Services
New home permits and permit-ready plans.
A new site-built home has the most reviewers. We prepare the construction document set and coordinate every department through issuance.
Building a new home starts with the most reviewers. We prepare the construction document set, assemble the full application, and coordinate Planning, Building and Safety, Fire, and Public Works through issuance. Adding a second unit to a lot instead? See ADU permits. Placing a factory-built home? See manufactured and modular homes.
Services we offer
- Construction document set for the new home, with structural engineering coordinated and added to the set.
- The full application package, assembled to the jurisdiction's checklist.
- Coordination with every reviewing department, including Environmental Health when it applies.
- Related permits, such as grading and encroachment. Gas and electric service applications can be added to the scope on request.
- Comment responses and resubmittals through issuance.
Who reviews a new home
A new home is reviewed by more departments than any other residential project. Each one signs off before the permit is issued, and one stalled review can hold the rest. We track each department's status and answer comments as they come in.
- Planning. Zoning, setbacks, height, lot coverage, and any design review the area requires.
- Building and Safety. Structural design, the California Residential Code, and Title 24 energy compliance.
- Fire. Access, water supply, fire sprinklers, and wildfire construction rules in fire hazard areas.
- Public Works. Grading, drainage, driveway approaches, and work in the public right-of-way.
- Environmental Health. Septic systems and private wells, on lots without public sewer or water.
State requirements for new homes
Some requirements apply to every new home in California, whatever the city. They affect the design and the budget, so they belong in the plans from the start.
- Fire sprinklers. Automatic fire sprinklers are required in new one- and two-family homes.
- Solar. The Energy Code requires a solar photovoltaic system on newly built single-family homes, with limited exceptions such as heavy shading.
- Green building. CALGreen adds mandatory measures, such as electric vehicle charging readiness for homes with an attached garage.
- Wildfire construction. Homes in a designated fire hazard area need wildfire-resistant exterior materials, vents, and construction.
- School fees. School districts charge developer fees on new homes, and the permit is not issued until the district confirms they are paid.
What a new home permit set usually includes
- Site plan with setbacks, easements, utilities, and drainage
- Floor plans, elevations, sections, and a roof plan
- Structural plans and calculations
- Title 24 energy documentation, including the solar design
- Grading and drainage plans, and a soils report when the jurisdiction requires one
- Fire sprinkler plans, often under a separate fire permit
Before you buy a lot
Access, utilities, slope, easements, and zoning can each change what a lot will support. A feasibility check looks at them before you commit to the land or to full drawings.
What we handle
- 01
Project review
Scope, property details, and local rules.
- 02
Application package
Forms and documents prepared to the city or county's submittal standards.
- 03
Compliance check
Zoning, structural, and energy requirements reviewed before submittal.
- 04
Department coordination
One contact for every reviewing department.
- 05
Submittal and tracking
Status and documents visible in the client portal.
- 06
Corrections
Plan check comments answered and resubmitted.
Common questions
- What permits does a new home need in California?
- A building permit, plus related permits that depend on the site. Common ones are grading, an encroachment permit for the driveway, utility connections, a fire sprinkler permit, and septic or well approvals where there is no public sewer or water.
- Do new homes in California need solar?
- Yes, in most cases. The Energy Code requires a solar photovoltaic system on newly built single-family homes. Limited exceptions apply, for example when the roof is heavily shaded.
- Are fire sprinklers required in a new home?
- Yes. California requires automatic fire sprinklers in new one- and two-family homes.
- Does a new home need structural engineering?
- A new site-built home usually includes structural engineering in the permit set. Some sites also need an engineered foundation, which can come up during review. We coordinate both and add them to the set.
- How long does a new home permit take?
- It depends on the jurisdiction, the number of reviewing departments, and the correction rounds. A complete package with consistent sheets is the most reliable way to keep the rounds down.
- Can you help before I buy the lot?
- Yes. A feasibility check reviews zoning, access, utilities, and site conditions for the parcel before you commit.
Start a project
Building a new home? Send the address.
Drawings, permit coordination, or both. One team, then a dashboard through issuance.