An ADU contractor who knows every city line.
State law sets the floor, but your city decides how the process actually goes — the size limits, the fees, the review quirks, the local gotchas. We're a Bay Area ADU contractor with more than 50 units built — granny flats, in-law units, garage conversions — and these guides collect what we know city by city.
Berkeley
Alameda County
Berkeley ADU rules from an ADU contractor with multiple projects in town — Hillside Overlay limits, fees Berkeley skips, sewer laterals, and the permit path.
Read the Berkeley guideRichmond
Contra Costa County
ADU permitting in Richmond from the ADU contractor headquartered there — size limits, planning fees, the 30-day preapproved-plan track, and rent-control facts.
Read the Richmond guideEl Cerrito
Contra Costa County
An El Cerrito ADU contractor explains the rules — the 800 sq ft fast track, permit fees, hillside and fire-zone requirements, and the per-fixture sewer fees.
Read the El Cerrito guideOakland
Alameda County
Oakland ADU permitting from an ADU contractor with projects across the city — three units per lot, 20-ft height, the S-9 hills overlay, fees and rent rules.
Read the Oakland guideWalnut Creek
Contra Costa County
Walnut Creek ADU rules from a contractor who builds there — the 800 sq ft by-right path, hillside and ridgeline limits, Central San fees, free city plan sets.
Read the Walnut Creek guidePleasanton
Alameda County
Pleasanton ADU rules from a contractor who builds there — the $0 planning fee, 15-day reviews, preapproved plans, and the water-meter fee trap to avoid.
Read the Pleasanton guideDanville
Contra Costa County
Danville ADU rules from a contractor who builds there — the new 2025 ordinance, 2,000 sq ft big-lot ADUs, the garage bonus, real fees, and hillside builds.
Read the Danville guideFremont
Alameda County
Fremont ADU rules from an East Bay contractor — zero parking, no city impact fees at any size, the 500 sq ft school-fee cliff, and the Hayward Fault check.
Read the Fremont guideAlamo
Contra Costa County
Alamo ADU permitting from a contractor who builds there — why permits go to the county, the 1,200 sq ft big-lot allowance, and the septic vs. sewer fork.
Read the Alamo guideSan Rafael
Marin County
A licensed San Rafael ADU contractor on how permitting really works — size and height limits, fees, hillside and fire-zone rules, and the ADUs we’ve built here.
Read the San Rafael guideMill Valley
Marin County
Mill Valley ADU rules from a Marin ADU contractor — the three permit tracks, fire-zone and creek-setback rules, the downslope height gotcha, and real fees.
Read the Mill Valley guideSan Anselmo
Marin County
San Anselmo ADU permitting from a contractor with multiple ADUs in town — the two permit tracks, creek and flood-zone rules, hillside grading triggers, fees.
Read the San Anselmo guideNovato
Marin County
Novato ADU permitting from a Marin ADU contractor — the 2025 ordinance, the sewer connection fee that surprises everyone, and fee cliffs at 500 and 750 sq ft.
Read the Novato guideTiburon
Marin County
A Marin ADU contractor on Tiburon permitting — why ADUs skip design review, the 2025 ordinance rewrite, sewer capacity fees, fire rules, and boundary quirks.
Read the Tiburon guideLarkspur
Marin County
A Marin ADU contractor on Larkspur’s brand-new ordinance — by-right ADUs, size and height rules, the transit bonus, fees, and flood, fire, and Greenbrae quirks.
Read the Larkspur guideRoss
Marin County
A Marin ADU contractor on Ross permitting — why design review doesn’t apply to ADUs, size limits, Town Council exceptions, fees, and flood and fire rules.
Read the Ross guideSan Jose
Santa Clara County
A San Jose ADU contractor on permitting — the city-vs-state standards choice, two-story ADUs, zero setbacks, same-day permits, and AB 1033 ADU condo sales.
Read the San Jose guideSunnyvale
Santa Clara County
Sunnyvale ADU rules under the 2025 ordinance, from an ADU contractor — the 800 sq ft streamlined track, Eichler districts, fees, and the plumbing fine print.
Read the Sunnyvale guideDon't see your city?
We build across the Bay Area and take on select ADU projects in the Sacramento area. Tell us where your property is and we'll give you a straight answer on whether it's a fit.