Accessory Dwelling Units in San Diego
ADUs offer affordable housing and potential rental income, while also boosting your property’s value!
Accessory Dwelling Units in San Diego
ADUs offer affordable housing and potential rental income, while also boosting your property’s value!
300+ five-star reviews
300+ five-star reviews
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An ADU could be the perfect solution.
Need Extra Space or Income?
California property owners have a fantastic new opportunity! A recent law makes it simple to convert garages into livable, rentable spaces. Expand your home and increase your income with this easy conversion ADU option. We offer financing with 0% Interest for one year. Call Eco Home Builders.
ACCESSORY DWELLING UNITS
Save on square footage costs & boost property value with Eco Home Builders!
Eco Home Builders will craft the space you need.
- Discuss your design preferences and goals for your new ADU. Eco Home Builders will create a custom ADU tailored to your needs and desires.
- Choose from flexible financing options that suit your needs. Whether you’re aiming to generate rental income or expand your living space, we offer solutions to kickstart your ADU project.
- Leave the permit process to us! Our experienced team will handle all the necessary permits, ensuring a smooth process for you.
- Commence construction on your new space. Depending on the project size, we typically complete a new ADU in 8-12 weeks.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is an ADU and can I build one in San Diego?
An ADU (accessory dwelling unit) is a self-contained living space on the same lot as a single-family home, with its own kitchen, bathroom, and entrance. San Diego has streamlined ADU permitting significantly since 2020, and most single-family residential lots in the city and county qualify for at least one ADU. Options include a detached backyard structure, a garage conversion, or an addition attached to the main home. A JADU (junior accessory dwelling unit) is a smaller variant, capped at 500 square feet, carved out of an existing home’s interior.
How much does it cost to build an ADU in San Diego?
Building a new detached ADU in San Diego typically costs between $250,000 and $450,000, or roughly $375 to $600 per square foot in 2026. A garage conversion runs significantly less, usually $80,000 to $200,000, because the structure already exists. Development impact fees are waived for ADUs under 750 square feet. Costs depend on the ADU’s size, design complexity, site conditions, and finish level.
How do I finance an ADU in San Diego?
The most common financing options for San Diego ADUs are a HELOC (home equity line of credit), a cash-out refinance, or a construction-to-permanent loan, all of which use your existing home equity. Homeowners who lack sufficient equity can explore personal loan options that do not require home equity as collateral. The San Diego Housing Commission (SDHC) has offered ADU loan programs for income-qualified homeowners, though program availability and funding change; check sdhc.org for current status. Getting pre-approved for financing before starting design avoids delays once permits are issued.
Do I need a permit to build an ADU in San Diego?
Yes, every ADU in San Diego requires a building permit from the City of San Diego Development Services Department (DSD), with no exceptions. The permit process covers structural review, electrical, plumbing, and energy compliance under the California Building Code. Unpermitted ADUs built before January 1, 2020 may qualify for legalization under California Assembly Bill (AB) 2533.
Can I rent out my ADU on Airbnb in San Diego?
No. The City of San Diego prohibits using an ADU or JADU for short-term rentals of less than 31 consecutive days, which rules out Airbnb, VRBO, and similar platforms. Long-term rentals with a standard lease are permitted and the property owner is not required to live on-site. Long-term rental income from a San Diego ADU can significantly offset the construction cost over time, and the unit also increases overall property value.
Can I sell my ADU separately from my main home in San Diego?
This is now possible in parts of San Diego. In March 2026, the San Diego County Board of Supervisors voted to allow the separate sale of ADUs in unincorporated communities through a condominium conversion process under California Assembly Bill 1033 (AB 1033). Within the City of San Diego, a similar condominium path also exists. Eligibility requirements apply, including the ADU having final permit approval and meeting applicable building codes. This option is relatively new and the process is evolving, so confirming current requirements with the relevant jurisdiction before planning around a separate sale is advisable.
How long does it take to build an ADU in San Diego?
From initial design to a completed, permitted ADU, expect 12 to 18 months in San Diego under current conditions. Permit review timelines vary by project complexity. Using preapproved ADU plan templates available under California AB 1332 can shorten the permit review phase to roughly 30 days for qualifying designs.
Is parking required when I add an ADU in San Diego?
In most cases, no additional parking is required for new ADUs in San Diego. The exception applies to garage conversions in the Beach Impact area of the Parking Impact Overlay Zone that fall outside a transit priority area, where one replacement parking space is required. Homeowners can check their property’s zone through the City of San Diego’s ZAPP (Zoning and Parcel Information Portal).
What should I look for in an accessory dwelling unit contractor in San Diego?
Start with the license. Any contractor you shortlist should give you a CSLB license number you can verify yourself at cslb.ca.gov, and Eco Home Builders holds California license 1074166. Then look at the bid. It should separate labor, materials and permit fees as line items rather than giving you a single total. California law caps a residential down payment at the lesser of $1,000 or 10 percent of the contract price, so a request for 30 or 50 percent up front is a reason to walk away. Ask who pulls the permit, ask whether subcontractors carry their own insurance, and ask for the change order process in writing before work starts.
What types of accessory dwelling unit can I build in San Diego?
There are five common routes. A garage conversion turns an existing attached or detached garage into livable space and is usually the fastest path. A detached single-story unit is new construction in the backyard. A detached two-story unit adds height where the lot is tight. A modular unit is built offsite to California state building code and set in place. A manufactured unit is built to federal HUD code instead. A junior ADU, carved out of the existing house and capped at 500 square feet, is a sixth option worth knowing about. Each one changes your cost, your timeline and what your lot has to support.
How large can an ADU be, and how close to the property line?
State law sets a floor no California city can fall below. Every city has to allow at least an 800 square foot detached ADU with a side and rear setback no greater than four feet. San Diego is more generous than that floor. The City of San Diego Information Bulletin 400 lets an ADU encroach into the side and rear setback areas of its zone, in many cases up to the property line itself. The 1,200 square foot maximum applies to new construction, not to conversions, so turning an existing garage or part of the house into an ADU is not capped at that figure. These rules changed in 2024 and again under SB 543, effective 1 January 2026, so anything you read citing only Government Code 65852.2 is out of date.
Which San Diego neighborhoods do you build ADUs in?
San Diego County broadly, working from our office and design showroom in Kearny Mesa. That includes La Jolla, Del Mar, Encinitas, Solana Beach, Carlsbad, Rancho Santa Fe, Rancho Bernardo, Rancho Penasquitos, Scripps Ranch, 4S Ranch, Black Mountain Ranch, Mira Mesa, Carmel Valley, Poway, Coronado, Point Loma, Chula Vista, La Mesa, El Cajon, Spring Valley and Imperial Beach. Setback rules, parking exemptions and overlay zones differ between the City of San Diego and the unincorporated county, which is part of what we check on the first visit.