California
Construction FAQ.
Straight answers from a licensed California general contractor — across both our Los Angeles and Bay Area studios. Permits, costs, timelines, and what really happens on ADU, remodel, roofing, foundation, and commercial projects. No marketing fog.
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F-01
ADUs — Permits & Zoning
What's the difference between an ADU and a JADU?
An ADU (Accessory Dwelling Unit) is a fully independent second home on your lot — its own kitchen, bath, and entrance, up to 1,200 sqft. A JADU (Junior ADU) is carved out of the existing house, capped at 500 sqft, and can share a bathroom with the main home. JADUs are faster to permit and cheaper, but you have to owner-occupy one of the units. See our full ADU types comparison and JADU build guide.Am I allowed to build an ADU on my lot in LA, Long Beach, or Pasadena?
Almost certainly yes. California state law (Gov. Code §65852.2) requires every single-family and most multi-family lots to allow at least one ADU. Each LA jurisdiction layers its own rules on top — see the LADBS permit process guide and the full California construction permit directory for city-by-city setbacks, height, and size limits.SB 9, AB 68, AB 2221 — what actually applies to me?
AB 68 (2020) and AB 2221 (2023) are the ADU laws — they cap permit timelines at 60 days, ban most parking requirements within ½ mile of transit, and force ministerial approval. SB 9 is the lot-split law that lets you put up to four units on a single-family lot. Our LA ADU permit process walkthrough shows which path makes sense by lot type.Do I have to add parking?
Usually no. State law forbids cities from requiring replacement parking for ADUs within ½ mile of public transit, in historic districts, or when the ADU is part of an existing structure. The California construction permit directory lists transit-exempt zones for every California jurisdiction we serve.What's the maximum height and setbacks?
State law allows 16 ft for detached ADUs (18 ft within ½ mile of transit, or 25 ft for two stories on multi-family lots). Side and rear setbacks are capped at 4 ft. Cities can be more permissive but not more restrictive — full details on the LADBS permit process guide and San Francisco DBI permit guide.Can I rent the ADU on Airbnb?
Short answer: usually no. The City of LA's Home-Sharing Ordinance prohibits short-term rental of any ADU permitted after 2017. Santa Monica, Pasadena, and most LA County jurisdictions have similar 30-day minimums. See the LADBS permit process guide for the ordinance text and exemptions.
F-02
ADUs — Cost & Timeline
What does a typical California ADU cost in 2026?
Realistic 2026 numbers: garage conversions start around $120k turnkey for ~400 sqft. Detached new-build ADUs run $275–$425/sqft, so a 700 sqft unit typically lands $200–$300k all-in including permits, utilities, and finishes. Cross-check with the California ADU cost guide, see regional differences via Los Angeles ADU contractor and Bay Area ADU contractor, then model your own numbers in the ADU cost calculator.How long does the permit take in LA vs Long Beach vs Pasadena?
State law caps it at 60 days from a complete submittal. Our 24-month averages: City of LA (LADBS) ~9 weeks, Long Beach ~6 weeks, Pasadena ~10 weeks (design review adds time), Santa Monica ~8 weeks. The full city-by-city playbook lives in the LADBS permit process guide and California construction permit directory.Detached new-build vs garage conversion — which is cheaper?
Garage conversion almost always wins on price ($120–$195k typical) because the foundation and shell already exist. Detached costs more but appraises higher. Compare specs in the garage conversion guide vs detached ADU construction, and run side-by-side numbers in the ADU cost calculator. Oakland-specific rules live in the Oakland permit & garage conversion guide.How do most owners finance an ADU?
Three common paths: (1) HELOC against the main house — fastest, but rate-sensitive; (2) construction-to-perm loan through a local bank or credit union — best for ground-up; (3) ADU-specific products from lenders like Renofi or Aven that underwrite based on after-completion value. Model the project budget first in the ADU cost calculator, then read the financing section of the California ADU cost guide.
F-03
Remodels — Scope & Process
When do I actually need a permit?
Anything that touches structure (walls, beams, foundations), plumbing, electrical, gas, or the building envelope (windows, roofing, siding) needs a permit. Cosmetic work — paint, flooring, cabinets in the same footprint — usually doesn't. Look up your jurisdiction in the California construction permit directory, or jump straight to the LADBS permit process guide or San Francisco DBI permit guide.Do you do kitchen-only remodels?
Yes — kitchen-only remodels are roughly a third of our remodel volume. Start with the Los Angeles kitchen remodeling contractor or Bay Area kitchen remodeling contractor page for regional scope, pricing, and recent projects, then size your budget with the California kitchen remodel cost guide.How long am I without a kitchen during a kitchen remodel?
For a standard pull-and-replace (same footprint, new cabinets, counters, appliances): 4–6 weeks of no kitchen, usually 8–10 weeks total. If we're moving plumbing or taking down a wall, plan on 10–14 weeks. Detailed timelines and contingency planning live in the California kitchen remodel cost guide.How much does a primary-bath remodel cost?
Primary-bath remodels in California typically run $45–$95k for a same-footprint renovation and $90–$180k when we expand the room or relocate plumbing. Region-specific pricing is in the Los Angeles bathroom remodeling contractor and Bay Area bathroom remodeling contractor pages, with the full breakdown in the California bathroom remodel cost guide.Do you do solar and battery as part of the remodel?
Yes — we bundle solar, battery, and the related service upgrades into whole-home remodels so you only open walls once. See the California Title 24 remodel guide for energy-code triggers, then plan the related work with electrical & panel upgrades and HVAC & heat pump services.When do I need a structural engineer?
Any time we remove or modify a load-bearing wall, add a story, change the foundation, or expand the footprint. Also for seismic retrofits and most additions over 200 sqft. Background reading lives in the structural engineering primer and the California whole-home remodel cost guide.How do you handle Spanish, Craftsman, and mid-century homes?
Carefully. We keep period trim, match plaster and stucco profiles, and replicate window proportions. HPOZ work adds 6–10 weeks — see the LADBS permit process guide for HPOZ flags, and the remodeling services hub for our full remodel scope.What about lead paint and asbestos in older homes?
Anything pre-1978 is presumed to have lead paint; pre-1980 may have asbestos in popcorn ceilings, vinyl flooring, pipe wrap, or duct mastic. We test before we demo and use SCAQMD-certified abatement subs. Cost contingencies are itemized in the California whole-home remodel cost guide.
F-04
Working with us
How do we get started?
Send us a note through the contact page with the address and a sentence about what you're thinking. Routing goes to either the Los Angeles studio or Bay Area studio based on your county. Free 90-minute site walk within two business days; one-page feasibility note within a week.Is the estimate free?
The site walk and feasibility note are free. A real, line-item estimate requires schematic drawings (usually $4–8k of design work). Walk through our stages on the process page.Who pulls and manages the permits?
We do. You'll never sit in a plan-check line at LADBS, SF DBI, Oakland DSD, or any LA County office. See the playbooks on the LADBS permit process guide, San Francisco DBI permit guide, and Oakland permit & garage conversion guide.What about insurance and warranty?
CA Lic. #1145233, fully bonded, $2M general liability, $1M auto, full workers' comp on a W-2 crew. Every project carries a 12-month workmanship warranty plus our 10-year structural and waterproofing warranty. Full credentials on the about page.
What to bring to the first call:
- The property address
- Existing drawings or a Zillow listing if you have them
- A rough budget range (or "I have no idea" — that's fine too)
- Your top 3 must-haves and 1 dealbreaker
F-05
Greater LA specifics
Do I need a seismic retrofit?
If your house was built before 1978 and sits on a raised foundation with a cripple wall, the answer is almost always yes. A typical bolt-and-brace retrofit is $5–15k. Read the California seismic retrofit guide and book through our seismic retrofit services page.Can you build on a hillside lot?
Yes. Anything inside an LA Hillside Ordinance area requires a soils engineer, often deeper foundations, and adds 15–30% to the cost. See foundation repair services and the Los Angeles foundation repair contractor page for what hillside foundation work actually involves.What if we're in an HPOZ or have an HOA?
HPOZs (Hancock Park, Windsor Square, Bungalow Heaven, etc.) add 6–12 weeks to permit and may restrict materials, window types, or roof profiles. The LADBS permit process guide lists every active HPOZ overlay. Send us your HOA's CC&Rs via the contact form before the site walk.How does LADWP / SoCal Edison factor in?
Utility service upgrades and new ADU meter sets are the most common timeline killer in Greater LA — 10–18 weeks for LADWP, 8–14 weeks for SoCal Edison. See electrical & panel upgrades for what panel and service upgrades typically look like.
F-06
City of LA permit process — step by step
What's the actual sequence for an LA residential permit?
Six steps: pre-application research, schematic + structural drawings, Title 24 calcs, ePlan submittal, plan-check corrections, and permit issuance. The full walkthrough is in the LADBS ePlan walkthrough and the LADBS permit process guide.How long does an LA ADU permit really take?
State law caps ministerial ADU review at 60 days from a complete submittal. Our City of LA average over 24 months is 8–11 weeks, plus 2–4 weeks of pre-submittal prep. Step-by-step pacing is in the LA ADU permit process guide.When does a project trigger Planning Commission or design review?
Most ADUs and interior remodels are ministerial. You hit Planning when you exceed allowable height, expand the footprint beyond zoning, touch an HPOZ contributor, or build in the Coastal Zone. The LADBS permit process guide flags every discretionary trigger by ZIP.What about neighbor notification?
City of LA requires notification within 100–500 ft for most discretionary cases. Ministerial ADUs don't trigger noticing. HPOZ projects post a sign on site for 30 days — details in the LADBS permit process guide.What permits and inspections happen during construction?
After issuance, expect 6–10 inspections depending on scope: foundation, framing, rough plumbing, rough electrical, mechanical, insulation, drywall nail, and final. Sequence and pass criteria are in the LADBS inspection sequence guide.What's the total permit cost for an LA ADU?
Plan-check, building permit, school fees, LADWP water/power connection, and LAFD review usually run $13k–$26k for a typical 600–800 sqft ADU. Itemized fee schedules are in the LADBS permit process guide and the California ADU cost guide.
Documents we'll need before submittal:
- Property deed or title report
- Existing as-built drawings if you have them (otherwise we measure)
- Most recent property survey
- Any past permit history (we pull this from LADBS)
F-07
Service areas — where we work
Where exactly do you work?
Two studios cover California. The Los Angeles studio runs LA County, Orange County, Inland Empire, and Ventura. The Bay Area studio runs San Francisco, the Peninsula, Oakland/East Bay, San Jose, and Marin. Browse every city we cover on the locations index.Do you take projects in the Inland Empire — Riverside, San Bernardino, Ontario?
Selectively. The Los Angeles studio considers IE projects of $400k+ where the schedule supports a dedicated crew. For smaller scopes we'll refer to IE shops we trust.Do you work in San Jose, Oakland, Fremont, and the Peninsula?
Yes — the Bay Area studio covers San Francisco, Oakland, Berkeley, San Jose, Palo Alto, Fremont, Hayward, San Mateo, Redwood City, and Marin County. Permit playbooks are in the San Francisco DBI permit guide and Oakland permit & garage conversion guide; roofing specifics are on the Bay Area roofing contractor page and the California roof replacement cost guide.Do you go into the Valley — Sherman Oaks, Encino, Studio City, Tarzana?
Yes — all of those plus Van Nuys, North Hollywood, Woodland Hills, and Calabasas are well within the Los Angeles studio service area. The Valley is one of our busiest submarkets for detached ADU construction and remodeling services hub.Why don't you work further out?
Drive time eats project quality. We'd rather refer a Bakersfield, Palm Springs, or far-North-Bay project to a local builder we respect than stretch ourselves thin. See coverage by jurisdiction in the California construction permit directory.Are your crews W-2 or subcontracted?
Framing, finish carpentry, project management, and supervision are all W-2 employees of Alpha Dream. Trades — electrical & panel upgrades, HVAC & heat pump services, California roofing services, foundation repair services — are licensed subcontractors we've worked with for 5+ years on average.
Sketch on a napkin?
Bring us your messiest question. The first 90-minute site walk is on us — we’ll tell you straight whether your project pencils.
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