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San Francisco · DBI and Planning Department

San Francisco New Construction — DBI Custom Homes & Small Multifamily

San Francisco ground-up homes, additions, teardown rebuilds, and small multifamily run through the Department of Building Inspection (DBI) and the Planning Department. Discretionary review, rear-yard and notification rules, seismic and soft-story engineering, and tight-site logistics make SF one of the most demanding plan-check processes in California.

Review your San Francisco urban infill permit pathRequest a written preconstruction budget range →

CSLB #1098432 · License & insurance details on request

Quick Answer

If you are building in San Francisco, a written feasibility should confirm zoning district, rear-yard and side-setback rules, discretionary review exposure, demolition controls (notably the Demolition Calculation for rebuilds), seismic and Seismic Hazard Zone implications, and staging access. SF projects are sequenced around the discretionary calendar, not against it.

Who this is for

  • Owners planning a custom infill home or major addition in Noe Valley, Bernal Heights, the Sunset, or the Richmond.
  • Investors evaluating small multifamily on R-zoned or RH-3 parcels.
  • Owners weighing teardown rebuild against major remodel under SF's demolition controls.
  • Buyers under contract on an SF parcel needing pre-close feasibility.

Who reviews new construction in San Francisco?

San Francisco is the City and County of San Francisco — a consolidated city-county. Building permits, plan-check, and inspections run through DBI; zoning, planning, design review, and discretionary review run through the Planning Department.

Most new construction and major rebuilds route through both departments. Many SF projects trigger neighborhood notification (Section 311 / 312) and a discretionary review window during which any member of the public can request a Discretionary Review hearing at the Planning Commission.

What ground-up projects suit San Francisco

  • Urban infill new construction

    Ground-up homes or multifamily on vacant or substantially vacant SF parcels.

  • Vertical / horizontal additions

    Major additions to an existing primary structure that stay under the Demolition Calculation threshold.

  • Teardown rebuilds (demolition path)

    Full replacement of an existing structure under SF's demolition review — a different planning path than additions.

  • Small multifamily (2–6 unit)

    Duplex through fourplex on RH-2 / RH-3 / RM parcels and qualifying state-law overlays.

Local constraints that shape SF budgets and schedules

Discretionary review windows add calendar time after Planning approval. Neighborhood pushback can extend the schedule by months even when the as-of-right project complies with zoning.

Seismic conditions and Seismic Hazard Zones (liquefaction, landslide) drive foundation and lateral design. Soft-story and seismic-retrofit considerations apply to many existing buildings on the path to a rebuild.

Rear-yard requirements, light-well rules, and side-setback expectations constrain envelope geometry on typical 25-foot-wide SF lots.

Tight-site logistics — narrow streets, parking-meter relocations, sidewalk closures, and shared garages — drive real construction cost and scheduling overhead.

Cost factors specific to San Francisco

  • Seismic and lateral engineering — SF parcels in liquefaction or landslide zones push foundation and lateral cost above flat suburban benchmarks.

  • Tight-site logistics — parking-meter relocations, sidewalk closures, small-truck deliveries, and crane day rates.

  • Multifamily life-safety scope (sprinklers, fire-rated assemblies, accessibility) when above the single-family threshold.

  • All-electric / heat-pump package and electrical service upgrades under SF's electrification framework.

  • Discretionary review calendar — months of carrying cost are real budget items.

Permit and timeline reality in San Francisco

SF plan-check timelines and discretionary calendars are longer than most other Bay Area cities. Realistic kickoff-to-permit envelopes commonly run a year or more, and multifamily or DR-affected projects run longer.

Construction of an SF custom infill home commonly runs 14–24+ months; small multifamily runs longer based on unit count and life-safety scope.

Engineering you will actually need

  • Geotechnical report with attention to liquefaction or landslide Seismic Hazard Zone implications.

  • Seismic and lateral structural design — SF expectations are not flat-suburb defaults.

  • Drainage and erosion-control plan; rear-yard and basement drainage detail.

  • Title 24 Part 6 energy compliance under the 2025 code.

  • Fire/life-safety design (sprinklers, alarms, fire-rated assemblies) for multifamily where applicable.

Risks and bottlenecks unique to San Francisco

  • Discretionary Review

    A single neighbor request can move a project from administrative approval to a Planning Commission hearing — months of calendar cost. Sequence design accordingly.

  • Demolition Calculation surprises

    Crossing the demo threshold mid-design moves the project onto a different planning path and substantially more review.

  • Soft-story and existing-structure conditions

    Existing structures on the path to rebuild may carry retrofit obligations.

  • Staging and logistics

    Narrow streets and shared garages drive construction overhead.

Frequently asked questions

Does DBI or Planning review my SF project?
Both. DBI handles building permits, plan-check, and inspections; Planning handles zoning, design review, and discretionary review. Most new construction and major rebuilds route through both.
What is Discretionary Review?
Discretionary Review (DR) is SF's process for the Planning Commission to consider neighbor objections to a project that complies with zoning. A DR request triggers a Planning Commission hearing and meaningful calendar time even when the project is as-of-right.
What is the Demolition Calculation?
SF's Demolition Calculation (sometimes called Tantamount to Demolition) limits how much of an existing primary structure can be removed before a project is treated as a demolition rather than a remodel. Crossing the threshold triggers a different — and longer — planning path.
How long does an SF custom home take?
Realistic kickoff-to-permit envelopes commonly run a year or more; DR-affected and multifamily projects run longer. Construction of a custom infill home commonly runs 14–24+ months. We tighten in feasibility.
Can I build a small multifamily in SF?
Often yes — RH-2, RH-3, RM districts and state-law overlays permit multifamily on many parcels. Feasibility against the parcel, zoning, and life-safety scope is the only honest answer.
Is SF all-electric?
SF's electrification policies, combined with the 2025 California Energy Code, push most new construction toward all-electric. Confirm current ordinance scope at permit filing.

Official sources

Related pages

Review your San Francisco urban infill permit path

We start every ground-up engagement with a written preconstruction feasibility review — before any contract is signed.

Review your San Francisco urban infill permit path
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