Services  /  The Process

Seven steps,
one thread.

The DWELLTRY process is intentionally simple, seven steps from the first call to keys in your hand. Each step has a clear deliverable, a real timeline, and a single point of contact. Scroll down, the steps slide across as you go.

Start The Walk
The DWELLTRY Process Scroll  ↓  steps slide across  →
Step 01 · Planning 01 / 07

Initial Consultation.

A 30-minute conversation. No paperwork, no commitment, just us listening to what you're trying to do, and giving you the honest first answer most homeowners never get.

  • Goals, what you want the ADU to do for you
  • Property read, APN check, basic zoning lookup
  • Path recommendation, feasibility, design, or skip-ahead
  • Plain-English answers, no industry jargon
Step 02 · Planning 02 / 07

Feasibility Study. Optional

Always optional, never forced. The feasibility study is a written report that confirms what you can build, how much it'll cost, and where the constraints actually live. Most clients say yes, some skip straight to design.

  • Site visit, measurement, utility scout
  • Zoning math, setbacks, FAR, lot coverage
  • ADU type rec, what fits the lot best
  • Cost range, benchmarked, written, yours to keep
Step 03 · Planning 03 / 07

Financing Your Project.

If financing is part of the picture, we route you to the right lender. We've worked with HELOC providers, construction-to-perm lenders, and ADU-specialized banks, so you compare options instead of cold-calling.

  • Lender intros, vetted ADU-aware partners
  • Loan path framing, HELOC vs. construction-to-perm vs. reno refi
  • Rental yield model, for underwriting your income
  • Grant identification, CalHFA, ADU-specific programs
Step 04 · Planning 04 / 07

Contract Review.

One agreement, no surprises. We walk you through the scope, the timeline, the milestones, and the fee, in plain English. You ask questions, we answer them, you sign when you're ready.

  • Defined scope, what's in, what's out
  • Milestone schedule, payment alignment
  • Fixed fee, not hourly, not "we'll see"
  • Change-order process, clear, written
Step 05 · Design 05 / 07

Design Process.

Schematic through construction documents. We start with a goal-setting meeting and a design proposal, then refine the drawings across review rounds until they're ready to file. Nothing leaves the studio that isn't permit-ready.

  • Schematic plans, floor plans, elevations, massing
  • Design development, materials, openings, details
  • Construction documents, permit-ready set
  • Title 24 & structural, coordinated in-house
Step 06 · Permitting 06 / 07

Permitting Process.

We drive the city. You go live your life. We submit the application, track its status, respond to plan-check corrections, and chase signatures, with regular updates on a cadence you can plan around.

  • Submittal package, per city intake spec
  • Plan-check response, corrections handled by us
  • Fee tracking, running ledger
  • Status cadence, same day each week
Step 07 · Issuance & Build 07 / 07

Issuance & Build.

Permit in hand, ready to break ground. You receive the full issued package, stamped drawings, conditions of approval, fee receipts, and we hand off cleanly to your builder. (In-house build is coming soon, for now we partner with trusted GCs.)

  • Permit package, stamped & signed
  • Builder handoff, intro + scope walk
  • Site supervision (opt), we attend key milestones
  • Final close-out, inspections, CofO
Now You Know What Happens

The first step is step zero.

Before any of this kicks off, you and Emmanuel meet for 30 minutes. We listen, we look at your lot, we tell you the truth. Then you decide what to do.