San Francisco, California
San Francisco ADUs are often garage or ground-floor conversions rather than backyard builds — costs run higher than the rest of the state, but so do rents.
$220K–$300K
All-in build cost
construction, design, permits & fees
$3,000–$3,600
Monthly rent
one-bed comps nearby
4–6 mo
Permit timeline
typical city review window
varies by lot and program
Typical max size
detached new construction
Estimates from regional cost and rental data — not a quote or a permit decision.
For San Francisco ADU builders
Every homeowner searching "ADU cost in San Francisco" ends up on a page like this. Our early-access widget will give them the answer for their exact address on your site — and send you the lead. Founding builders get it first.
FAQ
Most detached ADU projects in San Francisco land between $220,000 and $300,000 all-in — construction, design, permits and fees. Garage conversions come in lower; high-end finishes and difficult lots push higher. These are estimates from regional cost data, not a quote.
Local comps put a new one-bedroom ADU in San Francisco at roughly $3,000–$3,600 per month, depending on neighborhood, size and finish.
Permit review in San Francisco typically runs 4–6 months with multi-agency sign-off, plus design time before you submit. California's 60-day review clock applies to each complete submission — correction rounds are what stretch the calendar in practice.
San Francisco ADUs are often garage or ground-floor conversions rather than backyard builds — costs run higher than the rest of the state, but so do rents. The fastest way to find out for a specific address is a feasibility check against the city's zoning data — that's exactly what our early-access widget will do on builders' websites.