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alpha dream

Knowledge center

California construction, in the open.

We publish what we wish a homeowner had handed us on day one: every permit portal we file in, the real cost bands for the work, and the field tools we use ourselves. No email gates, no affiliate links — just primary sources and honest numbers.

Directory

California Permit Directory

20+ city and county building departments — each with its own page covering portal links, typical timelines, fee ranges, and the ADU rules that actually trip homeowners up.

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Pricing data

2026 California Construction Cost Report

Installed $/sqft bands for ADUs, kitchens, baths, additions, roofing, foundations, and seismic work — LA versus Bay Area, side by side.

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Cost guides

Cost Guides by Scope

Long-form, citation-backed cost guides for ADUs, kitchens, baths, roofs, foundations, and whole-home remodels — with drivers, soft costs, and labor rates broken out.

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Calculators

Field Calculators & Tools

Quick budgeting tools we hand to clients on site visits — start with the ADU cost calculator and branch into category estimators.

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Long-form

Field Guides

Builder-written walkthroughs of permitting, sequencing, and the quirks of LADBS, SF DBI, and county jurisdictions.

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Reference

Construction Glossary

Plain-English definitions for the terms a contractor uses on day one — JADU, soft-story, HVHZ, Title 24, lateral system.

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Editorial

Field Journal

Long-read articles on ADU economics, retrofit law, and the parts of a remodel that don't make it onto a contractor's website.

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