OUR
DESIGN-BUILD
PROCESS
Every project follows a defined sequence: feasibility, design, permitting, and construction. Skipping steps creates problems. Respecting the sequence keeps timelines on track and budgets in scope.
As a design-build contractor, we manage the entire process under one team — no separate architect, engineer, and contractor to coordinate between.
ONE TEAM.
ONE PROCESS.
Design-build means one company manages design, engineering, permitting, and construction. You don’t hire an architect, then find an engineer, then find a contractor, then hope they all communicate.
We coordinate all of it. Architectural plans are developed with buildability in mind. Structural engineering is aligned before submission. Permit packages are organized and complete when they reach the city.
This isn’t faster because we cut corners. It’s faster because there are fewer handoffs, fewer miscommunications, and fewer revisions caused by disconnected teams.
Single Point of Contact
One team manages design, permitting, and construction. You communicate with us. We coordinate everyone else.
Coordinated Engineering
Structural engineering is aligned with architectural design before permit submission. Not after. This reduces plan check revisions.
Documented Communication
Every project runs through Buildertrend. Selections, schedules, documents, and updates are tracked in one system — not scattered across text threads.
Fewer Handoff Delays
When design, engineering, and construction share one process, decisions flow forward instead of bouncing between disconnected teams.
THE FOUR
PHASES
Every project — whether it’s a detached ADU, a kitchen remodel, or a whole house renovation — moves through the same four phases. The scope changes. The sequence does not.
Consultation & Feasibility
We review your goals, property, and budget range. For ADUs, we evaluate zoning, setbacks, slope conditions, and utility capacity. For remodels, we assess structural conditions and scope.
Feasibility is confirmed before any design investment begins.Design & Engineering
Architectural plans are developed with structural engineering coordinated in parallel. Plans are designed to be buildable and permit-ready — not just visually appealing. Utility routing, foundation requirements, and inspection sequencing are considered from the start.
Permitting
Complete permit packages are assembled and submitted to the city. We manage all plan check communication, respond to revision requests, and coordinate across planning, building, and fire departments.
We handle all city communication through approval.Construction
Foundation, framing, rough inspections, mechanical systems, insulation, finishes, and final approval. Trade sequencing is scheduled to minimize conflicts. Progress is tracked and documented through your Buildertrend client portal.
PERMIT
MANAGEMENT
INCLUDED
Permitting is where most projects stall. Incomplete submittals, misaligned drawings, or missing engineering documentation trigger revision cycles that add weeks or months.
We prepare complete permit packages before submission. Floor plans, elevations, site plans, structural notes, energy compliance, and Title 24 documentation are aligned and organized. When the city has comments, we respond systematically.
For ADU projects, California has streamlined the process significantly. From design through city approval, timelines typically range from 90 days to 6 months depending on the jurisdiction and project complexity.
What We Manage
- Zoning verification — setbacks, height, lot coverage, and separation requirements confirmed before design begins
- Plan preparation — floor plans, elevations, and site plans aligned with structural notes and engineering
- City submission — complete packages submitted to planning, building, and fire departments
- Plan check response — revision requests tracked and responded to systematically
- Energy compliance — Title 24 documentation prepared and aligned with architectural specifications
- Inspection coordination — scheduled and sequenced through foundation, framing, rough, and final
STRUCTURED
COMMUNICATION
Every project is managed through Buildertrend — a construction-specific project management platform. You get a client portal with access to your project schedule, documents, selections, and updates.
Nothing is lost in a text thread. Nothing is communicated verbally and forgotten. Decisions are documented. Schedules are visible. Changes are tracked.
This level of organization isn’t standard in residential construction. It’s standard with us.
Buildertrend portal access included with every project.
WHAT TO
EXPECT
Construction timelines depend on scope, permitting, and site conditions. We set realistic expectations during consultation — not optimistic estimates designed to close a sale.
Progress payments are structured around project milestones, not collected upfront. We don’t take deposits before work begins. When boots are on the ground and work is in progress, milestone payments follow.
If financing is needed, we can help qualified homeowners access renovation funding. The upfront cost of a project should not be the reason it sits on hold.
Project Benchmarks
- ADU Permit Timeline90 days – 6 months
- Remodel Permit (like-for-like)2 – 4 weeks
- Deposit RequiredNone
- Payment StructureMilestone-based
- Financing AvailableYes
START WITH
A CONSULTATION
The first step is a conversation. We review your property, evaluate feasibility, and outline realistic next steps before any design investment begins.
Clear scope · Clear plan · Clear expectations
Serving Palo Alto · Mountain View · San Mateo
Walnut Creek · Redwood City · the Bay