What owners ask before they call

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.

The unit needs a way to connect. Sometimes it ties into the house lines, sometimes it needs a new meter or a larger panel. We find out which at the lot check and list the cost as an allowance.

After the lot check we visit, measure and talk through what you want. A written quote comes with the plans: scope, allowances, what is not included, and the timeline.

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.

We do. Our permit coordinator files the plans, answers the city reviewers and books each inspection. The permit fees themselves are listed on your quote as an allowance and paid at cost.

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.

Yes. Our California contractor license and bond are in the header and footer of every page, with a link to the state board where you can check them. We carry workers' compensation insurance for our employees.

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.

We stop, show you, and write up the fix and its cost. Nothing extra is done or billed until you sign that change in writing.

California law limits the down payment on a home improvement contract and gives you a short window to cancel. Your contract states both, with dates. After that you pay in stages as work is finished and inspected.

The same site lead each day, and a crew you meet before the first morning. We fence the work area, protect any path through the house and clean up at the end of each day.

Defects in our workmanship for one year from final inspection, in writing. It does not cover normal wear, damage from misuse, work by others, or products that carry their makers' warranties. The license and warranty page has the terms.

We do not lend money. Many owners use savings, a home equity loan or a renovation loan from their bank. A lender will want the written quote and the plans, and we provide both.

We do not build on lots the lot check shows cannot take an ADU, we do not estimate rent or resale value, and we do not do main-house remodels unrelated to the unit.

Yes for a detached unit, which is built in the yard. A junior ADU or garage conversion may mean a day or two without power or water; we tell you which days ahead of time.