San Francisco ADU Builder.
the dense-city ADU playbook.
San Francisco ADU work moves through SF DBI (Department of Building Inspection) and Planning. The dense-lot pattern, soft-story retrofit requirements on multi-unit buildings, and the city's careful planning posture make SF ADU work its own discipline.
Licensed California contractor · CSLB #1156772 · Bay Area desk · San Francisco DBI (Department of Building Inspection)
City-specific deep dives
- Cost guideSan Francisco line-item budget guideEvery line item, 2026 prices, no surprises. The number you should be quoting from.
- Permits guideSan Francisco permits: fees & review windowsPlan-check workflow, fees, and realistic turnaround for this jurisdiction.
- Timeline guideSan Francisco project timeline — phase by phasePhase-by-phase schedule grounded in active builds, not optimistic Gantt charts.
About ADU work in San Francisco
We deliver SF ADUs across the Sunset, Richmond, Bernal Heights, Glen Park, Noe Valley, the Mission, Potrero Hill, and Excelsior — ground-floor conversions of garage and storage levels, rear-yard infill where lot depth allows, and JADUs carved from existing units.
What the San Francisco ADU math actually looks like.
- SF DBI plan-check
- 5–8 months typical
- 1BR ADU rent (SF)
- $3,400–$4,800/mo
- Brief-to-keys
- 14–20 months
What we resolve before drawings begin.
- 01
Ground-floor conversions
Most SF ADUs are ground-floor conversions — garage, storage, in-law space. We design within SF's specific occupancy and light/ventilation rules.
- 02
Soft-story retrofit
If your building is on the soft-story list, retrofit work must be addressed as part of (or before) the ADU. We coordinate both scopes.
- 03
Rear-yard and open-space rules
SF planning protects rear yards aggressively. Detached infill is rare; ground-floor conversion is the common path.
San Francisco neighborhoods we serve
- Sunset
- Richmond
- Bernal Heights
- Glen Park
- Noe Valley
- Mission
- Potrero Hill
- Excelsior
San Francisco services we deliver.
All Bay Area services →- Bay Area ADU BuilderOpen bay area hub →
- Bay Area Garage ConversionOpen bay area hub →
- Bay Area JADU BuilderOpen bay area hub →
- Bay Area New Home ConstructionOpen bay area hub →
- Bay Area Hillside ConstructionOpen bay area hub →
- Bay Area Small Multifamily & 2–6 UnitOpen bay area hub →
- Bay Area Home AdditionsOpen bay area hub →
- Bay Area Kitchen RemodelingOpen bay area hub →
- Bay Area Bathroom RemodelingOpen bay area hub →
- Bay Area Whole Home RemodelingOpen bay area hub →
- Bay Area RoofingOpen bay area hub →
- Bay Area Siding & StuccoOpen bay area hub →
- Bay Area Decks & Outdoor LivingOpen bay area hub →
- Bay Area Concrete & FlatworkOpen bay area hub →
- Bay Area Windows & DoorsOpen bay area hub →
- Bay Area Foundation Repair & ReplacementOpen bay area hub →
- Bay Area Framing & Structural WorkOpen bay area hub →
- Bay Area Seismic RetrofitOpen bay area hub →
- Bay Area Commercial Tenant ImprovementOpen bay area hub →
- Bay Area HOA Construction ServicesOpen bay area hub →
- Bay Area Property Management ConstructionOpen bay area hub →
Other Bay Area cities we serve.
San Francisco · ADU FAQ
Questions San Francisco homeowners ask first.
Start a San Francisco ADU brief. We'll confirm SF DBI path, soft-story status, and a fixed-scope contract.
Can I build a detached ADU in San Francisco?
Rarely — SF's small lots and rear-yard rules usually push ADU work toward ground-floor conversion of garage or storage space. We confirm options at feasibility.What's the SF soft-story retrofit list?
A city list of multi-unit wood-frame buildings with a soft ground floor that must be retrofitted for seismic. If your building is on it, retrofit must be addressed alongside any ADU work.
More research for San Francisco
- Line-by-line adu pricing for San FranciscoCost transparency
- San Francisco ADU rental yield modelFinancial modeling
- Financing options for California ADUsCapital options
- San Francisco adu — every cost question, answeredFAQ — Cost & Budget
- San Francisco permit FAQ — timelines, fees, plan checksFAQ — Permits & Code
- How long does it really take in San Francisco?FAQ — Timeline & Phases
- Construction loans, HELOCs, and cashFAQ — Financing & ROI
- Design FAQ — materials, layouts, energy codeFAQ — Design & Specs
- Rental FAQ — long-term, short-term, AB 1033FAQ — Rental & Tax
- ADU in nearby Beverly HillsCross-city signal
- ADU in nearby Santa MonicaCross-city signal
- San Francisco owners often also consider PasadenaCross-city signal
- ADU in nearby Long BeachCross-city signal
- Burbank adu — permits & turnaroundCross-city signal
- Pricing in neighboring GlendaleCross-city signal
- Browse every city we build ADUs inService hub
- San Francisco ADU permitting: the 2026 rulebookEditorial deep-dive
- Deep dive — San Francisco detached ADU cost in 2026: the honest 600 sq ft numberEditorial deep-dive
- Read: Inglewood and South LA ADU guide 2026: SoFi-adjacent ROI, entry-level pricingEditorial deep-dive
- See our Culver Conversion in San FranciscoProof of work
- San Francisco build profile — Manhattan Beach StudioProof of work
- TimelinePillar guide
- Browse financePillar guide
- ADU — glossary entryEntity definition
- JADU — glossary entryEntity definition
- What is Detached ADU?Entity definition
- Attached ADU — glossary entryEntity definition
- California permit directory — San Francisco jurisdictionAuthority signal
Begin your projectin twenty minutes.
A short feasibility review of your lot — what you can build, roughly what it costs, and how long it will take. Free of charge. No sales call afterwards unless you ask for one.
- No obligation
- Reply within 24 hours
- License & insurance on request