The things people ask before they start.

That is the first thing we check, and we check it before anyone draws anything. A feasibility review looks at setbacks, lot coverage, grade, tree retention, parking and how far water, sewer and power have to travel. You get a written answer either way — including the answer that your lot will not take one, which is worth knowing on day one rather than three months in.

About twenty minutes. We ask what you want the space for, look up your parcel while we talk, and tell you what we can see from the record. If it looks workable we send a written summary and what a feasibility study would cover. Nothing is charged for that first conversation.

Most of the people who call us are. You do not need drawings, a budget or a decision — the point of the early conversation is to give you enough to decide with.

Placeholder figure for the demo: most detached units in this area land somewhere between the mid two hundreds and the mid four hundreds, and a garage conversion typically runs well under that. The spread is real — site access, slope, how far the utilities have to reach and the finish level move the number more than square footage does. We will not quote a range for your project until the feasibility study is done.

At the end of design, before construction starts. Selections are decided and written down first, so the figure you agree to is the figure you pay. Changes after that come as a written change order with a price attached, not as a surprise on the final invoice.

A deposit at contract, then progress payments tied to completed milestones — foundation, framing, rough-in, drywall, and final. You are paying for work that has happened, not for work that is planned.

Sometimes, and it depends entirely on what you use it for and what rents do. We are builders, not financial advisers, so we will show you the construction cost honestly and leave the return question to you and someone qualified to answer it.

Placeholder figure for the demo: plan on several months, and expect it to vary by jurisdiction more than by project. It is the longest phase and the least visible, which is why we report on it whether or not there is news.

Yes. We submit, track and answer corrections. You are not the one chasing a plans examiner or interpreting a correction letter.

Yes, and that is most of the difficulty. Thirteen jurisdictions around the Sacramento Valley read the same state framework differently — height, setbacks, parking, owner occupancy and design review all vary. We build here and only here, which is the only reason we can tell you what a particular city will accept.

Usually, and the specifics depend on your city. We tell you what your jurisdiction allows during feasibility, before it can affect a decision you have already made.

The same team throughout. Design, permitting and construction are in-house — nothing is handed to another firm, so nothing is lost between them. The people who checked your lot are the people who hand you the keys.

Placeholder figure for the demo: a detached unit is usually a matter of months on site once permits are in hand, and a conversion is shorter. You get a schedule at the start and an update whenever it changes.

Almost always, for a detached unit. We agree the site access, working hours and where the crew parks before the first delivery arrives, so the disruption is a known quantity rather than a daily negotiation.

We walk the finished space with you and write down anything that needs attention. Warranty terms are in your contract, and the same office you have been dealing with is the one that picks up the phone afterwards.