Kitchens and Bathrooms Built Into Calabasas ADUs

Planning an ADU Kitchen in a Small Calabasas Floor Plan

In a 500 to 800 square foot unit, the kitchen usually shares a room with living and dining. A single wall of cabinets with an island or peninsula works in many layouts; an L-shape suits units with a corner to spare. We start with the appliances, because their sizes set the cabinet run. Apartment-size refrigerators, 24-inch ranges or induction cooktops, and a combination washer-dryer closet can free up several feet of wall.

Storage matters more than in a full house because there is less of it everywhere else. A pull-out pantry beside the fridge, wide drawers under the counter, and a rail for pots and utensils on the backsplash give a small kitchen room for real cooking. For a unit planned as a long-term rental in Woodland Hills or a family suite in Calabasas Park Estates, durable surfaces and standard-size replacement parts keep maintenance simple.

Junior ADU Kitchens and Kitchenettes

A junior ADU, limited by state law to 500 square feet inside the house, still needs somewhere to cook, wash dishes, prepare food and keep groceries, but a slim fridge and a small cooktop satisfy that. Many owners use a two-burner induction cooktop and a combination microwave-convection oven, which also keeps the electrical load low.

Because a JADU is often carved from a bedroom suite, the kitchenette usually goes on the wall shared with the existing bathroom, so supply and drain lines are only a few feet away. That keeps floor and wall demolition to a minimum in a house that is otherwise occupied.

ADU Bathroom Layouts for Calabasas Units

Most ADUs get one full bathroom, and its layout drives the plumbing for the whole unit. We stack the bathroom and kitchen on a shared wet wall when possible, which shortens drain runs and reduces the number of vents through the roof. A 5 by 8 foot bathroom with a tub or shower, toilet and vanity fits most plans. A larger unit with two bedrooms may add a second bath or a powder room.

For a parent or anyone planning to stay long term, a curbless shower with a linear drain, a bench, blocking in the walls for future grab bars and a 36-inch door are worth including from the start. Adding them later costs far more than building them in.

Plumbing, Ventilation and Water Heating in an ADU

Bathrooms and kitchens need exhaust fans ducted to the outdoors. In a Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone, where much of hillside Calabasas sits, those vent terminations must use ember-resistant fittings, which we specify on the plans. Range hoods in small units should be quiet enough that people actually use them.

Water heating options include a tank or heat pump water heater in a closet, a tankless unit, or a branch from the main house's system for a junior ADU. Heat pump water heaters pair well with the all-electric designs many ADUs use. California's building standards require water-conserving fixtures, so the faucets, showerheads and toilets we install meet those flow limits.

Updating Kitchens and Baths in Existing Calabasas ADUs

We also work on guest houses and older second units that need new kitchens or bathrooms. Some of these structures predate current codes, and work on them can bring up questions about their permit history. If a unit was never permitted, the remodel is a chance to legalize it as an ADU, and we review the records with you before any work starts.