DWELLTRY is San Diego's premier Accessory Dwelling Unit design & build studio, turning underused property into thoughtfully crafted, permit-ready living space. From the first sketch to handed keys, we partner with you end-to-end.
At our core, we are a team of dedicated professionals with a shared mission.
To help homeowners and investors unlock their property's true potential. Welcome to our design studio, where we craft ADU solutions tailored to San Diego's neighborhoods, codes, and clients. We are committed to transparency at every step and guide you from first concept through permit-ready plans and final build, turning your vision into something you can move into.
Our Story↗
San Diego · Est. 2024
When it comes to ADUs, you don't have to stick to a single option. San Diego ADUs offer a range of styles, choose the one that resonates with your vision.
Keep scrolling to explore each type →Seamlessly connected to your existing home, share a wall, share utilities, expand your footprint by up to 50% while keeping it all under one roof.
Best for homeowners who want extra space without the construction footprint of a fully separate build. Faster permitting, lower utility hookup costs, and a more intimate relationship to the main house.
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A fully independent structure set apart from your main home, ideal for rental income, long-term guests, or multigenerational living without shared walls.
Maximum privacy for both households. Most flexible floorplan options, separate entrance, and the highest resale value among ADU types. Great for backyards with usable space.
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Turn unused car storage into a revenue-generating studio, kitchen, bath, and bedroom, often the fastest, most affordable path to your first ADU.
Foundation and roof already exist, so timelines shorten and costs drop. We re-engineer the shell for insulation, egress, and light while preserving the original footprint your property is zoned for.
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When ground space is tight, we build up, a second-story unit stacked above a garage or existing structure, adding living space without touching your yard.
Preserves outdoor area, takes advantage of vertical zoning allowances, and often delivers the best views on the lot. Requires careful structural work but unlocks lots that would otherwise be ADU-impossible.
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We start with a full read of your property, zoning, setbacks, utilities, and lot constraints, then map out exactly what's possible and what it realistically costs.
Permit-ready architectural drawings tailored to your lot, your vision, and your municipality's exact requirements, built to clear plan check the first time.
Our ADU consulting shapes your tomorrow.
We navigate the bureaucratic maze for you, submitting to the city, managing plan-check corrections, and tracking your application through to approval.
An ADU is an investment, and we make the numbers work, connecting you with ADU-specific loans, grant programs, and trusted lender partners across San Diego.
Every property tells a different story, every floor plan we draw answers to its lot, its zoning, and the people who will live in it. Browse a curated selection of recent San Diego ADUs we've designed, permitted, and brought to life.
Studios for grown kids. Quiet rentals for retirement income. Multi-generational suites for aging parents. The ADU is the same building type, the brief behind it is always different.
Building an ADU spans many decisions, and our mission is to streamline every one of them. Clients meet us at different stages: just beginning, mid-design, comparing builders, or already breaking ground. Choose where you are below.
Discovering ADUs for the first time? We'll walk you through the laws, zoning, and design choices that shape your project, and what they mean for the price of your San Diego ADU. No jargon, no pressure.
Considering an ADU but worried about finances? Our partnerships with top brokers and ADU-specific lenders deliver custom financing routes for your San Diego project, turning your dream into an achievable plan.
Need help identifying properties ripe for ADU development, or evaluating how many units your current assets can support? Our feasibility study uncovers ADU potential, sizes the upside, and optimizes your portfolio strategy.
Find out what your local area allows for ADU projects and get the scoop on navigating your municipality's rules.
Check Your Municipality↗Three steps from first conversation to a project you can actually picture, and a number you can plan around. No commitment, no high-pressure pitch.
A relaxed 20-min call. We listen, your goals, your lot, your budget reality, and answer your first questions.
On‑site visit (or live‑video walk). We assess feasibility, lot constraints, sun, access, and how an ADU actually lands on your property.
A complete property feasibility report, zoning, setbacks, utility constraints, and exactly what your lot can support. $1,000, and we credit it back in full when you move forward with us.
