Permit-ready drafting for Palo Alto ADUs, additions, remodels and new homes — drawn to fit Palo Alto's zoning, design standards and Architectural Review Board requirements.
Palo Alto holds single-family projects to a higher design bar than most Bay Area cities. Larger additions, second-story projects and new construction can trigger review by the city's Architectural Review Board on top of standard zoning and building code compliance, and Palo Alto's design-compatibility and historic-character expectations mean drawings that would pass quietly in another city can still get flagged here. Property values are high, neighbors pay attention, and the planning department's review is thorough. None of that has to mean a slower process — it means the drawings need to address Palo Alto's design expectations from the first submittal, not react to them after a rejection. We draw for Palo Alto's own standards, including when a project needs to go in front of the ARB.
Detached, attached and junior ADU plans sized and sited to Palo Alto's setback, height and lot-coverage rules, with the state ADU allowances applied correctly.
Room and second-story addition drawings coordinated with Palo Alto's height, daylight-plane and design-compatibility standards in single-family zones.
Interior and exterior remodel drawings for kitchens, baths and whole-house renovations, including scope that triggers a full plan check or Architectural Review Board submittal.
Ground-up custom home drawings and garage-to-living-space conversions prepared for Palo Alto's planning department and, where required, ARB review.
We review your lot, existing structure and goals, and confirm zoning constraints and design-review requirements specific to your Palo Alto parcel.
Full construction drawing set — site plan, floor plans, elevations, sections and details — prepared to Palo Alto's submittal checklist.
Energy compliance and, where needed, structural review coordinated into the same submittal package.
If the city or the Architectural Review Board comes back with corrections, we revise and resubmit — we don't disappear after the first drawing set goes out.
Two decades drawing plans for Palo Alto and the surrounding cities, not a generic national template.
Drawings prepared under professional design standards, not just CAD line work — relevant when a project has to satisfy Palo Alto's design review.
Palo Alto's zoning ordinances, design guidelines and ARB requirements get updated — we draw against the current standard, not last year's.
You work directly with the person drawing your plans, from first sketch through plan check and ARB corrections.
总部位于圣何塞,服务范围遍及圣克拉拉县、圣马刁县、阿拉米达县及整个湾区。
It depends on the project. Many single-family ADUs, additions and remodels in Palo Alto can be permitted with drafted plans alone, but structural elements — second-story additions, some new construction — often require a licensed engineer's stamp. We'll tell you upfront whether your project needs one, and can coordinate engineering review as part of the drawing package.
The ARB reviews larger or more visible projects for design compatibility with the surrounding neighborhood, separate from the standard zoning and building code check. Not every project triggers it — scope and location both matter. We confirm during the site walk whether your project is likely to need ARB review and, if so, draw with that review in mind from the start.
Turnaround varies by submittal volume, project scope and whether ARB review is required — simple ADU plans move faster than projects that need design review. We can't promise a city timeline, but we can promise your drawings won't be the reason for a correction cycle: getting the submittal right against Palo Alto's own standards is the single biggest lever on total time.
Most Palo Alto single-family lots qualify for at least one ADU under state and local rules, subject to setback, height and lot-coverage limits that vary by zoning district. We confirm eligibility for your specific parcel during the site walk before we draw anything.
Both, if you want it bundled. We prepare Title 24 / CF1R energy compliance documentation alongside the architectural drawings so the whole package is coordinated and submitted together — see our Title 24 & CF1R services for details.
A site address, rough scope of what you want to build, and — if it exists — a copy of your current property survey or existing floor plan. If you don't have a survey, we can help you get one.