Call meText me
Menu
SellBuyInvestBuildADU GuideAboutContact

Free guide. 21 pages. English or Spanish.

The San Diego County ADU Guide for 2027

What you can build on your lot starting January 1, 2027, which ADU size pays no fees, how to pay for it, and the mistakes that cost homeowners money.

A modern ADU at golden hour with a lemon tree and fan palms
2027 EDITION
A homeowner's guide
The San Diego County
ADU Guide
for 2027
$0
impact fees on an ADU of 750 sq ft or less
Two ADUs on one lot, starting January 1
AB 956 and SB 1117, explained in plain words
The size that pays no fees at all
What an ADU rents for, and what it adds to your home's value
Giovanni Serrano
Giovanni Serrano
Real estate developer, San Diego
B.S. in Real Estate and Development, UC San Diego
Free lot check. Text your address to
619.617.8584
Thank you. Taking you to your guide.
Something went wrong. Text GUIDE to 619.617.8584 and I will send it.
Or text GUIDE to 619.617.8584

The guide opens on the next page. I may text you to see if you have questions.

What is inside

13 chapters, 21 pages. The ones homeowners open first:

03
What is new in 2027
AB 956 and SB 1117, in plain words.
04
What you can build
One ADU or two: sizes, fees, and the combinations people choose.
05
Four examples
Room for family, income in retirement, building value, and going big.
09
How to pay for it
HELOC, home equity loan, refinance, and local programs.
10
What it rents for, and what your home is worth after
Monthly rent by size, and what the property sells for.
11
Mistakes that cost homeowners money
Eight mistakes, and what an unpermitted ADU costs you.

Who wrote it

Giovanni Serrano
Giovanni Serrano
Real estate developer, San Diego
B.S. in Real Estate and Development, UC San Diego

I grew up in San Diego, on a street full of the lots this guide is about. I run ADU projects for homeowners from the first call to move in. This guide answers the questions I hear most: what the rules allow, what it would earn, and who to call first.

Built: Two ADUs added. The main house and both ADUs are now rented.

Kept their home and built two ADUs

“Our plan was to sell our house and buy a duplex. Gio convinced us to keep the house and build two units in the back instead, and he knew exactly who to bring in to build them. Now we rent out all three, including the main house, and we finally bought our dream home in La Jolla.”

Get the guide

Fill out the short form at the top of this page, or text GUIDE to 619.617.8584.

Get the guide
Call meText me