Residential and ADU
ADU Feasibility Studies for Southern California Lots
Most disappointing ADU projects were decided before drawings started: a utility run nobody priced, a setback that shrank the unit, or a rent assumption that never covered the build. An ADU feasibility study answers all of it for a fixed fee, and rolls into design if the numbers work. Southern California lots vary enormously, and most ADU questions are really lot questions: which lots have the setbacks, access and utility capacity to carry a second unit.
What this covers
- Lot geometry and setback testing
- Utility capacity and routing cost
- Fire access and sprinkler triggers
- City objective standards check
- Cost range by construction type
- Rent versus cost worksheet
How we run it
- 01
Site test
What the lot supports once setbacks, access and utilities are applied.
- 02
Cost
A range by construction type, with the three cost drivers priced first.
- 03
Math
All-in cost against market rent and carrying cost.
- 04
Decision
Proceed to design, change the approach, or stop before spending more.
Questions people ask before hiring
How much does an ADU feasibility study cost?
It is a fixed fee, and it is a small fraction of a full design fee. If the study says the project does not work, that fee is the cheapest money spent on the project.
Will the feasibility fee be credited if I proceed?
Ask about this on the call. The study is written so its program, budget and constraints feed straight into design, so nothing in it is wasted work.