Frequently asked questions

Yes, if you're doing any plumbing, electrical, or structural work. Moving a sink, adding a gas line, opening a wall, or relocating fixtures all require permits. Herbs Construction Co pulls those permits, submits plans to San Diego County Building & Safety, and coordinates inspections at rough-in and final. Permit review typically takes 2–3 weeks if plans are complete.

Most kitchen remodels take 4–8 weeks from permit approval to final inspection. That includes demo, any structural changes, rough-in for plumbing and electrical, drywall, cabinet install, countertop template and fabrication, tile backsplash, and flooring. Custom cabinets can add 4–6 weeks to the timeline, and permit review adds another 2–3 weeks at the start.

Most single-family lots in San Diego can have an ADU under California law (Government Code §65852.2). Detached ADUs can be up to 1,200 square feet, and setbacks are typically 4 feet from side and rear property lines. You'll need a building permit, and the city reviews for zoning compliance, structural engineering, and utility capacity. Permit review takes 4–8 weeks for most ADU projects. Herbs Construction Co handles the full process from design to final Certificate of Occupancy.

A JADU (Junior Accessory Dwelling Unit) is smaller — up to 500 square feet — and must be within the existing home or attached garage. It shares utilities with the main house, which makes permitting faster and construction cheaper. A regular ADU can be detached, up to 1,200 square feet, and usually has separate utilities. JADUs are good for adding a small studio or in-law suite without a full ground-up build.

Yes. Herbs Construction Co pulls all required permits, submits plans to the city, and schedules inspections at each phase — foundation, framing, rough-in (plumbing, electrical, mechanical), insulation, and final. Herb is on site when the inspector comes, addresses any corrections they note, and gets the final sign-off so you have a Certificate of Occupancy or signed-off permit.

It depends on size and finishes, but a typical full bathroom remodel (new tile, vanity, fixtures, plumbing and electrical rough-in) runs $20,000–$40,000. High-end finishes, larger spaces, or adding square footage will push that higher. We give a detailed estimate after the initial consultation so you know what you're paying for.

Yes, but it takes coordination. Stucco texture can be matched, and we let the new stucco cure before painting so the color blends with the existing house. Roofing tile needs to match or complement the existing roof — sometimes we re-roof the whole house if the existing tile is old and won't match the new material. We walk through those options during design so there are no surprises.

We close the garage door opening with a new framed wall (usually with windows for light), insulate all exterior walls to current code, add heating and cooling (required for living space), run new electrical, and install drywall and flooring. If you're adding a bathroom, that's new plumbing rough-in. The city requires a building permit, and we handle inspections for framing, insulation, electrical, and mechanical. Most garage conversions take 6–10 weeks.

Yes, if the addition affects the existing structure — which it almost always does. The structural engineer designs the foundation, calculates loads on the existing framing, and specifies how we connect new framing to old. The city requires stamped engineered plans for any addition. Herbs Construction Co coordinates with the engineer and includes that cost in the project estimate.

Typical permit review is 2–3 weeks for straightforward projects (kitchen remodel, bathroom remodel, small addition). Larger projects or anything that requires planning review (zoning variance, design review in certain neighborhoods) can take 6–8 weeks or longer. ADUs using pre-approved plans are faster — sometimes 2–3 weeks. We submit complete plans to avoid delays from plan check corrections.

It depends on scope. For a single-room remodel (kitchen or bathroom), most clients stay in the house — we seal off the work area and set up temporary utilities (sink and microwave in another room during a kitchen remodel). For a whole-home remodel, you'll need to move out because we're tearing into walls, running new systems, and the house isn't functional. We can phase the work if you want to stay, but it extends the timeline.

Title 24 is California's energy code. It sets minimum insulation levels, window efficiency, lighting efficiency, and HVAC performance for new construction and remodels. Any project that requires a permit has to meet Title 24 standards for the work being done. That means higher R-value insulation than older homes have, better windows if you're replacing them, and efficient lighting and HVAC. Herbs Construction Co handles the Title 24 compliance calculations and includes that in the permit submittal.