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Bay Area design-build, fully managed

One team, from first sketch to finished build.

A Bay Area design-build contractor for ADUs and single-family homes. Burton guides the project from early feasibility through coordinated design, permitting, and construction — so there's no gap in the handoff and no chasing updates.

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20+ years combined experience
Best of Houzz99th-percentile BuildZoomGoogle reviews
Where to start

We meet you where you are.

Some homeowners come to us with a property and an idea. Others already have drawings or an approved permit set. Burton can step in at either point and lead the project toward a well-planned build.

Design-Build

"I have an idea, but no plans yet."

  • Site feasibility and early budget guidance
  • Design handled — concept to renderings
  • Permitting and plan-check management
  • Construction led through final inspection
See how design-build works

Build from Plans

"I already have plans."

  • Plan review and constructability check
  • Scope, budget, and permit-status review
  • Architect and city coordination
  • Construction management through closeout
See how we build from plans
Not sure which path fits? We'll help you identify the right starting point.Talk with our team
Design-Build Process

One path, guided from start to finish.

From first idea through to final handoff, we handle every detail so you always know what's next — and what to expect.

Design comes from our partner architects and designers, with Burton reviewing every step — see how that works. Construction is by trades we've worked with for years — meet the crews.

Discovery & Feasibility1

Discovery & Feasibility

We walk the site, review zoning and setbacks, and give you an early read on what your property can support.

Design & Engineering2

Design & Engineering

We develop your plans and 3D views and engineer the structural, electrical, and plumbing systems.

Permits & Approvals3

Permits & Approvals

We compile the permit package, submit to the city, and resolve plan-check comments to approval.

Construction4

Construction

Your dedicated project lead coordinates trades, schedules inspections, and manages changes.

Closeout & Warranty5

Closeout & Warranty

We finish the punch list, secure occupancy, and hand off your warranty documentation.

One team. One process. Design and construction work together from day one — a single point of contact and no gaps between phases.

Working with an architect

You still work with an architect or designer. You also get a builder at the table.

Design-build doesn't mean skipping the architect. Whether it's an ADU or a custom home, you meet and work directly with the design partner — a partner architect, or a residential designer and engineer when that's all the project needs — the same way you would if you'd hired them yourself. The difference is that Burton reviews the design as it develops — for cost, for what your lot can actually support, and for what we've learned building more than 50 ADUs, along with custom homes and remodels — so the plans you fall in love with are plans you can afford to build.

A cost check while changes are still cheap

We price the design as it takes shape, not after the drawings are done. Moving a wall on paper costs nothing. Finding out at bid time that finished plans are over budget means paying for a redesign.

Designed for your actual lot

Slope, soil, backyard access, the sewer lateral, the electrical panel — we've walked the site, so the design accounts for them from the first sketch instead of the first week of construction.

A second set of eyes from 50+ ADUs

We know which layouts live well, which features owners actually use, and which details cost more than they're worth — in a backyard ADU or a ground-up home. That goes into our review of every drawing, and it's about spending where it counts, not designing smaller.

One project lead, no handoff

Your architect or designer, structural engineer, Title 24 consultant, and the city are all coordinated through one Burton project lead, so the design that gets approved is the design that gets built — with fewer changes along the way.

Wondering whether to hire an architect first? We wrote up how the two paths compare — including when going straight to an architect is the right call.Read the guide
Design, engineering & permitting

From early design to an approved, build-ready plan.

Burton coordinates the drawings, engineering, and permit work that carry your project into construction — with licensed design professionals leading their part throughout.

Architectural Drawings

Floor plans, exterior elevations, and key project details developed for review, pricing, and permitting.

3D Design Views

Visuals that help you understand the layout, form, and major design decisions before construction begins.

Structural Engineering

Structural calculations and drawings for the foundation, framing, and other engineered components.

Site Planning

The project's placement, setbacks, access, utilities, and other property-specific conditions documented clearly.

Energy Compliance

Required California energy documentation, including Title 24 calculations and supporting reports.

Permit Package

The coordinated drawings, forms, reports, and supporting documents required for permit submission.

Plan-Check Coordination

Responses, revisions, and resubmittals coordinated with the design team and local jurisdiction.

Approved Construction Set

The final approved drawings and documents used to price, schedule, and build the project.

Build from plans

Your plans are ready. Let's make them buildable.

Already working with an architect or holding a permitted set? Burton steps in with a builder's eye — reviewing the drawings, planning ahead for the build, aligning the scope, and leading construction through final inspection.

We stay coordinated with your architect, consultants, and the city as questions, revisions, and field conditions come up, so the project keeps moving without putting you in the middle.

How we take it from here

  1. 01

    Plan Review

    We review the drawings for scope, constructability, and the details that could impact budget, sequencing, or schedule.

  2. 02

    Build-Readiness

    We review permit status, confirm what has been approved, identify any remaining city or design requirements, and align the final scope and schedule before construction begins.

  3. 03

    Construction

    Burton manages trades, schedule, inspections, communication, and field coordination throughout the build.

  4. 04

    Closeout

    We complete final inspections, punch-list work, documentation, and warranty handoff.

Let's review your plans
Why Burton Builders

One team that owns your project, start to finish.

One project lead, start to finish

Whether we guided the design or you brought the plans, one Burton project lead owns your project from kickoff through final inspection.

Local jurisdiction know-how

We know how East Bay, Marin, and San Francisco building departments read the code, and how to keep projects moving through plan check.

Licensed & insured

A licensed California general contractor (CSLB #1042450), carrying commercial general liability and workers' compensation insurance, with the documentation any lender or city will ask for.

Built on referrals

Most of our work comes by referral — the clearest sign a project went the way it should. We build to be recommended.

Frequently asked

Design-build questions, answered.

What's the difference between design-build and build-only?
With design-build, Burton leads one coordinated process from early feasibility through design, permitting, and construction, engaging the licensed professionals the project requires. Build-only starts with plans you already have. Burton reviews them for buildability, pricing, and permit status, then manages construction.
I don't know where to start — what's the first step?
That's exactly who this is for. The first step is a conversation and a site walk. We look at your property, talk through what you want and a rough budget, and flag any feasibility surprises early. You leave that first step knowing whether the project pencils out and what the path forward looks like — no commitment required.
Do I need an architect for an ADU or home project?
Not always. Your city won't issue a permit for an ADU or a new home without a full set of plans and engineering, but for most ADUs and many wood-frame homes those plans can come from a drafter or residential designer, with a licensed engineer stamping the structural work. An architect is the right call when the design gets harder — a sloped or tight lot, a second story, or a custom home. Either way, you don't need anyone lined up before you call us. In design-build, you work directly with the design partner, and Burton reviews the plans as they develop — checking cost while changes are still cheap, confirming what your lot can support, and bringing what we've learned from more than 50 ADUs, custom homes, and remodels. If you already have an architect or designer, we're glad to work from their plans and coordinate with them through construction.
Why go through Burton instead of hiring an architect directly?
You can do either, and for some projects — when exploring the architecture itself is the goal before budget enters the picture, or when you want several builders bidding a finished set of drawings — going straight to an architect is the right call. The risk with architect-first on an ADU or custom home is finishing the drawings, sending them out for bids, and learning the design costs more than you planned; then you're paying for a redesign. With Burton involved from the start, cost and what can reasonably be built are checked as the design develops, the architect, engineer, and consultants are coordinated through one project lead, and the plans go to the city already lined up with your budget and your site.
Do you handle the permits?
Yes. Burton coordinates the permit package, submission, plan-check responses, and required revisions with the design team and local jurisdiction. Because requirements vary by city and project, we manage the process based on the specific work and property.
Can you build from plans I already have?
Absolutely. Bring your architect's drawings or a permitted plan set and we'll build them with the same project lead, schedule, and weekly communication we bring to every job. We review the plans for buildability and budget up front, then keep things moving with your architect and the city right through inspections.
Do you do design-build for remodels and additions too?
Yes. Design-build is how we take on ADUs and single-family work of all kinds — ground-up homes, additions and second stories, and whole-home remodels. If you have a residential project and are not sure how to get it off the ground, this is the place to start.

Ready to build the right way?

Let's talk about your project and the best path forward.

Schedule a conversation