ADU Before & After in Moreno Valley, CA
Photos don’t exaggerate. A garage stuffed with storage boxes and a finished studio with a kitchenette, permit sticker on the electrical panel, and a certificate of occupancy on the counter - that’s the gap we close. Below are representative transformations from our work across Moreno Valley, from Sunnymead Ranch to Rancho Belago. Each one started with a written price and ended with a documented photo record.
Recent Transformations
Garage Conversion ADU: Boxed-In Workshop to 420-Square-Foot Rental in Sunnymead Ranch
The homeowner had a 22-by-19-foot garage collecting dust and a county tax bill that didn’t care whether the space earned income. The slab was 4 inches thick, within range for conversion, but the existing electrical service was only 100 amps for the whole property - insufficient for a second dwelling. We pulled a new 200-amp service, ran a separate meter, and insulated to Title 24 standards. The city required a 5-foot setback variance along the north property line, which we negotiated through the planning department in two cycles. Garage conversion ADUs in Moreno Valley typically run $85,000-$140,000 all-in, drawings through final inspection. Under Clause 1 of The Haven Standard, this project was quoted at $97,500 before any work started. The owner now collects $1,400 monthly from a long-term tenant.
New Detached ADU: Backyard Dirt to 560-Square-Foot Two-Bedroom in Rancho Belago
Rancho Belago’s hillside lots look great until you try to put a foundation in them. The soil report showed expansive clay - common east of the 215 - so we designed a pier-and-grade-beam system rather than a standard slab-on-grade. The sewer main sat 45 feet uphill, which meant a directional bore under the existing driveway rather than open trenching that would have destroyed the approach. We specified a Cover prefab system for the shell, then finished the interior with custom cabinetry and a full appliance package. New detached ADUs in Moreno Valley’s hillside zones typically run $180,000-$280,000 depending on foundation complexity and utility length. This project was quoted at $214,000 under Haven Clause 1. The documented photo record shows every pier pour, the bore path, and the final tie-in at the sewer cleanout.
Junior ADU & Interior Conversion: Master Suite Carve-Out in Moreno Valley Ranch
Moreno Valley Ranch’s larger single-story plans from the 1990s often have master suites that swallow 25 percent of the floor plate. This homeowner needed income but didn’t want a construction project in the backyard. The existing 3/4 bath meant we only needed to add a kitchenette - 24 inches of counter, a two-burner cooktop, and a compact refrigerator - and run a separate electrical meter. The city required a recorded covenant restricting the main residence to owner occupancy, which we filed with Riverside County. Junior ADUs and interior conversions in Moreno Valley typically run $45,000-$85,000 depending on existing utility access. This project was quoted at $62,000 under Haven Clause 1. The 365-Day Done Right Promise covers the waterproofing at the new kitchen sink penetration, documented in the photo record from rough-in through final.
ADU Site Prep & Utilities: Raw Lot to Build-Ready Pad in Meadowbrook
Meadowbrook’s older parcels were sometimes split informally, which means the “backyard” might never have been properly graded or served. We brought in a geotechnical engineer to test the fill - it failed, so we scraped 18 inches and recompacted in 8-inch lifts to 95 percent relative density. The sewer lateral required a 60-foot extension from the main in the street, which meant trenching through the front yard and restoring the landscaping. We also buried the overhead power and installed a pad-mounted transformer. Site prep and utilities in Moreno Valley typically run $35,000-$75,000 depending on fill condition and utility distance. This phase was quoted at $48,000 under Haven Clause 1, with the documented photo record showing every lift test, the trench profile, and the final compaction report. The owner is now building a Dvele prefab unit on the pad.
Garage Conversion ADU: Detached Structure to Accessible Studio in Box Springs
Box Springs has some of the oldest housing stock in Moreno Valley, and this detached garage had never been more than a shelter for a truck and gardening tools. The dirt floor meant we needed a new slab with stem walls; the failing roof meant complete replacement rather than overlay. The client needed the unit for an aging parent, so we designed to visitability standards - zero-step entry from a regraded approach, 36-inch doorways, a roll-in shower with grab-bar blocking, and lever hardware throughout. The city flagged the ceiling height at the existing collar ties; we raised them and added a clerestory for natural light. Garage conversions with accessibility upgrades in Moreno Valley typically run $110,000-$165,000. This project was quoted at $128,000 under Haven Clause 1. The 365-Day Done Right Promise covers the shower pan waterproofing, with photo documentation from the hot-mop application through flood testing.
New Detached ADU: Prefab Coordination - Abodu One in Hidden Springs
Hidden Springs’ flat lots and established trees make them good candidates for prefab, but only if someone coordinates the site work and the module delivery in the same contract. We specified an Abodu One unit - 610 square feet, one bedroom, full kitchen - and handled the foundation, utility tie-ins, and crane set as a single scope. The mature oak required an arborist report and a root-protection zone that shifted the unit five feet north of the original plan; we revised the setback calculation and resubmitted to planning in one week. The overhead power had to be buried for crane clearance, which added a transformer upgrade. Prefab ADUs with full site coordination in Moreno Valley typically run $220,000-$320,000 depending on foundation and utility complexity. This project was quoted at $267,000 under Haven Clause 1. The documented photo record includes the crane lift, the module set, and the final utility commissioning - all in the same gallery the client received at closeout.
Want Results Like These?
Every project above started with a free estimate and a written price before any work began - no exceptions, per Haven Standard Clause 1. If you already have a written estimate from another builder, we’ll give you a free second opinion. Call (951) 379-3047 to schedule your site walkthrough. A live person answers 24/7, and Nadia Ellery reviews every quote personally before it leaves our office.
Written by Nadia Ellery, Owner at Ellery ADU Studio Moreno Valley, serving Moreno Valley since 2015.