Meet the Pasadena Team Behind Seedling ADU Pasadena
Every ADU, garage conversion, and home addition we build in Pasadena carries one name, but it takes a crew of people who actually care about the details to get it done right. Ours is a small, tight group based right here in Pasadena. We show up in uniform, we cover your floors, we answer the phone when you call, and we treat your backyard like it’s our own. Meet the people who make that happen.
Our People
Daniel R. – Lead Technician, Site Operations
Daniel has spent 14 years in residential construction, the last 6 focused entirely on ADU and garage conversion work across Pasadena, Altadena, and South Pasadena. He’s the person walking your lot on day one, checking grade, access, and utility locations before a single plan gets drawn. Daniel holds a state general contractor license and is the point person for every building inspection we schedule.
He’s also the one who insists on a clean job site at the end of every day, not because the checklist says so, but because he once got an earful from a homeowner whose toddler found a stray nail. That never happened again. Daniel keeps photos of every cleanup on his phone, and he’s happy to show you.
Maria T. – Senior Installer, Framing & Finish
Maria leads framing and finish carpentry on most Seedling ADU Pasadena projects, and she’s been doing it for 11 years. She came up through residential remodels in the San Gabriel Valley, then shifted to accessory dwelling units when she saw how much precision they demand in a small footprint. Maria is the reason our dormers, window openings, and built-in storage come out square and true.
She’s certified in prefab and modular assembly for Abodu, Cover, and Plant Prefab systems, which means she knows exactly how panels from those factories should seat and seal. On job sites, she’s known for keeping a small radio on low, never loud enough to carry past the fence. Outside work, she volunteers with a local Pasadena community garden and brings the crew extra tomatoes in July.
Elena S. – Service Coordinator
Elena is the voice you hear when you call (626) 657-5461. She’s been coordinating residential construction projects in Los Angeles County for 9 years and joined Seedling ADU Pasadena because she wanted to work somewhere that answered the phone with a human being, every time. She manages permits, scheduling, material deliveries, and the daily update messages families get while their ADU is going up.
Elena is the reason your written price follows a clear sequence, the reason you get answers before the crew arrives, and the reason you’ll never wonder who to call when a question pops up mid-build. She keeps a running list of every family’s pet names so the crew knows who to greet when they walk through the gate.
Marcus J. – Apprentice, Carpentry & Site Support
Marcus joined Seedling ADU Pasadena two years ago as a laborer and quickly earned a place under Daniel and Maria. He’s currently completing his formal carpentry training and spends most days on framing, material staging, and the not-so-glamorous work that determines whether a job stays clean and safe. He’s the one hauling the shoe covers to the door and laying drop cloths before anyone steps inside your home.
He grew up in Pasadena and graduated from Pasadena High School, and he says the best part of this job is driving past finished ADUs around town and knowing he helped put them there. He’s also the crew’s designated early riser, usually on site 30 minutes before anyone else with the coffee going.
One Standard, Every Job
Seedling ADU Pasadena is part of the Cedarwell family of companies, and the Cedarwell Care Promise applies to every visit, from the first walkthrough to the final inspection. That means shoe covers and drop cloths inside your home, pet-safe products whenever there’s a choice, and a photo of the clean-up taken before our crew leaves, every single time. It means a live person answers the phone around the clock during your build, because you shouldn’t have to leave a voicemail when you have a question about your own property. Every one of our team members, from the apprentice to the owner, works to that same standard. It’s not a marketing line. It’s how we run every ADU, garage conversion, and home addition in Pasadena. If it’s not done right, we make it right. That’s the 365-Day Done Right Promise, and the crew you just met is the reason we can stand behind it without flinching.
When you’re ready to talk about a new home on your lot in Pasadena, call (626) 657-5461. Elena or Ben will pick up. We’ll give you a written price before any work starts, and we’ll be the same people on your job from lot walk to final walkthrough.
Written by Ben Ortega, Owner at Seedling ADU Pasadena, serving Pasadena since day one.
