Your General Contractor in Berkeley Since 2007

For anything beyond paint and flooring, almost always yes. But Berkeley's system is tiered: small additions (up to 10% of lot area or 200 sq ft in most single-family zones; 15% or 600 sq ft in hillside and most multi-unit zones) qualify for a streamlined Zoning Certificate, while larger projects need discretionary review. One useful exception: reconfiguring existing interior space to add up to two bedrooms needs no zoning permit at all.

This is the famous Berkeley fight, and the code is specific: the city can only deny a discretionary residential addition if it would unreasonably obstruct sunlight, air, or views. Good massing and window placement usually defuse it before it starts, which is why we plan those details with your architect from the first sketch.

Yes, but the hills play by stricter rules than the flats: one unit per lot, 800–1,000 sq ft max, 20-foot height, and fire sprinklers on most new builds. In the flats you can go up to 1,200 sq ft and 25 feet. Either way, the city must act on a complete application within 60 days.

If you've bought a Berkeley home and do voluntary seismic strengthening (bolting, cripple-wall bracing, shear walls), the city refunds up to one-third of the base 1.5% transfer tax, dollar for dollar. On a $1.5M purchase that's up to $7,500, which often covers the entire retrofit. The permit has to be filed with specific rebate language, which we handle.

BESO is Berkeley's Building Emissions Saving Ordinance. Since January 1, 2026, selling a single-family home or duplex requires a Home Energy Score before listing and six emissions-resiliency credits by close, through upgrades like heat pump systems, or a deposit to defer the work to the buyer. If you're remodeling anyway, it's the cheapest moment to knock those credits out.

Check whether it appears on the city's list of Landmarks, Structures of Merit, and Historic Districts, and don't assume you're clear just because your home isn't famous. Homes get designated for contributing to a block's character. If yours is on the list, exterior alterations need Landmarks Preservation Commission approval before a building permit. We run this check at every first consultation.

No. Berkeley requires no replacement parking for garage conversions, and no ADU parking at all within half a mile of a BART station or AC Transit route, which covers most of the city.