San Francisco Remodeling FAQ
Common questions on San Francisco remodeling — luxury renovation costs, DBI and Planning permits, ADU construction — answered the way we run projects: specific agencies, real clocks, written numbers.
About WDC
What types of projects does WDC take on?
WDC specializes in full home renovations and ADU construction across San Francisco. We are built for comprehensive, whole-home scopes — structural reconfiguration, whole-system MEP upgrades, kitchen and bath, and finish work managed under one contract. We do not take on small repairs, cosmetic refreshes, or commercial projects.
Where does WDC work in San Francisco?
We take on projects in Pacific Heights, Presidio Heights, Cow Hollow and the Marina, Noe Valley, Bernal Heights, Russian Hill, Sea Cliff, St. Francis Wood, and throughout San Francisco. Each neighborhood carries its own planning overlays and housing stock; WDC prices and permits against the block, not the citywide average.
What is WDC’s background?
We Do Construction is a California design-build firm — CSLB #1096552, listed in the Architectural Digest PRO Directory — serving San Francisco and Los Angeles. One team carries each project from feasibility pricing through design, permits, construction, and certificate of occupancy under a single fixed-price contract.
Full Home Remodeling
How long does a full home remodel take in San Francisco?
A luxury whole-home renovation in San Francisco runs 12–24+ months end to end — design, permitting, and construction. Pre-1920 homes, steep lots, and historic districts add review time. WDC sequences permit-first and provides a property-specific schedule in writing before construction begins.
Do you manage the architect and design team?
Yes. WDC coordinates the full project team — architect, structural engineer, interior designer, and all trade contractors — under a single point of accountability. You have one project manager rather than managing separate relationships between designer and contractor.
How do you handle permitting?
WDC manages the complete permit process — submission, plan check, correction responses, and inspections through certificate of occupancy. San Francisco has one building department: the Department of Building Inspection (DBI). Exterior and use changes route through SF Planning, including Section 311 neighborhood notification where it applies; WDC files and tracks both.
What does a WDC full home remodel cost?
A luxury whole-home renovation in San Francisco costs $800,000–$2,000,000+ in 2026 — roughly $400–$800 per square foot — on a fixed-price design-build contract. Structural condition, systems scope, and finish tier set the band; WDC prices from feasibility, with a written 10–15% contingency on pre-1978 homes.
ADU and Garage Conversions
How long does an ADU take to build in San Francisco?
Plan on 4–6 months from filing to an issued permit, then 4–6 months of construction. State law sets the clocks: a 15-business-day completeness review under SB 543 and a 60-day ministerial decision on complete applications — no discretionary hearing, no neighbor notification.
Do I need to replace parking if I convert my garage to an ADU?
No. California ADU law prohibits San Francisco from requiring replacement parking when a garage is converted to an ADU. The city cannot condition your permit on rebuilding the parking space — a rule that makes garage conversions one of the most cost-efficient ADU paths in the city.
What is the school developer fee exemption?
ADUs with less than 500 square feet of interior livable space are exempt from school district developer fees statewide, and ADUs of 750 square feet or less pay no impact fees at all. WDC models the fee consequences of unit size during feasibility, before design commits you.
Can I build an ADU and remodel my primary home at the same time?
Yes — and it is typically more efficient than sequencing the two projects. WDC coordinates full home renovation and ADU construction simultaneously, under coordinated permit sets and one construction schedule, one contract, and one accountable team.
San Francisco Permits and Historic Homes
Do I need Planning approval or just a building permit?
Both, usually. Interior-only work generally needs DBI review alone. Anything touching the exterior envelope, expanding the building, or changing use routes through SF Planning first — including Section 311 notification for many exterior alterations. ADUs are the exception: state law makes them ministerial, skipping discretionary review entirely.
What happens if my home is in a historic district?
Article 10 historic districts and designated landmarks add a preservation review at SF Planning before DBI plan check. Scope that respects character-defining features clears faster. WDC identifies historic status at feasibility and designs the permit set around it, rather than discovering it in plan check.
What about steep-lot and hillside construction?
Steep lots in San Francisco commonly trigger soils reports, engineered foundations, and seismic strengthening — cripple-wall bracing at minimum, engineered retaining work on the steepest sites. These are priced at feasibility from a structural walk-through, not discovered mid-project.
Is my home in the coastal zone?
Almost certainly not. San Francisco’s mapped coastal zone is a narrow band along the western edge of the city near Ocean Beach. The Marina District, despite the name, is not in it — no Coastal Development Permit applies. For the few westside parcels inside the zone, WDC confirms status at feasibility.
Have a Question Not Listed Here?
Every project starts with a Pre-Project Review — reviewed by the principal, within 48 hours. For the statutory ADU clocks in detail, see our 2026 ADU permit timeline; for budget bands, the true cost of a luxury SF remodel.