Frequently asked questions
Services, responsibilities, agreements, and payment.
Short answers about what each service does, who handles licensed consultants, and when paid work begins.
Use the question you need answered to choose a starting point.
Choosing a service
Do I need drawings first?
Not always. Start with the Property Information Report if you need public online records. Start with the ADU Feasibility Report if the ADU idea still has material questions. Start permit documents when the project and responsibilities are clear.
What is the difference between the two reports?
Property Information Report ($395) organizes useful public information found online. ADU Feasibility Report ($1,055) uses that information and the material you provide to screen the project idea and list what should be checked next.
Can I get a free property opinion first?
You can send an inquiry so we can understand the request and recommend a starting point. Property-specific research or screening begins only under the related paid service.
What happens after a report?
The next action may be permit documents, measurements, a records request, a licensed consultant, a revised direction, a pause, or no further work.
Reports
Does the Property Information Report decide whether I can build an ADU?
No. It organizes useful public information and source links. It is not a zoning determination, feasibility opinion, survey, title report, or approval prediction.
Does the ADU Feasibility Report include a site visit?
No. It is completed remotely using available sources and the photos, documents, and project information you provide. Dimensions discussed in the report are not field measurements or surveyed locations.
Will you contact the city or county?
Not from the inquiry form. Agency contact requires separate written authorization, a defined scope, and a stated fee. Meetings, applications, negotiation, and extended follow-up are not included unless the written scope says they are.
Is the ADU Feasibility Report a permit approval or licensed opinion?
No. It is an information-based preliminary screen. Field conditions, consultants, utilities, and the reviewing agency can change the project.
Permit documents + consultants
What do permit-document services cost?
Starting fees are $12,500+ for Residential Drafting + Permit Documents, $18,500+ for Permit Documents + Coordination, and $32,500+ for Submission and Correction Support. The proposal confirms the final scope and fee.
What does the + mean?
It marks a starting price. Existing conditions, the reviewing agency, required consultants, and requested support can add work. Agency and third-party fees are separate.
Who hires and pays engineers, surveyors, and other consultants?
The client selects, contracts with, and pays each required licensed consultant directly. Studio Bluework may identify candidates, request proposals with authorization, exchange project information, and coordinate only the administrative tasks listed in the agreement.
Is Studio Bluework an architecture or engineering firm?
No. Studio Bluework provides property research, residential drafting, permit-document preparation, and stated administrative coordination. Licensed professional work is provided under a separate agreement between the client and that consultant.
Do you handle construction?
No. Studio Bluework does not act as a contractor or supervise construction. The owner contracts separately with qualified construction professionals.
Agreement + payment
Does a call or inquiry form create an agreement?
No. Calls, video meetings, emails, and intake forms are preliminary. A project agreement exists only after both parties sign the project-specific written agreement. Signing does not start the work.
When do I pay?
If Studio Bluework confirms that a service is available and the project proceeds, both parties would sign the project-specific written agreement before Studio Bluework sends a client-specific QuickBooks invoice. No payment is taken in the inquiry form or initial call.
When does paid work begin?
For an accepted engagement, payment would need to clear and any stated cancellation or waiting period would need to end before Studio Bluework sends written notice that the work is starting. Payment alone would not start work.
Where does Studio Bluework work?
Studio Bluework serves Southern California homeowners. Availability depends on the reviewing agency, work requested, travel, and current capacity.
Property-specific question
Send the address and your main question.
We review the request before recommending a service.