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.

Bay desk · San Francisco · SF DBI

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 #1098432 · Bay Area desk · San Francisco DBI (Department of Building Inspection)

Begin a San Francisco project →← Back to Bay Area desk

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.

San Francisco · Market snapshot

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

San Francisco permit notes · San Francisco DBI (Department of Building Inspection)

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 →

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.

Begin

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.

Get started→or call (323) 483-4705

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About ADU work in San Francisco