Custom studio service, Cover, closes on funding round

The startup focuses on creating, building, and obtaining permits for backyard studios in LA

Coming off a recent funding round in May totalling $1.6 million, Cover is looking to change the way people add additional buildings to their properties. Lead by Khosla Ventures and General Catalyst, the money will be used for hiring and to continue to improve and expand operations.

Currently only available to LA residents, in part due to new regulations in the area that makes it easier to be granted building permits, the Gardena, California company takes buyers through the entire process of building a structure, from designing and building the accessory dwelling unit all the way to the actual on-site construction. Founded by Xavier Rivas, with Thomas Heyer as the lead designer, the company is essentially trying to bring the benefits of the modern factory to the accessory housing market, while taking away a lot of the confusing aspects of permits and such from the homeowner.

This is due, in part, to Heyer’s work that allows for these buildings to be designed and built in a factory setting and then broken down to be transported and constructed at the final location. Heyer’s innovative design techniques allows for material and building processes to be transported and built thanks to some pretty unique strategies. He developed the concept of “Seams” which is akin to how a car manufacturer breaks panels down for easy transportation then assembly. He also got an idea to replace drywall with a multi-material sandwich that allows for easy transportation and accessibility, as well as quick connect panels and high insulation effectiveness in small spaces.

In addition to the innovative building features, Cover also makes sure everything is up to code and all permits are correct and obtained. Their software helps to accomplish this information, as well as a 50-100 question survey that homeowners are presented with at the start of the project. Cover comes up with the design, takes care of permits, and builds the structure for you, as well - basically eliminating any middle-men in the process.