We will begin with a feasibility study of your San Diego County property and verify all local and state rules. If you own a single-family home or multi-family property in the state of California, you are most likely eligible to build a companion unit. Part of OneStop ADU’s service includes a free initial consultation and feasibility study to help you decide if building a backyard home is right for you.
Current regulations do not require a minimum lot size for ADUs per California state code. Even if your FAR (Floor Area Ratio), building size in relation to lot size is maxed out on your property, you are still able to build an 800 sq ft granny flat with a 16’ height limit and 4’ side and rear setbacks.
California’s current law allows you to build a 1200 sq ft maximum detached casita with a height limit of 16′ without any local discretionary approvals. Certain local municipalities have their own ADU ordinances. However, the state requires them to still permit a granny flat of less than 850 sq ft, or up to 1,000 sq ft for an ADU that contains more than one bedroom.
Some city fees have been waived when building backyard homes, but not all. These are some of the fees to be aware of:
- Impact fees: these are waived for backyard homes less than 750 sq ft. OneStop ADU’s studio, 1 bedroom/1 bathroom and 2 bedrooms/1 bathroom plans all fall within this category. The City of San Diego currently waives all impact fees, regardless of building size. For larger projects, impact fees are related to the ratio of the size of the ADU and primary dwelling (main home). Typically, these fees run $3K-$5K.
- Sewer fees: Connection fees run $2-$4K with annual fees thereafter. If your property is not connected to the city sewer and a septic system is required, approvals and heftier costs will be incurred.
- School fees: The fees are based on the square footage of your backyard home (typically $4-$5/sq ft) and will run $2-$5K.
As per AB670, HOAs (Homeowners Associations) and CC&Rs (Covenants, Conditions & Restrictions) cannot prohibit or unreasonably restrict you from building a granny flat on a lot zoned as single-family residential.
In the state of California, new structures are assessed at their market values. However, this will not trigger your existing home to be reassessed. The exact amount will vary depending on the assessed value of the backyard home and your local property tax rate.
Part of the value we add to your project is the experience of bringing ADUs through the permitting & building process. OneStop ADU’s pre-designed plans and pricing will make it as easy as 1,2,3 and help keep uncertainty out of the picture. Depending on the plan and finishes selected, your total cost including design, permitting and construction fees start at approximately $335/sq. ft *. OneStop ADU's construction pricing includes architectural and structural plans, Title 24 report, permit processing, individually metered electrical upgrade (not including SDG&E fees) and required solar for your ADU based on requirements for Climate Zone 7. Our in-house licensed building team has over 25 years of experience constructing homes and multi-family buildings in the San Diego area. We are a general contractor and do not simply provide prefab units like many of our competitors. We are your one stop shop to make your backyard dream home a reality from inception to finished product!
* Based on current pricing September 1, 2022. Due to volatility in material and labor costs and supply chain issues, pricing may change.
If you plan on renting out your granny flat, OneStop ADU will provide a market study and estimate how much your new casita should earn you in gross rent. We can also manage your new property, if desired. Our team has over 20 years of experience in the property management business through our sister company, Onyx Property Management, and can offer our expertise to screen tenants, maximize rental rates and provide ongoing maintenance as required.
Definitely. It’s your home, and we want to maximize your potential rental income and equity value. We have pre-designed plans which significantly reduces the total time from inception to final product. We did all the leg work! Pre-selected designer finishes create a cohesive look for your new backyard home. Our units are all traditional construction, we don’t just drop a cookie cutter prefab unit in your backyard like some others in the industry. We offer three exterior styles- Contemporary, Craftsman and Spanish/Mediterranean. OneStop ADU makes it easy for you, offering six floor plans/sizes and various interior finish packages.
We will! Our in-house licensed building team has over 25 years of experience constructing homes and multi-family buildings in the San Diego area. OneStop ADU is a general contractor, and we don't offer prefab units like many of our competitors.
