How to Choose an ADU Contractor in Palo Alto
Questions to ask before choosing a Palo Alto ADU contractor, from project scope and permits to proposals and communication.
Maor Greenberg
Choosing a general contractor for an accessory dwelling unit (ADU) in Palo Alto means evaluating more than a portfolio. You want a team that can explain how your goals become a coordinated set of drawings, a complete permit submittal, and a build you can follow from start to finish. Use these questions to compare ADU contractors before you sign.
Start with the right Palo Alto ADU plan
Before comparing bids, identify the kind of ADU you are considering: a conversion, an attached unit, a detached ADU, or a junior ADU. The City of Palo Alto’s 2025 ADU/JADU Guidebook explains the local development standards, project types, and early planning considerations. Requirements depend on the property and proposed design, so ask the City to confirm what applies to your address.
A qualified Palo Alto ADU builder should be able to explain what information is needed to assess the site and which questions still need a City answer. Be cautious of anyone promising a permit outcome before the project is reviewed. The City publishes separate submittal guidance, including a detached ADU permit checklist; the applicable path and documents can vary by project.
Questions to ask an ADU contractor
- Who will lead the work? Ask who handles design coordination, engineering, estimating, permit documents, construction supervision, and day-to-day communication. Find out who your main contact will be and which work is performed by the contractor’s own team or trade partners.
- What similar projects can I review? Ask to see completed ADUs and learn what the contractor’s role was. Look for relevant experience with the type of unit, site constraints, and level of finish you have in mind.
- How will you check the site and define the scope? Discuss access, existing utilities, grading and drainage, trees, and the relationship between the proposed unit and the main home. Ask what is known, what remains to be investigated, and how unresolved items will be handled.
- What does the written proposal include? Request a scope of work with drawings or specifications, named allowances, exclusions, assumptions, and the process for approving changes. Compare proposals line by line; a low total is difficult to evaluate when the included work differs.
- How do you plan schedule and inspections? Ask for the sequence of design, City review, procurement, construction, and inspections, along with the assumptions behind the dates. Review how updates, delays, and decisions will be communicated. No contractor can promise that a City review or construction schedule will be free of delays.
- How are payments and changes documented? Ask how progress payments relate to completed work, how change requests are priced and approved, and who can authorize a change. Get the agreed process in writing before work begins.
- Can I verify your credentials and coverage? Confirm the contractor’s California license and ask for current insurance information and references. Speak with recent clients about communication, documentation, site management, and how the team handled issues.
Look for a clear permit and communication process
Palo Alto’s guidebook and permit materials are useful starting points, but they do not replace a project-specific review. Ask the contractor to show how the team will assemble the required drawings and supporting documents, submit through the City’s process, respond to plan-check comments, and coordinate required inspections. You should understand which tasks belong to the contractor and which decisions or documents require your input.
Good communication is specific. Before hiring, agree on how often you will receive updates, where decisions and selections will be recorded, how you can reach the project lead, and how open questions will be tracked. Clear records make it easier for you to understand scope, cost changes, and next steps as the project develops.
Compare proposals on the same basis
Give each ADU contractor the same project information and ask each to identify gaps rather than silently assume an answer. Compare the proposed scope, design and engineering responsibilities, allowances, exclusions, payment schedule, change-order process, and schedule assumptions. If a proposal leaves a major item uncertain, ask for clarification before treating the price or timeline as comparable.
Take time to review the agreement, confirm the people responsible for the work, and keep copies of the plans, proposal, insurance documents, approvals, and written changes. The right fit is a team that answers questions plainly and helps you understand what is settled, what is still being checked, and what happens next.
Explore Greenberg’s ADU design-build process
Greenberg Construction describes its ADU service as a process that begins with a conversation about your goals and continues through planning, design, material choices, and construction with a dedicated project manager. Read more about Greenberg’s ADU design and construction service, then compare that approach with your project needs and the questions above. If you are also weighing a larger project, see Greenberg’s work as a Palo Alto custom home builder.