ADU design-build in San Diego County
Tecolote designs, permits and builds accessory dwelling units on San Diego lots: backyard homes, garage conversions and junior ADUs. One firm carries the drawings, the city review and the build.
Four kinds of ADU
Weeks count the build only, after the city has approved your plans. The price depends on your lot, the utilities and the plans.
10 to 14 weeks to build. A separate unit made from space inside your house, up to 500 sq ft.
14 to 18 weeks to build. Your garage becomes a studio or a one-bedroom, usually 350 to 450 sq ft.
22 to 28 weeks to build. About 600 sq ft on its own foundation, with a kitchen, a bath and a laundry closet.
28 to 36 weeks to build. Up to 1,200 sq ft, or a one-bedroom over a new garage.
The price comes in writing after a site visit and the plans. Permit and utility fees, and any work the plans show on the main house, go on your written quote as allowances.
Family or rental
Most owners start with one of these two answers, and some have both. We design for the first one you name and check the second.
| What we look at | A rental | A place for family |
|---|---|---|
| Entrance and path | A rentalIts own gate or side path, so tenants do not cross your yard | A place for familyStep-free, short and lit, with a view of the back door of the house |
| Layout | A rentalClosets, a laundry spot and a kitchen that holds up to daily use | A place for familyWide doors, a shower you can walk into, room for a caregiver |
| Privacy | A rentalWindows and a fence line that give you and the tenant a clear edge | A place for familyWindows that look at the garden, not at the neighbor |
| Rules to check first | A rentalRental length, owner occupancy and parking, which differ by unit type and city | A place for familyWhether a junior or a full ADU fits, and the parking rules |
From first call to keys
Design and city review come before any building. The build weeks start once the plans are approved.
We read your parcel map, zoning and utility records, then call with what we found: where a unit fits, what kind, and what could get in the way.
Floor plan, elevations, structure and energy compliance, drawn with you. You see the plans before they go to the city.
We submit online and answer the reviewers' comments. State law limits how long a city can take on a complete application; we tell you where yours stands.
Crews start on the foundation or the demolition. The length depends on the type; the cards above give each one.
The city inspects, the utility sets the meter and we walk through the unit with you and fix what we find.
A worked example
This is an example, built to show how a written quote is laid out. Your lines will differ.
A 640 sq ft detached one-bedroomA made-up lot with a level yard, a rear alley and utilities about 40 feet from the new unit. | |
|---|---|
| Design, engineering and drawings | |
| Plan check and permit fees (allowance) | |
| Site work and foundation | |
| Framing, roof, windows and exterior | |
| Plumbing, electrical and mini-split | |
| Interior finishes, kitchen and bath | |
| Utility connections (allowance) | |
A worked example, not an offer. Your quote comes from your lot and your plans. We do not estimate rent, resale value or payback. |
Inside and out
Sample photos to show finishes and layouts. Your own projects replace them.
Sample photos.
Who you will talk to
A firm of 22 people, with these four leading your project from lot check to final inspection.
Owner and licensed contractor
Leads the firm, signs every contract and answers for the license.
Design director
Draws the plans with you and checks each one against your lot.
Construction director
Runs the crews and the schedule from foundation to final inspection.
Permit coordinator
Files with the city, answers plan-check comments and tracks every inspection.
Homeowners
“We had a garage full of boxes and a mother who needed a place on one level. Sina drew the plan at our kitchen table, and Janiya called each time the city sent a comment.”
“The quote listed what was in and what was not. The number changed once, in writing, when the sewer line turned out to run somewhere we did not expect.”
“Our son has a door of his own now and we still share a roof. The crew covered the hallway floor every morning and swept every night.”
Sample reviews.
Service area
We build on lots from the coast to the East County foothills. The lot check tells you whether yours is a fit.
We don't build in Orange or Riverside counties, or on lots in the Cleveland National Forest. Past the foothills, ask: some lots are too far for our crews to serve well.
Questions
Most single-family lots in San Diego County can fit at least one. Size, setbacks, utility lines and easements decide what kind. A lot check answers it for your address before you pay for drawings.
State law generally does not require replacement parking when a garage becomes an ADU. We confirm that for your address, because a few areas near the coast and transit have their own rules.
Usually yes, for stays of 30 days or longer. Rules on owner occupancy and on selling the unit apart from the house differ by unit type and city. A junior ADU, for example, needs the owner to live on the property. We write down the rules for your address.
Design takes about two months, the city review varies, and the build runs 10 to 36 weeks depending on the type. The weeks on the cards are build time only.
Size, how far the utilities are from the new unit, slope and access, soil, the condition of an old garage slab, finishes, and whether the city asks for upgrades to your electric panel or sewer line.
It can. Homes built before 1978 may have lead paint. If work disturbs more than 6 square feet of painted surface inside or 20 outside, or touches windows or demolition, federal rules require specific lead-dust work practices by a certified firm. Tell us the year; we say before you sign whether the rule applies and who holds the certification.
Lot check
Give us an address and who the unit is for. We read the parcel and call you back.