By Dylan Bertet, owner of Build Better Properties (CSLB #1077286), a Bay Area design-build contractor.
For a typical Bay Area addition, plan on about 6 to 8 weeks to draw the plans, about 10 working days for the city to accept your submittal, and then one or more 30-day review cycles until approval. How many cycles you go through depends on the city and on the project.
Step 1: Design (6 to 8 weeks)
Architectural and structural drawings are prepared for submittal. You need both an architect’s plans and an engineer’s structural design, coordinated by a licensed professional.
Step 2: Intake (about 10 working days)
The city checks that the submittal is complete before review starts.
Step 3: Plan review (30-day cycles)
Every project goes through two core departments: Planning (zoning, setbacks, height and design) and Building (structural, energy and code). Depending on your lot and scope, plans may also go to Fire, Civil or Public Works, a geotechnical reviewer for hillside and soils issues, an arborist for protected trees, or historic review. Reviews often happen one department after another, and each round of comments and corrections can add another 30-day cycle.
Why cities differ
Large cities like San Jose review plans in-house, so the line can be long, but San Jose offers fast tracks: one-story additions under 500 sq ft can qualify for same-day Residential Express permits, and ADUs have their own service. Smaller cities often send plan check to a private third-party firm, which is frequently faster. Some cities, like Saratoga and Palo Alto, add design review for many additions.
What adds review cycles
The more work you’re doing, and the closer a project gets to the line where the city treats it as new construction, the more comments to expect. Designing a project to stay clearly an addition and remodel is one of the best ways to keep permits moving.
Planning an addition? Read our full Home Additions FAQ, see the cities we serve, or call (650) 801-2699 to have us walk your house.