Category · Local Guides
Local Guides guides.
City-by-city permit processes, timelines, and rules across our service area, cited to official sources.
19 guides
Local Guides
How Long Does an ADU Take in Los Gatos? A 2026 Week-by-Week Timeline
The realistic Los Gatos ADU timeline in 2026, week by week: the 60-day state clock, flat-lot vs hillside schedules, and the factory build that runs in parallel.
October 24, 2026 · 4 min
Local Guides
How Long Does an ADU Take in Marina? A 2026 Week-by-Week Timeline
The realistic Marina ADU timeline in 2026, week by week: the 60-day state clock, sandy-soil foundations, and a factory build 20 minutes away.
October 24, 2026 · 4 min
Local Guides
How Long Does an ADU Take in Gilroy? A 2026 Week-by-Week Timeline
The realistic Gilroy ADU timeline in 2026, week by week: pre-approved plans can permit in about 15 working days, custom plans get 60, and the build runs parallel.
October 23, 2026 · 4 min
Local Guides
How Long Does an ADU Take in Los Altos? A 2026 Week-by-Week Timeline
The realistic Los Altos ADU timeline in 2026, week by week: the 60-day state clock, why big flat lots run fast, and the factory build that overlaps permitting.
October 23, 2026 · 4 min
Local Guides
How Long Does an ADU Take in Aptos? A 2026 Week-by-Week Timeline
The realistic Aptos ADU timeline in 2026, week by week: Santa Cruz County's 60-day ePlan review, wooded-lot site work, and a factory build 35 minutes away.
October 22, 2026 · 4 min
Local Guides
How Long Does an ADU Take in Carmel? A 2026 Week-by-Week Timeline
The realistic Carmel ADU timeline in 2026, week by week: coastal and design documentation up front, the 60-day state clock, and a one-day crane delivery.
October 22, 2026 · 4 min
Local Guides
ADU Permits in Santa Cruz: The 2026 Process, Fees, and Timeline
How ADU permits work in the City of Santa Cruz in 2026: generous local size rules, 3 foot setbacks, the Coastal Zone wrinkle, fees, and the approval process.
October 21, 2026 · 5 min
Local Guides
ADU Permits in Watsonville: The 2026 Process, Fees, and Timeline
How ADU permits work in Watsonville in 2026: the lot-size table that sets your maximum, the two-ADU option on big lots, fees, parking, and the process.
October 21, 2026 · 5 min
Local Guides
ADU Permits in Salinas: The 2026 Process, Fees, and Timeline
How ADU permits work in Salinas in 2026: the city now applies state ADU law directly, so here is the step-by-step process, the fees, and what to expect.
October 20, 2026 · 5 min
Local Guides
ADU Permits in San Jose: The 2026 Process, Fees, and Timeline
How ADU permits work in San Jose in 2026: the step-by-step process, the ADU Ally desk, preapproved plans, the fees to expect, and how long plan review takes.
October 20, 2026 · 5 min
Local Guides
ADU Permits in Monterey: The 2026 Process, Fees, and Timeline
How ADU permits work in the City of Monterey in 2026: the state-law baseline that protects you, coastal and historic considerations, fees, and the process.
October 19, 2026 · 4 min
Local Guides
ADU Permits in Morgan Hill: The 2026 Process, Fees, and Timeline
How ADU permits work in Morgan Hill in 2026: state standards through Municipal Code 18.84, the pre-approved plans gallery, special zones, and the process.
October 19, 2026 · 5 min
Local Guides
ADU Permits in Los Gatos: The 2026 Process, Fees, and Timeline
How ADU permits work in Los Gatos in 2026: the state-law baseline, hillside lot realities, fees and the 750 square foot waiver, and the approval process.
October 18, 2026 · 4 min
Local Guides
ADU Permits in Marina: The 2026 Process, Fees, and Timeline
How ADU permits work in Marina in 2026: the state-law baseline, sandy-soil foundations, coastal wind considerations, fees, and the step-by-step process.
October 18, 2026 · 4 min
Local Guides
ADU Permits in Los Altos: The 2026 Process, Fees, and Timeline
How ADU permits work in Los Altos in 2026: the state-law baseline, what large flat lots make possible, fees and waivers, and the step-by-step process.
October 17, 2026 · 4 min
Local Guides
ADU Permits in Gilroy: The 2026 Process, Fees, and Timeline
How ADU permits work in Gilroy in 2026: the 1,000 square foot detached cap, pre-approved plans that can permit in about 15 working days, fees, and process.
October 16, 2026 · 4 min
Local Guides
ADU Permits in Carmel: The 2026 Process, Fees, and Timeline
How ADU permits work in Carmel in 2026: what state law guarantees on small village lots, coastal review, design standards, fees, and the approval process.
October 15, 2026 · 4 min
Local Guides
ADU Permits in Capitola: The 2026 Process, Fees, and Timeline
How ADU permits work in Capitola in 2026: the state-law baseline on small beach-town lots, coastal zone review, fees, and the step-by-step approval process.
October 14, 2026 · 4 min
Local Guides
ADU Permits in Aptos: The 2026 Process, Fees, and Timeline
Aptos is unincorporated, so Santa Cruz County issues your ADU permit. Here is the 2026 process, the lot-size rules, the fee waivers, and what to expect.
October 13, 2026 · 4 min
Other Categories
Pricing
What an ADU actually costs, how the price is built up, and where the money goes.
Financing
HELOC, construction loans, cash-out refi, and how to fund an ADU without a $300K bank account.
Permits
California ADU law, city-by-city permit timelines, and what blocks an ADU build.
Process
Build quality, factory vs site-built, eligibility, and what to expect at each step.
Buying Guide
Comparisons, decision frameworks, and the practical math of building an ADU.
Comparisons
Model-by-model and option-by-option comparisons to help you choose with confidence.
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