Blogs

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How Big Can an ADU Be in California? What Actually Fits in 500, 750, 1,000 and 1,200 Square Feet
Contemporary waterfront home at dusk — permitted residential construction in California
What actually fits in a 500, 750, 900 or 1,200 sq ft ADU - plus the 750 sq ft line that decides whether you pay...
Granny Flat, Granny Pod, Casita or ADU? Four Names, One Building
Coastal homes above Ribera Beach, Carmel CA — the kind of parcel that drives local permit requirements
Granny flat, granny pod, casita, ADU - only two of those exist in California law. What each name really means, and what you can actually...
Do You Need a Geotechnical Report for a Hillside Lot?
Coastal homes above Ribera Beach, Carmel CA — the kind of parcel that drives local permit requirements
What a soils report is, who is licensed to produce one, what triggers it on a sloped lot, the state seismic-zone exemption, and how findings...
As-Built Drawings: What They Are and Why Your Remodel Starts With Them
Interior stair rendering by RDD Solutions — residential design and drafting, Monterey County CA
What an as-built drawing set contains, how a measured building survey works, and what skipping it costs you at bid, at plan check and mid-construction.
ADU Plans in California: How Approval Actually Works
Interior rendering of an open-plan kitchen produced by RDD Solutions, Monterey County CA
How California ADU approval actually works: ministerial review, the 15-day and 60-day clocks, owner-occupancy, parking, and why a coastal development permit survives all of it.
California Building Permit Requirements: When You Need One and What It Takes
Contemporary waterfront home at dusk — permitted residential construction in California
When a building permit is required in California, what work is exempt, what a submittal must contain, and how long review takes. A plain-language guide...
Do You Need an Architect for a Home Addition?
Modern single-storey home exterior at dusk — the scale of project a home addition typically produces
Most home additions in California do not require a licensed architect — but nearly all of them require a structural engineer. Here is where the...
Do You Need an Architect to Pull a Building Permit in California?
Coastal homes above Ribera Beach, Carmel CA — the kind of parcel that drives local permit requirements
California building departments do not require an architect's stamp on most single-family plans. Here is what the permit application actually requires, and when a licensed...
When Do You Actually Need an Architect in California?
Interior rendering of an open-plan kitchen produced by RDD Solutions, Monterey County CA
California law lets an unlicensed designer draw plans for most single-family homes. Here is exactly where that exemption ends and a licensed architect or engineer...
From Dream to Design Approval Your Step-by-Step Remodel Roadmap
Permit to home remodel process
Remodeling your home should feel exciting not confusing. Yet for many homeowners, the biggest challenge isn’t choosing finishes or imagining the new space… it’s understanding...