculator for how each works. Financing options aren't generally city-specific, but a lender may consider your neighborhood and local rents when evaluating projected rental income as qualifying income.
How our process works
Frequently asked questions
Per the city's ADU handout, yes — exterior design must match the main dwelling in building forms, materials, colors, exterior finishes, roof forms, and door/window style. It's one of the more specific design standards in our coverage area, and it's why stock plans often need façade adaptation here.
The Burbank Preapproved ADU Program — a library of preapproved plans maintained by Community Development to streamline permitting. Ask the Planning Division (818-238-5250) what's currently in the catalog and whether a given plan satisfies the design-match rule for your house.
City materials describe an owner-occupancy certification tied to ADU approvals, while state law (AB 976) broadly limits owner-occupancy mandates for ADUs — JADUs are the exception and do carry one. Because the interaction isn't something to guess at, confirm how it applies to your project type directly with the Planning Division.