Money and paperwork, traced to the office that issues it.

Financing: banks and lenders

RSA does not recommend a specific bank and takes no referral fees. What follows are the financing types used for an ADU, and the official body where licences and terms can be verified.

• Home equity line or loan

  Draws on equity already built up in the existing house. Compare rate, term, closing costs and whether the rate is variable before signing — terms are set by the lender, not by the city.

  • Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
  • California DFPI (lender oversight)

• Cash-out refinance or construction loan

  A refinance replaces the existing mortgage; a construction loan releases funds in stages against verified progress. Both depend on appraisal, income and the approved project scope.

  • Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
  • California HCD — ADU guidance

• Verify the licence of whoever offers the loan

  Mortgage lenders and loan officers are publicly registered. Check the register before sharing financial documents or paying any upfront fee.

  • NMLS Consumer Access
  • California DFPI

• Effect on property tax

  New construction can trigger an added assessment on what was built. The framework is published by the state; the actual assessment for a parcel is made by the county assessor.

  • California BOE — property taxes
  • Los Angeles County Assessor

Project payments: deposits, fees and control

Payments on residential construction are regulated. These are the rules and official fees worth confirming before any money changes hands.

• Statutory deposit limit in a home improvement contract

  California law limits the down payment on a home improvement contract; the exact wording and its exception are read in the code and in the licence board's own guidance.

  • Cal. Bus. & Prof. Code § 7159.5
  • CSLB — hiring a contractor

• Verify licence and bond before the first payment

  A contractor's licence, its status and the bond are public. Check them by licence number, not by the trade name printed on a proposal.

  • CSLB licence lookup

• Permit and plan-check fees

  Each city publishes and updates its own fee schedule. Confirm the current schedule with the city that issues the permit — another city's figure is not a reference.

  • Los Angeles County Public Works (unincorporated areas)

Obtaining documents and records

Almost all of the early paperwork on a parcel is public. These are the official archives it is requested from.

• Parcel and assessment data

  Parcel number, recorded ownership and stated characteristics — the starting point of any feasibility study.

  • Los Angeles County Assessor portal

• Deeds, easements and recorded maps

  County recorded documents show easements, restrictions and earlier divisions that can decide where building is possible at all.

  • LA County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk

• Permit history and building records

  Earlier permits on the existing house explain what is legalised. They are requested from the city that issued the original permit.

  Requested from the city that issued the permit — use the per-city list below.

• Hazard maps that apply to the parcel

  Flood, fire hazard severity and geologic hazards are checked by address in the official sources, not by neighbourhood impression.

  • FEMA Flood Map Service Center
  • CAL FIRE / OSFM fire hazard severity zones
  • California Geological Survey

By city

Fees and records in the city that issues your permit.

Permit fees, building history and applications are handled by the city — not by the county or the state. Each row leads to that city's official sources and its planning guide.