Service Details
If you've already paid an architect for custom ADU plans and gotten them approved, you don't need a builder to redesign anything. You need someone who'll bid your plans honestly and build them well. That's what we do. TrueBuild ADU builds new-construction detached Accessory Dwelling Units from customer-supplied approved plans across San Diego County and Southwest Riverside County.
What qualifies as "approved plans"?
This service is specifically for customers who already have a complete, city-approved set of construction plans ready to build. That typically means:
Architectural plans drawn by a licensed architect or designer, covering floor plans, elevations, sections, and construction details
A site plan showing where the ADU sits on your property, setbacks, utilities, and grading
Structural engineering (foundation details, framing specs, shear walls, etc.)
Title 24 energy compliance documents
Plan approval and permit issuance (or permits ready to be pulled) from your city or county
If you have all of that, you're ready to build and we're ready to bid. If you're missing pieces (especially engineering or a site plan) we can usually help you get the remaining items together before construction starts.
What if I only have a pre-approved floor plan?
This comes up often, so it's worth clarifying. Several San Diego County cities (Chula Vista, San Marcos, City of San Diego, and others) maintain libraries of pre-approved ADU floor plans that have been reviewed in advance by the planning department. Using one of these plans can speed up the permitting process.
But a pre-approved floorplan on its own is not the same thing as a complete set of construction plans. You still need:
A site plan specific to your lot
Structural engineering (foundation and framing details customized to your soil and site conditions)
Utility connections drawn specifically for your property
Title 24 energy compliance for the specific build
Those are not included in a pre-approved floor plan. They still need to be drawn up by a licensed professional and approved by the city.
If you've picked a pre-approved floor plan and need help getting the rest of the plans completed, our Design-Build ADU service is probably the better match. If you've got the whole package ready to build, you're in the right place.
How we price builds from your plans
This is where we're different from most ADU builders, and it's the main reason customers come to us with approved plans in hand:
No design markup
Some builders charge an extra 5–15% on plan-ready builds as a "design coordination fee" or tack it onto their base rate. We don't. If you've already paid an architect, you shouldn't pay us a second time for work we didn't do.
No upsell to redesign
We're not going to tell you your plans "won't work" or that you need to switch to our proprietary plan set. If your plans are approved and build-ready, we build them. The only time we'd flag something is if the plans have a genuine constructability issue, in which case we'll explain it honestly and let you decide how to handle it with your designer.
Bid on actual scope
We price the build based on what your plans actually specify: size, layout, finishes, mechanicals, site conditions, and everything else in the drawings. No inflated line items, no padding for work that isn't in the scope.
No lowball-and-change-order trick
We don't quote artificially low up front and then rack up change orders during construction to hit your real price. When we bid your plans, we bid them accurately. If something genuinely changes during the build (which can happen on any project) we explain why before the work starts.
Who this service fits best
This is the right fit if:
You've already paid an architect or designer to draw up custom ADU plans, and those plans are approved by your city or county.
You're not looking for a builder to redesign anything. You want your plans built, not rethought.
You've gotten other bids and want a competitive price without design markup. Many of our Build From Your Plans customers come to us after getting quotes from bigger ADU builders that felt padded.
You want a detached new-construction ADU. This service is for ground-up detached ADU builds only.
This service isn't the right fit if:
You have a pre-approved floor plan but no site plan or engineering (see Design-Build ADUs instead).
You haven't started the design process yet and want help from start to finish (also Design-Build ADUs).
Your approved plans are for an attached ADU, JADU, or garage conversion. We only build new-construction detached ADUs.
For the full menu of ADU services we offer, see all our ADU services.
What sets TrueBuild apart on plan-ready builds
No design markup, period
You paid an architect to draw your plans. Paying your builder a second design fee on top of that is a bad deal, and a lot of builders do it quietly. We don't, and we'll tell you so in writing.
Honest bid review
When we bid your plans, we look at them carefully and tell you if we see anything worth flagging: a constructability issue, a potential cost surprise, a spec that's going to be harder to source than the designer probably realized. You can take that feedback to your designer or decide to leave it as-is. Either way, you get the information.
Foundations poured in-house
Most of the pricing variation between ADU builders happens in the foundation scope, because that's where site conditions, soil, and engineering all come together. We pour every foundation in-house through our sister company Supreme Concrete Group, so there's no subcontractor markup and no scheduling dependency on someone else's crew.
Jose on every project
Same as every other service we offer. The owner walks your site, reviews your plans, signs your contract, and stays on the build through final inspection. You're not handed off, and you're not just another number.
What to expect on timeline
Build-from-your-plans projects usually move faster than full design-build projects because the pre-construction phase is already done. A typical timeline:
Bid and contract: 1–3 weeks from when you share your approved plans.
Permit pull and pre-construction setup: 2–6 weeks, depending on your city's turnaround and whether permits are already issued or still need to be pulled.
Construction: 4–6 months for a typical detached ADU build. Duplexes, two-story builds, and hillside sites can add time.
Final inspections and walkthrough: 2–4 weeks.
Total project time from signed contract to certificate of occupancy is usually 5–8 months for a plan-ready build, compared to 8–12+ months for design-build projects.
What affects cost on builds from your plans
Cost depends on what your plans specify: size, layout, number of bedrooms and bathrooms, finish selections, mechanical scope, and site conditions. Permit fees vary by jurisdiction.
We don't publish fixed per-square-foot pricing because it misleads more than it informs. A one-story 800 sq ft ADU on a flat lot in Chula Vista will bid very differently than a two-story 1,200 sq ft ADU on a hillside in La Jolla, even though the "per square foot" number looks similar on paper.
What you won't pay with TrueBuild: a design markup on plans you've already paid for. For an honest bid on your specific plans, send them over and schedule a free consultation.
Common questions about builds from your plans
Will you build plans that weren't drawn by an architect you recommended?
Yes. That's the whole point of this service. We build the plans you bring us, regardless of who drew them, as long as they're properly engineered and approved.
What if my plans have problems?
We'll tell you what we see. Sometimes plans have minor issues that are easy to work around. Sometimes there's a structural or code issue that needs to go back to the designer. Either way, we'll flag what we notice before we bid, not after you've signed a contract.
Can you help me get my plans approved if they're not approved yet?
If you're partway through the approval process, sometimes yes — we can help coordinate. If you're at an earlier stage (you have a floor plan but no engineering or site plan) our Design-Build ADU service is a better fit.
What if my plans are for an attached ADU or a garage conversion?
We don't build those, even if the plans are fully approved. We only build new-construction detached ADUs. If that's the scope of your plans, you'll need a different builder.
Do you charge a fee just to review my plans?
No. Initial plan review and bidding is part of the consultation process, no charge.
Can I use this service with a pre-approved floor plan from my city?
Only if you also have the site plan, engineering, and Title 24 documents completed and approved. A pre-approved floor plan alone isn't enough to start construction. See the "What if I only have a pre-approved floor plan?" section above.