ADU Contractor in Palo Alto & the Bay Area

Building an Accessory Dwelling Unit on your Palo Alto property is one of the most financially compelling projects available to Bay Area homeowners right now. A well-designed, properly permitted ADU generates $2,500–$4,000 per month in rental income, adds significant appraised value to your property, and provides flexible space that can serve multiple purposes over the life of your home — rental unit today, in-law suite tomorrow, caregiver accommodation when the time comes, or dedicated workspace for remote work.

At Sami & Sons, we are a licensed ADU contractor serving Palo Alto, San Jose, Mountain View, Sunnyvale, Redwood City, and the greater Bay Area. We specialize in all four ADU types: detached ADUs, attached ADUs, garage conversion ADUs, and Junior ADUs (JADUs). We manage the entire project — 3D design, structural engineering, permit applications, plan check coordination, construction, and final occupancy permit — under one roof, with one team, and one point of accountability throughout.

Palo Alto ADU Regulations — What You Need to Know

Palo Alto's ADU regulations have become significantly more permissive in recent years under California's statewide ADU reform legislation. The key parameters for Palo Alto ADUs today: detached ADUs may be up to 1,200 square feet in floor area, maximum height of 16 feet for detached units, minimum setbacks of 4 feet from side and rear property lines (reduced from previous requirements), and owner-occupancy requirements that were suspended through 2025 and may be extended.

JADUs — Junior ADUs created within the existing envelope of the primary dwelling — are permitted up to 500 square feet and have a streamlined approval process under California law. Garage conversions of existing attached or detached garages are also permitted without replacement parking being required in most cases, removing a major previous barrier to conversion projects.

We know these regulations in detail, we follow the Palo Alto Planning Department's evolving interpretation of state ADU law, and we design every project to navigate the approval process efficiently. Permit timelines matter — every month of delay is a month of rental income foregone — and our familiarity with the Palo Alto process helps us keep your project moving.

Full Permit Management & Structural Engineering

ADU permitting in the Bay Area involves architectural drawings, structural engineering, energy compliance calculations (Title 24), utility connection planning, and coordination with multiple city departments. We manage the complete process: we produce or coordinate all required drawings and engineering, we submit the permit application with the documentation package formatted the way Palo Alto's Building Department expects it, and we track the plan check process and respond to correction notices promptly. We also manage all required construction inspections — foundation, framing, rough electrical and plumbing, insulation, and final occupancy — so you never have to navigate the building department yourself.