Four phases.
One in-house team.
ADU PALS is a true end-to-end builder. Property analysis, in-house architectural design, permitting, and construction are handled by the same team — under one roof, on one contract. Financing is available through our pre-vetted lender network.
All-in detached ADU: $195K–$540K. Garage conversion: $105K–$260K. Fixed-price.
Full pricing →Our in-house architect — same team, same office, same accountability.
See design →Our in-house GC team. CSLB Licensed B General Contractor, SD County only.
See construction →HELOC, construction-to-perm, DSCR, CalHFA grants. We connect you to lenders Day 1.
Financing →ADU Property Potential Report
Typical duration: 2 weeks
Before you spend a dollar on design, we tell you exactly what your lot can become — and what it’s worth.
No cost. The two-week Property Potential Report is on the house.
- Share your address, lot info, and goals
- A 30-minute call with a senior strategist
- Walk us through the property in person or virtually
- Pull zoning, overlays, and utility records
- Run a Complete Financial Report (rent, ROI, build cost, resale lift)
- Inspect the property with our diagnostics team
- Present the report on a final 60-minute review call
What you get
- 01 CFR — Complete Financial Report with projected rent + ROI
- 02 PFA — Property Feasibility Analysis (zoning, setbacks, utilities)
- 03 ROI Presentation led by a senior ADU strategist
- 04 Home Diagnostic Report — full property inspection
Common questions
Q1 Do I need to commit before I see the report?
No. The Property Potential Report is fully free. About 1 in 4 reports come back saying the lot doesn't pencil — and we'll tell you that, in writing.
Q2 What if my lot has issues — slope, septic, easements?
We surface every constraint in the Property Feasibility Analysis before you spend a dollar. Most "deal killers" turn out to be solvable for $5K–$15K of engineering. We'll tell you which is which.
ADU Design
Typical duration: 1 month
We design your ADU around the one number that actually matters to you — whether that’s rental income, resale lift, or a mother-in-law suite.
Design cost is rolled into the all-in build price (typically 6–9% of total). No upfront design fee.
"Our design team works under one roof with the construction team — so when something looks great on paper but blows up on cost, we catch it during design, not during framing."
— ADU PALS in-house team
- Pick a starting point: catalog plan or fully custom
- Two design review meetings with our in-house architect
- Sign off on materials, finishes, and floor plan
- Design done in-house — no third-party architect markups
- 2D floor plans, 3D renderings, and an immersive VR walkthrough
- Every plan tested against your projected rent number
- Unlimited revisions until the design pencils for your goal
What you get
- 01 Catalog floor plans + fully custom routes
- 02 2D + 3D architectural and interior design
- 03 Immersive VR walkthrough before permits
- 04 Revisions until the number pencils
Common questions
Q1 Can I bring my own architect?
You can, but most clients use ours because the in-house team gets paid based on the project being built — not on billable hours. Their incentive is your number working, not your design portfolio.
Q2 What if I want a custom design from scratch?
Most of our projects are fully custom. The catalog plans are a starting point — we modify almost every line. Custom adds zero to design cost; it's already included.
Q3 How many revision rounds do I get?
Unlimited. We don't move to permit until you sign off in writing. Most projects settle in 2–3 revision rounds.
Permit Plans
Typical duration: 6–12 months
Drawings the city actually approves. Our in-house permit team lives in San Diego’s permit counters so you don’t have to.
Permit fees are a separate line item, not a markup. Typical 900 sqft ADU: $9K–$28K depending on jurisdiction. Paid at submission and pickup.
- Approve the final permit set before submission
- Sign owner-required permit forms
- Stay informed via weekly updates — but you don't deal with the city
- Complete city permit drawings, structural engineering, Title 24, and MEP
- Submit through the city's electronic plan portal
- Resolve all corrections directly with the plan checker
- Coordinate utilities, school fees, and SDG&E
What you get
- 01 Complete city permit drawings + submission
- 02 Materials and finish package selection
- 03 Structural engineering where required
- 04 Financing options presented with real numbers
Common questions
Q1 Why do permits take so long?
The city owns the clock — most jurisdictions take 3–6 months for a clean ADU set. Our permit team has personal relationships with reviewers, which means corrections get resolved in days, not weeks. We typically clear permits ~30% faster than the SD County average.
Q2 What happens if the city demands changes?
We absorb the design adjustments. Most corrections are minor (a missed callout, a code update). Larger design changes are rare on our submissions because our team prevents them at design.
Q3 Do I pay for permit corrections?
No. Plan check corrections are part of our scope. Only city-mandated structural or scope changes get re-priced — and that's rare.
ADU Build
Typical duration: 4–8 months
One accountable team from site prep to keys in hand. No project managers playing telephone with three subs.
Fixed-price contract. No surprise change orders unless you request a scope change. Material price protection clauses on your side.
"Construction is run by our in-house GC team — same office, same accountability. There is no "general contractor versus subs" finger-pointing because we own both."
— ADU PALS in-house team
- Walkthroughs at framing, MEP rough-in, and pre-finish
- Final material confirmations
- A final punch-list walk before keys
- Site prep, demo, and foundation
- Framing, roofing, exterior
- MEP rough-in and inspections
- Drywall, finishes, fixtures, paint
- Final inspection coordination, certificate of occupancy
- 12-month construction warranty + 10-year structural warranty
What you get
- 01 Site prep + pre-construction planning
- 02 Material sourcing with fixed cost protection
- 03 Construction + city inspection coordination
- 04 Final walk, punch list, and warranty handoff
Common questions
Q1 What if costs go up during construction?
We sign a fixed-price contract with material protection. The only legitimate cost adds are owner-requested change orders (you asked for the upgraded counters) or unforeseen site conditions (the soil report missed something major). Both are rare and disclosed in writing before they happen.
Q2 Can I see progress photos?
Yes. We post weekly photo updates plus written status to a shared client portal. You'll know exactly what was done that week and what's next.
Q3 What's the warranty?
12 months on workmanship. 10 years on structural. Manufacturer warranties pass through on appliances and finishes. We hand you a complete warranty packet at closeout.
Design → handoff → build.
All under one roof.
The biggest hidden cost in most ADU projects is the handoff between architect and builder. ADU PALS removes it entirely. Your design team and your construction team sit in the same office, work from the same plans, and answer to the same project lead.
In-house architect
Designs every plan with the builder in the room. No "great on paper, doesn't build" surprises.
In-house GC
CSLB Licensed Class B General Contractor. Same team that designed it, same team that builds it.
In-house permit team
Personal relationships with every major SD County reviewer. Corrections cleared in days.
In-house client portal
Weekly photo updates, schedule visibility, document storage. You always know where things stand.
You don't need cash on hand.
You need the right loan.
Most ADUs are financed against the projected post-build value, not your cash on hand. We've built relationships with four pre-vetted San Diego ADU lenders so you can have real rate quotes by the end of Phase 1 — before you've spent a dollar on design.
HELOC
Fast, flexible. Best for homeowners with significant equity. ~7.5–9% today.
Construction-to-Perm
Purpose-built for ADUs. Phased draws → permanent loan. ~7.25–8.25%.
DSCR Investor Loan
For investors. Qualifies on projected rent, not W-2. ~7.75–9.25%.
CalHFA $40K Grant
Non-repayable predevelopment grant for income-qualifying owner-occupants.
Sign today. Keys in 12–18 months.
Honest range. The city owns the permit clock — but our 4-phase process compresses every other phase as tight as it goes.
Free consultation call. We pull zoning, overlays, and utility records.
Property Potential Report delivered: rent projection, ROI, ballpark cost, resale lift.
Decision point. If the number works, we sign and start design.
In-house design: 2D plans, 3D renderings, VR walkthrough. 2–3 review rounds.
Engineering, Title 24, MEP. Permit submission to the city.
Plan check + corrections. We handle every conversation with the city.
Site prep, foundation, framing.
MEP rough-in, drywall, finishes, fixtures.
Final inspection, certificate of occupancy. Punch list, walk-through, keys.
What can your backyard do?
Drop your address and a goal. We'll send a first-read within one business day and a full Property Potential Report within two weeks — on us.
- ✓ Zoning + setback analysis
- ✓ Rent projection for your lot
- ✓ Ballpark build cost
- ✓ No obligation, no spam
Two weeks. One report. Real numbers.
Free consultation with an ADU PALS strategist. No pressure, no placeholder quotes.