With 10+ years of experience, Ten Seventy Architecture can help you overcome the challenges of building a granny flat. Our modern architecture studio, based in the city of San Diego, will help you navigate the city’s complex code with an incredible + functional design that will elevate your life to new heights.
And, thanks to our newly released pre-approved ADU plans, it has never been easier to build a modern + affordable granny flat.
Are you interested in building a granny flat? These structures (also known as accessory dwelling units, companion units, guest houses and in-law suites) have become very popular, providing homeowners with a way to maximize their living space or build additional housing for rental opportunities.
Our modern architecture studio has over a decade of experience building granny flats in San Diego. We offer a signature design + build process that takes care of everything for you, from drafting a design and securing permits to building your dream project. We’ll help you efficiently design and build your granny flat, ensuring the project gets done within your budget and timeline.
Want to learn more? Discover our signature creative process. And if you’re ready to take the next step, we’d love to hear from you. Click the button below to schedule a complimentary consultation.
When building a granny flat, there are many decisions and complex codes to consider. Our team of experienced San Diego architects will help you navigate the regulations in San Diego. Whether it's creating affordable housing for your aging parents or building an accessory dwelling unit to sublet for rental income, Ten Seventy Architecture will help you realize your goal.
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Ten Seventy Architecture uses the latest 3D design and rendering software to help our clients visualize both the exterior and interior of their granny flat. Better yet, the technology is interactive, allowing clients to explore the space virtually before any construction begins. This step of our design process gives you the flexibility to request any changes before we begin with the final blueprint.
We look forward to sharing these 3D renderings with you in person in our San Diego office, where we can discuss our design and direction. We’ll perfect the final touches together to ensure the design we move forward with turns out exactly how you want.
With more than 10+ years of building San Diego granny flats, we’ve worked on some incredible projects. See how we’ve helped our clients build modern + minimalist granny flats.
Learn More About Our Team at Ten Seventy Architecture + Options for Your Project
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Our modern architecture studio designs modern + functional granny flats. When you work with our team, you can be sure we'll create a high-value and high-quality final product using our proven process and the latest design technology.
Sean is a graduate of NJIT, where he studied architecture + industrial design. He relocated to San Diego in 2009 to open the boutique architecture studio, Ten Seventy Architecture, focussing predominantly on modern, minimalist, + creative architecture. Sean has also won various awards for modern furniture he has designed.
California Registered Architect
LEED Accredited Professional
Bachelor of Architecture (NJIT)
Certification in Project Management (SDSU)
Margaret is also a graduate of NJIT, where she studied architecture + civil engineering. She relocated to San Diego in 2010 working at a LEED consulting firm before taking a job as a project manager in San Diego’s permit office for 5 years. Later she brought her skillset to Ten Seventy Architecture where she manages projects + permitting.
LEED Accredited Professional
Bachelor of Architecture (NJIT)
Masters of Civil Engineering (NJIT)
Certification in Project Management (SDSU)
Jen-Ni is our Architectural Designer who works on projects which require greater graphic illustration. She works on our aesthetic commercial projects as well as small modern ADU projects that require tight planning and out-of-the-box thinking. Jen-Ni is a talented designer who can develop good ideas into beautiful architecture.
Nolan is the team’s Architectural Designer who works on custom residential projects which require the highest level of attention to detail. He has worked to refine our 3D printed study models as well as build templated architectural processes. Nolan brings a modernists rational to our projects.
Grab our free guide for a detailed outline of what you should know about building granny flats in San Diego. We keep this resource up-to-date with the city’s latest municipal building code and regulations.
If you’re considering building a granny flat and want to save time and money, download our comprehensive resource. This guide is regularly updated and reflects the latest building regulations for San Diego, including the full granny flat municipal code, helpful explanations, and visual diagrams.
View this resource to get a better understanding of the technical code and your project’s feasibility before mapping out a detailed plan for your granny flat. Once you’re ready, you'll have a solid foundation and the confidence to begin contacting architecture firms to get started on your project.
Below are common questions we often field regarding our San Diego ADU plans. If you have a question that you don't see answered below, simply use the form at the bottom of this page and we'll help you out as best we can.
Custom ADUs can be more expensive than expected so it’s important to have an understanding of the costs before you begin your project. To answer this question let's break the project into a few categories below.
Soft Costs include design, engineering, consultants, + permitting. Every ADU is different + will require different professionals. Most projects we work on include an architect (obviously), a structural engineer, + an energy consultant (who produces the “Title-24 Report”).
In California, the submittal package for an ADU permit can be pretty intensive so we have set a minimum fee of $20k for our architectural design package.Permitting is also a type of soft cost.
Permitting will vary greatly in price depending on the municipality + the type of permit. A Coastal Development Permit or Site Development Permit will be considerably more expensive than a more simple permit. Municipal fees for ADUs are usually reduced in comparison to a standard home of the same size. Hard Costs are directly related to construction including materials and labor. Since the beginning of the global pandemic construction prices has increased.
Currently in Southern California minimum construction costs are around $250-300 per square foot. A custom ADU will increase in the cost depending on the features + finishes. It’s also important to understand the cost is depending on the size. A larger ADU will be cheaper to build per square meter than a smaller one.
Municipal permit fees will be about $10k per ADU. Current construction costs in San Diego start around $300/sf.
By using one of our pre-designed ADU plans you can save upwards of $20k from typical design + engineering fees.
Permitting in San Diego can take around 3-4 months. Construction projects will generally take 12 months +/- depending on your contractor.
Our pre-designed granny flats or ADUs can shave 3-4 months off of our typical design process of designing an ADU from scratch.
Yes, to be able to build ADUs + JADUs, permits are required.
You don't need to know anything about permitting. We have the best permit expert in San Diego on staff!
If you'd like us to customize the plans per your specifications it will take us a few weeks.
Fill out the form on the bottom of this page to get in touch with us!