Permit & ADU Guides
Straight answers to the questions homeowners, builders, and designers ask before a permit submission — what the city expects, what it costs, and what changed in the law.
What’s Included in a Permit Drawing Set? A Sheet-by-Sheet Checklist
A plain-English checklist of every sheet a US building department expects in a residential permit drawing set — site plan, floor plans, elevations, sections, structural, MEP, and energy compliance.
Read the guide →How Much Do Permit Drawings Cost in 2026?
Typical 2026 costs for residential permit drawings in the US — deck plans, ADU plans, additions, as-builts, and full permit sets — and the factors that move the price up or down.
Read the guide →California’s 2027 ADU Law Changes: Two Detached ADUs and Lower Impact Fees
What AB 956 and SB 1117 change for California homeowners starting January 1, 2027 — two detached ADUs by right, HOA limits, and lower impact fees — and how to get plans ready.
Read the guide →Massachusetts ADU Law: How to Build a By-Right ADU
How the Massachusetts Affordable Homes Act lets homeowners build an ADU by right in single-family zones — size limits, what towns can and can’t require, and the drawings you need.
Read the guide →Do I Need a Permit to Build a Deck?
When a deck needs a building permit under the International Residential Code, the exemptions, and which drawings building departments ask for.
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