Excellent level of expertise and professonalism from start to finish on our ADU built in Inglewood (Los Angeles County). Everyone at the firm, connected or recommended by the firm are shining stars at first seemed a mirky, convoluted project that deals with county and city bureaucracies. Their architect, Charles Bernstein is A++ and their General Contractor, Alex Motamedi also A++. I expected a nightmare when first contemplating permitting and building an ADU in Los Angeles. Ira Belgrade (and his staff) of YimbyLA! made my dreams come true. We have a beautiful, livable, comfortable, charming small space that is a joy to visit when we're in LA to see our friends and family. I recommend them 1000%. Will add more photos when we finish decorating. read more

YimbyLA! - Murphy Bed Sofa - Real Estate Services Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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The concept of this company is really groundbreaking and somehow the execution and level of service that you receive is even better! 100% worth it and 100% satisfied. The owner of the company, Ira, has basically studied every housing related law in LA county (and maybe even beyond). He'll assess your situation and provide a thoughtful, confident, authoritative, and unfiltered point of view about all of your potential options. The bureaucracy of the different city departments and how they interact with utilities can make your head spin. Just when you think you've figured it out on your own, you learn about some other law within another city department that unravels your plans. Not with Ira. Ira literally knows details about ordinances and laws that different departments of the city don't even know. His assessment and the plans he provides seem to be bulletproof and you won't be surprised if city employees start applying approval stamps while they scratch their heads or shake their fists! "Darn it, I didn't even know about that loophole!" On top of that, Ira has proven himself to be someone who is willing to provide guidance and counsel years after he has provided his initial service. Stand up guy, stand up business. If you're into ADUs and LA housing, you'd be hard pressed to find anyone else in the city who is more knowledgeable and interesting to talk to. I truly couldn't recommend Ira and YIMBY highly enough! read more

Anyone who is considering building an ADU should hire Ira as a consultant before spending a dime anywhere else. After meeting with several general contractors who came to my property and also speaking to a so called "pre-construction service provider", I had more questions than answers. They all told me the the first step was for me to hire an architect. Basically it was pay first and commit and we'll figure it out as we go along type of deal. Like the other reviewers wrote below, no one really knew for sure what the requirements were. Then I found Ira who was very straight forward to deal with. The final report and the service that I received from Ira was worth every penny. He is very knowledgeable and helpful. I highly recommend Ira's services for anyone considering building an ADU or doing other construction projects. It's almost a must. read more

I had Ira do an ADU assessment for me, and he really got the job done well with professionalism, expertise, and insight. He is probably the most knowledgeable person in the business about ADU laws and regulations, and better yet, is also helpful, friendly, and accessible. Basically everything you would want in a consultant. He completed a detailed report for me that included everything I needed, even doing the legwork of contacting the planning department and the city with questions. I wholeheartedly recommend Ira and his Yimby team for all your ADU needs. read more

By far the most knowledgeable and reputable source for ADU's in Los Angeles. Ira is the man with all the answers. Spoke to several others before Ira and could never get concrete straight forward answers. Ira was confident and precise with all his answers and guidance. I recommend Ira for all your ADU needs. read more

I just finished my first consultation call with Ira. We got it scheduled and completed within one day of my first contact. He was extremely helpful and knowledgeable and friendly. He helped talk through the available options for converting our garage into a usable space as an ADU. His website explains his services very well. I won't hesitate to hire him if we decide to move forward. Highly recommended! read more

Ira is THE man if you're considering building or modifying an ADU (or converted guesthouse). I've talked to many real estate agents and other so-called experts in the field, yet IRA is the most knowledgeable and experienced person. He will not only help you do it legal, but he will give you creative ways to save a ton of money in the process. I really enjoyed not just his knowledge, but he's very friendly and has a lot of patience which is important if you're going to go through this process. read more

Calling Ira was the best thing I ever did. When our neighbor decided to put an ADU with a front door right outside our bedroom window, I knew I needed to put up a fence right away to protect our privacy, property (and our sanity). I wanted the fence to go on my property only, but I had no idea where my property line was because the markers that were placed in the street 68 years ago had been covered up. I also had a feeling that the measurements that the neighbor submitted to the city were not correct. I needed help. I knew Ira was an expert in ADU's so I called him for advice and help - what could and couldn't my neighbor do with their ADU? What rights did I have? Who should I call with my noise complaints and who should I call to find out where exactly my property line is? He answered all my questions and immediately connected me with a surveyor and negotiated a rate for us. The surveyor came out to our home within the week and was excellent. Ira kept in touch with me the entire time, double and triple-checking that the project was running on time and smoothly. I said it once and I will say it again, calling Ira was the best thing I ever did, he literally saved my sanity. I would 100% work with him again and recommend him to anyone needing an ADU expert. You should also be damn sure that when we build our own ADU on our property, Ira will be my very first call read more

Ira is amazing, we hired him to do a ADU + JADU feasibility report regarding the latest AB68 and associated bills which are soon to be enacted and dramatically impact the ADU requirements going forward. While his report fee may initially appear steep, it is still cheaper than a building envelope feasibility study from an architect, and the thoroughness of research to capture the exact state of your parcel is second to none. Ira also has a considerable amount of general building and permitting knowledge specific to LADBS. We would highly recommend him for your ADU, JADU, or make-legal-ADU projects as he will save you both months of time and possible refactoring costs if you have to change plans mid project from lack of detail. read more

Ira the ADU Angel! When my wife and I recently found ourselves victims of a criminal contractor who knocked down our existing garage, destroying our plans of converting it to an ADU, we were lost to say the least. Searching for the best and most knowledgeable I come across Ira. Boy, I wish we'd found him before our disaster! Ira knows the code better then the city, is a wealth of knowledge and creative solutions and carries a Rolodex as deep as his passion for ADU's. Friendly, passionate, knowledgeable and generous. I just wish we'd found him before we wasted time and money. read more

Permitting an ADU in LA is unnecessarily difficult and expensive. Ira paid for himself with the ways he found to save us money. What more can I say? He saved us more money than he cost us. He was nice and sweet and on time and whatever, sure. But we all know the bottom line is: he saved us more than he cost us. You have a problem with an ADU or guest house or permits? Use him and save yourself money. read more

Ira has been an essential partner for me throughout the process to convert my existing un-permitted Guest House into a permitted ADU / Accessory Dwelling Unit. As a home owner, I relied on his expertise and experience in this crazy ADU conversion world. There's no way I would have known how to get through all the steps without his help. Its been great to know that I had an expert in this field on my side. Yes In My Back Yard!!! read more

Ira at YimbyLA gave me the confidence and information needed to convert my garage into a second unit. He is a passionate expert on the new ADU (additional dwelling unit or granny flat) law passed in California and will guide you through a process that can be daunting to most home owners. Most contractors and architects are not up to date in their knowledge of the law and the process of getting such a permit and therefore will give you false information or not be interested in helping. On the other hand, Ira knows more about the law than even the folks at LADBS ( LA Dept. of Building and Safety). Anyone who has an existing garage or structure should talk to Ira! read more

Ira Belgrade......remember that name. He is worth his weight in gold!!! If you are totally boggled about what to do to get your garage or secondary unit in your back yard permitted and legalized, you are not alone. I was in that exact position and then I found Ira Belgrade. Ira is terrific. He came to my house and checked out my little unit in the back yard and we were off and running. He explained everything that we needed to do and in what order. I asked if he also would help me with the LABSD and he was with me every step of the way. If you read his website (www.YIMBYLA.com) you will see he comments on how crazy LABSD can be. That is an understatement!! But Ira knows his way around the LABSD like he lives there...which it seems like he did live there when he had to legalize his unit. He probably knows more than anyone else about the whole process. I saw it in action and was the recipient of his savviness many times over. If you need someone who really knows his way around this whole new system, Ira Belgrade is the guy. He will fight for you and if you want him to, he will take you the whole distance. I was dreading this process but having the experienced help of Ira and having him by my side, It was ok. I would still be spinning around wondering what to do if it hadn't been for finding Ira. I know it would have cost me tons of $ without his help. My ADU just today got PERMITTED!! THANKS IRA!!! read more

Ira was wonderful to work with. Tried every way he can to help. Highly recommended. Thank you so much for your help! read more

A few years back I started to research companies that help with the permit process. I talked with a few different companies but never felt completely comfortable going forward with them and put the idea of properly converting my garage to a later time. Then I stumbled upon YimbyLA, made one phone call to Ira and immediately felt that he was the guy for the job. Ira knows his stuff and devised a plan to get my ADU permitted quickly in the most cost efficient way possible. In a matter of months he had taken care of the permit process and now we are close to beginning construction to get the building up to code. I can't recommend this company enough, if you ever need help with an ADU or getting the proper permits for an illegal structure look no further. read more

Ira was wonderful to work with. He save us money, got all of our permits approved (which was not easy because our house had a lot of complications) and he still takes our phone calls with questions months after. Thank you so much for you help Ira! read more

Ira is the man you want to hire to get anything done with the L.A. housing department! He is by far the most informed and resourceful person to work with regarding ADUs in Los Angeles. We had a complicated situation at one of our rental units and Ira and his crew were able to help walk us through every phase of the process. Even when we stumbled upon some roadblocks - Ira found solutions! Would highly recommend him to anyone. Very responsive, organized and also just a super nice guy. Don't hesitate - call him! read more

I'm so grateful to have found Ira and YIMBYLA on Yelp when I bought the house I'd rented for over a decade, which included a 60 yr old unpermitted guest house on the hillside property. I cannot imagine the number of frustrating hours that would have consumed me trying to get a handle on the many, many, many issues that lie ahead. As every other grateful reviewer has said, the combination of Ira's knowledge, professionalism, communication, candor and good nature are unsurpassed in any field. I am posting this review not for Ira, but for the folks like me who would have been in way over their heads for way too long without Ira's sage counsel to guide them and comprehend/decipher/explain the arcane and often nonsensical regulations/road blocks that stand in the way of homeowners and their (future legal) ADUs. Sadly, contrary to stated policy that allegedly seeks to increase the density of housing availability, it's a difficult and costly road. But thanks to YIMBYLA, we do have a beacon of light, and it's Ira. Do yourself a favor and don't try to do it alone. Call Ira. read more

Ira is one amazing guy! He helped me navigate the ADU process, including getting the permit for a garage conversion. He is up to date on the changing regulations, and was (and still is) available if problems should arise. During our final inspection, the City inspector noticed an issue with the property line. Ira took the time to talk with the inspector, the surveyor, architect and even the plan checker, and found out that no, there was nothing wrong with the original plans or survey, the inspector just mis interpreted the plans! By his sincere caring and willingness to help, Ira saved me a lot of money because I didn't have to get a whole new survey. It is a joy to do business with good, honest people like Ira who really cares about his clients. read more

Ira was so helpful, and a total expert in the ADU conversion process. I was in a time bind with regards to permitting a garage conversion, and Ira graciously and patiently assisted me with the details in the process. You can't go wrong with the advice Ira gives you. He should be the first one you call or turn to if you are even considering an ADU. THANK YOU, Ira. read more

Ira was such a huge help in helping us navigate the process of getting our converted guest house approved with the city. His knowledge, passion and follow up is all exceptional. We couldn't have gone through this process without him. I would highly recommend!!! read more

If your looking into building a secondary unit or converting an existing structure into a secondary unit on your property, I highly suggest you start with a phone call to Ira at YIMBYLA as I did! Ira loves what he's doing and is extremely knowledgeable regarding all current secondary ordinances, rules, regulations and amendments that have come about in recent years. By calling Ira you'll have the best chance to get your project off the grown in a smooth and confident manner and avoid the many headaches that may come about once a project gets off the grown. Mistakes can be costly... you don't want that. Ira will inspect your property and assess exactly what you can and cannot do. So much has changed with secondary unit regulations in recent years and so few people have been able to keep up like he has. Having been through this myself I would NOT count on your architect, a building contractor nor the LA's Building & Safety staff to know all that Ira knows. Before I hired Ira I found these people gave out incorrect information that almost stopped me in my tracts with my building, but Ira keeps way ahead of the curve and he saved me time and MONEY. Ira was GREATt to work with and I'm so happy and lucky that I found this guy when I did. It's really worth starting a project as this with correct information. Get your project off the grown right and do what I did, Call Ira at YIMBYLA without hesitation. read more

As a real estate agent, I get this a lot in LA, when clients are thinking about buying a place: "The back house, it's not permitted, how can I make that legal?" "Call Ira Belgrade, of YimbyLA, he'll help you," is what I say. I don't know anyone who knows more about converting your garage/backyard space into a legal and permitted accessory dwelling unit (ADU) better than Ira of YimbyLA. He's passionate about helping people obtain proper permitting, and converting their back units into livable, viable and legal residences. When all the different parts of the local government aren't talking to each other, and contradicting the laws, you need someone like Ira to make everything clear, for everyone. He will patiently work with you to navigate LA's housing codes and the various agencies you need to help you reach your ultimate goal...all with lots of positivity and a great attitude. It's a pleasure to work with him. read more