Rancho Santa Fe ADUs, designed and built by one team.

We do. Rancho Santa Fe is unincorporated, so plans for ADUs go to the County of San Diego, and homes inside the Covenant also go through the Rancho Santa Fe Association's review. Our design and architectural team drafts the construction documents, a licensed structural engineer stamps them where the scope calls for it, and we manage the whole permit process for you.

Yes. State ADU law applies, the County issues the permit, and the Art Jury reviews the casita's appearance as it does any new building. A casita designed in the spirit of the main house passes.

Eight to twelve months from the first visit to completion, with the Art Jury review and the County permit first.

The County checks the capacity against the new bedrooms, and on two acres there is usually room to expand the system or add one for the casita. We size it with the project.

It depends on the type and the size of the unit. The figures we published for 2023 are still a fair guide: constructing an ADU in San Diego cost around $130,000 on average, with most projects between $80,000 and $180,000. A 400 to 700 square foot unit with one bath and a small kitchen ran $600 to $650 per square foot, with the bath and kitchen finishes adding about $80,000; an 800 to 1,200 square foot unit with one or two baths and a medium kitchen ran $550 to $600 per square foot, with finishes adding about $100,000; a garage conversion typically ran $140,000 to $180,000 depending on the garage, the finishes and any structural work. Fees are part of the number: permits, utility connections and city-required upgrades, and permits expire and inspections are required every 180 days until completion. A separate architect, designer and builder is virtually guaranteed to cost more than one design-build team, with more room for mistakes between them. What we promise is a fixed price in writing before the first footing is poured, starting at the complimentary in-home consultation.

An ADU is a complete independent living unit on the same lot as a single-family home: a bedroom, a bathroom and a kitchen area, with its own entrance. It can be attached to the house or detached. Every ADU must be at least 220 square feet and no larger than 1,200 square feet; an attached ADU is also capped at 50 percent of the main home's floor area. A junior ADU, or JADU, is built inside the existing home, may not exceed 500 square feet, and needs a functional kitchen or a shared one with a cooking appliance, a prep counter and storage cabinets. One ADU is allowed on a residentially zoned lot with an existing or proposed single-family dwelling; a lot that already has guest quarters cannot add another, but those quarters can often be converted into a legal ADU with a permit.

A detached ADU is a separate building, usually in the backyard. Its size is not limited by the main house, it offers the most privacy, and it is the choice for a rental or for parents who want their own front door. An attached ADU shares a wall with the house but is internally separate, with its own entrance, bath and kitchen; it offers moderate privacy and easy access, and it is capped at half the main home's floor area. Converting an existing structure, a garage, an attic, a basement or a lower level, uses the foundation and roof you already have, which saves time and money and may let you reuse the plumbing and electrical that already run through the house. An ADU above a garage or carport keeps the parking and adds a view; a second-story ADU adds a whole independent level to a one-story home. Your designer walks the lot with you and tells you which one your property and the rules allow.

New ADUs must meet the required front yard setback and a minimum four-foot setback from the side and rear lot lines; an ADU built above a permitted detached accessory structure keeps the same four-foot rule. A detached ADU is limited to 25 feet in height. An ADU provides one parking space, which may sit within the setbacks and as tandem parking in the existing driveway, and no parking has to be replaced when a garage, carport or covered parking is demolished or converted to build the ADU. ADUs can be rented, but not for less than 30 days, and they cannot be sold separately from the primary residence. The fire department confirms fire setbacks, and the plot plan shows the floor area of both units. Our architects handle all of it; always confirm the details for your lot with the city or the county, which is what we do on every project.

Three state laws took effect on January 1, 2025. Senate Bill 1211 lets multifamily properties build up to eight detached ADUs, as long as the ADUs do not outnumber the existing units on the lot (it does not apply to single-family homes). Assembly Bill 2533 gives unpermitted ADUs built before January 1, 2020 a clear path to legalization: a permit cannot be denied for minor building code violations unless the unit is substandard, and no impact or utility connection fees apply unless safety requires them. Senate Bill 1077 requires the Coastal Commission to publish guidance by July 1, 2026 so that cities simplify ADU permitting in the coastal zone, which matters in La Jolla, Del Mar and Pacific Beach. Owner-occupancy requirements are gone, so an ADU can be rented freely. Our 2025 ADU guide below covers each one in detail.