Garage conversion or backyard unit with no permit? $49 check before you hire any (san jose east)
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If you converted a garage, built a back unit, or bought a house that came with one and there's no permit on file, you can fix that now without starting over. San Jose has an amnesty path, and under state law since 2025 a unit built before 2020 can't be turned down over old zoning or code issues unless there's a real safety problem. What stops most people is not knowing what the city will say until they've already paid for drawings.
We answer that first. Send a few phone photos of the unit (or plans if you have them) and we check it against state ADU law plus your city's current rules (San Jose, Santa Clara, Sunnyvale, Campbell, Milpitas): setbacks, height, size, parking. You get a written report listing every item that passes, every item that would be flagged, the code section for each, and the fix.
The pass/flag summary is free. The full cited report with fixes is $49. We built the software that does the checking. We don't do the drawings or file the permit; we tell you exactly what you're dealing with so you can hire a drafter once, with the right scope, and we can point you to one if you need it.
Reply with your city and a line about the unit and I'll send you the link to start. No obligation.