Costs of typical project types, from ADUs and conversions, to remodels and custom homes.
Cost to lift a house, add a foundation, and lower a floor
This is the cost to lift a house in Oakland, CA. This is the budget for the construction only. The construction includes lifting an existing 100+ year old home, excavating almost an entire basement, pouring a new foundation, building walls, and remodeling much of the home. The excavation, removal of the old foundation, shoring, lift, and new foundation cost $98,000. The total project construction budget was $238,000. Design and permitting fees add about $35,000 to the project for a grand total of $272,000.
This project is in Oakland, CA. The costs are similar anywhere in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Cost to design and permit a backyard studio ADU in Vallejo, CA
Rebecca, a Vallejo homeowner, contacted New Avenue to help her design a studio home for her mother. New Avenue designer Matt Waitkus developed a proposal that included design, the necessary meetings with the city, estimated subcontractor fees, required reports, city fees, and administrative fees.
New Avenue provides these detailed design proposals so our clients aren't surprised by fees they didn't know about.
The design proposal came to $35,869, plus an additional $15,269 in permit fees. The designer noted that fees this high are unusual; most counties in the area would charge $5,000 to $10,000 for the necessary permits.
Cost to design and permit a 650-square-foot cottage in San Jose
There’s so much that a backyard cottage can do. One of our clients, Francis Schumacher, recently built a 650-square-foot accessory dwelling behind his San Jose home. With a desire to help ease the local housing crisis and assist public servants such as teachers, he planned to rent the home out. Later, it would be a way to help a family member if needed.
Design and permitting budgets for projects like this in San Jose range between $13,000 and $28,000. In this case the design fees came in at $24,000 and permitting was estimated at $12,000. The estimated cost of construction was $275,000.
Cost to design and permit a shed-to-ADU conversion in Berkeley
Knowing she could make better use of her 20-foot-by-12-foot shed in her backyard, Mona came to New Avenue looking to convert it into an accessory dwelling unit that could be used as a guest house or a rental house. She also wanted a master bathroom added on to her existing home.
A New Avenue design professional met with Mona and created a plan to create her ADU and her new master bath. Mona’s new accessory dwelling has a full bathroom, a kitchen, a living space, and room for a bed.
Design fees were budgeted at $19,000 and permit costs for this project were budgeted at $4,600.00.
Cost to design and permit a garage conversion to ADU in Oakland
Sharmila, an Oakland homeowner, asked New Avenue about converting her existing 250-square-foot garage into an accessory dwelling that she could rent out to friends or family. She wanted a loft sleeping area so the limited square footage could be used efficiently.
Our New Avenue design professional was able to help her with a design that would meet her goals. The design budget for this project was $22,375.
Cost to design and build a one-bedroom guest house in Berkeley
When he decided to add a one-bedroom guest unit to his backyard in Berkeley, Rob had a New Avenue design professional design the building. This 346-square-foot ADU makes a beautiful addition to the main house and will help the owner get the most out of their property. They will be able to use it for themselves, guests, or family as needed.
Our New Avenue design professional created the design, which includes a bedroom, a living area, a half bath, a laundry area with utility sink, and a loft for storage.
The total budget for design and construction of this project was $267,881.60.
Cost to design and build a one-bedroom backyard cottage in El Cerrito, CA
Kim came to New Avenue looking to add a one-bedroom accessory dwelling to her backyard. There are so many uses for a project like this. Kim can rent her new backyard dwelling out and have it paid off in just a few years. If she needs it for aging parents or adult children in the future, she can move her family members in to be close to her. Or she can simply use it as a guest house or as a retreat for herself.
The total budget for design and construction of this project is $234,178.20.
Cost to design and build a two-bedroom in-law house in Berkeley
Sarah teamed up with her daughter and son-in-law, and two grandkids to create a backyard casita near the famous Berkeley Gourmet Ghetto. The plan was for the young family to move into the main home on the property while Sarah would move into the new casita, allowing the whole family to be together while affording them all some privacy and independence.
The new home is within walking distance of an abundance of coffee shops, grocery stores, restaurants, and all the best that Berkeley has to offer. Once the family settled in, they realized they had been missing out. The surprise benefits of their new location include walking to Philz Coffee and sitting at a cafe together on their way to work. Not having to shuttle their kids to distant activities is another big plus of being “downtown.”
The casita is a two-bedroom home with completely level surfaces, keeping it accessible for senior living. This includes a flush-mounted shower. The home has radiant floor heat, a whole-house fan, spray foam insulation in the roof, and tile throughout.
The design was tucked in behind a fairly large apartment building to the south. Despite this, both morning and afternoon sun shines in the bedroom and living room windows.
The total design and construction costs for this projected were $240,276.00.
Cost to design a 3 bedroom/2 bathroom home in Oakland
When Katrina and Brian looked at the space behind their Oakland home, they saw a great opportunity to fill a gap in the housing market, providing much-needed housing to students or a family while bringing in additional income. They also hoped to sell both their home and the new home as separate properties in the future.
Wanting to rent to students or a young family, they spoke to real estate agents in the area and learned that it was difficult to find a three-bedroom, two-bathroom home. So they decided to build one that would face the street behind their property. They began by working with the city to get a variance—they needed permission to build within the setback. It was during that process that they contacted New Avenue to begin the design process.
Having both students and young families in mind, Katrina and Brian asked for a space that would be flexible enough for a variety of tenants. They hoped their tenants would be able to live happily, leading active lives in the rental home.
The design includes three bedrooms and a bathroom on the second floor. The first floor has a kitchen, living area, dining area, and bathroom. A front door opens to the street side of the property, and a side door opens to the driveway.
The design cost for this project was $28,328.65, with the construction cost estimated at about $300,000.
Cost to design and permit a one-bedroom accessory dwelling unit in Berkeley.
Wanting a place that would provide extra income and could one day become a residence for her mother and/or herself, Patricia contacted New Avenue about adding a one-bedroom accessory dwelling to her property in Berkeley. There were a few things that were very important to Patricia. She wanted to preserve the trees on the property and to make sure the accessory dwelling unit would be accessible for her 85-year-old mother. A bathtub was a must-have.
A New Avenue design professional created a design that would fulfill Patricia's wants and needs. The versatility of the design will serve its owners for generations. The accessory dwelling will make a great home for a renter, and it'll be a comfortable, accessible place for seniors like Patricia's mother to live independently near loved ones.
The design and permitting costs came to $29,577.48.
Cost to design and build a one-bedroom accessory dwelling unit with a garage in Santa Cruz.
Santa Cruz is a beautiful and progressive city by the ocean, and buying or renting a house there is very expensive. In the early 2000s, a city committee looked to accessory dwelling units like backyard cottages and guest houses as a solution to address the shortage of affordable housing. While the housing code already permitted accessory dwellings, it wasn’t easy for homeowners to get them. The city introduced ordinances to encourage homeowners to build accessory dwellings as well as some restrictions on how they could be constructed or used. This move has been well received by Santa Cruz homeowners.
Homeowners John and Kathleen contacted New Avenue in 2012 to add an accessory dwelling to their Santa Cruz property. They wanted an accessible place for Kathleen’s father to live so they could all benefit from multigenerational living and have enough space for everyone.
After some zoning research, we determined that, with a lot size between 5,000 to 7,000 sq ft, the couple would be able to build their Santa Cruz ADU. A New Avenue design professional drew a number of site plans for John and Kathleen and took note that they wanted some room in the yard for their young son. They also wanted the new accessory dwelling to match the style of the main home.
The interior includes a bedroom, a living room, a dining area, and a bathroom with a roll-in shower. It’s attached to a garage, which is shared with the main home. This beautiful ADU is the perfect place for Kathleen’s father to be close to his family while enjoying independent living.
Construction was completed in 2014 by a New Avenue contractor. The design and construction costs for this project came to $285,194.77.
Cost to design a one-bedroom in-law cottage in San Jose
With her son going off to college and her parents getting older, Stephanie decided it was time to add a one-bedroom accessory dwelling unit to her property in San Jose. This would be a place for her parents to occasionally stay with her now and could become a permanent residence for them in the future. It could also serve as a place for her son to stay or live as needed.
Stephanie explored the possibility of adding an ADU a few years ago and learned that adding a detached dwelling would not be possible. Fortunately, things have changed. New laws in California are helping homeowners get much-needed additions.
Stephanie's main concerns were accessibility for older residents and keeping her property value steady. She didn't want to reduce the value by removing the detached garage, and she didn't want to increase the value—and therefore the property taxes— too much. She also wanted to include a loft for added storage and a place for younger guests to stay.
A New Avenue design professional created a design that would work well for elderly and young guests alike. It could also be a short-term or long-term residence.
The total design cost for this project was $28,247.50.