Design · Permit · Build
ADU Builder in San Diego, CA
Nucave is a licensed ADU builder in San Diego, with finished ADUs in Bay Ho and North Park. One team designs, permits and builds, start to finish.
- Licensed CA contractor, CSLB #1013360
- Design, permits and construction under one roof
- Based in Vista, in business since 2016
Get a free San Diego ADU consultation
Tell us where to reach you. We usually reply within one business day.
Prefer to talk? (760) 310-2393
Built in and around San Diego
Our San Diego ADU builds
Real projects, built by our own crew. Tap any build for the full photo tour.
Building in San Diego
What we handle for your San Diego ADU
Every city plays by different rules. These are the ones that shape an ADU here.
Designed to San Diego's zero setbacks
Most of the city allows single-story ADUs up to 16 feet tall with zero side and rear setbacks. We lay out your unit to use that space, and hold the 4-foot minimum where a fire hazard zone requires it.
Fee waivers built into your budget
ADUs under 750 sq ft pay no development impact fees, and the first two ADUs on a lot are exempt at any size. Plan check and school fees still apply, so we carry them in your budget from the start.
Historic and coastal lots
Our North Park build sits in a historic district, and coastal parcels can need a Coastal Development Permit. We check your parcel's status first, before design begins.
How it works
One team from lot check to keys
No handoffs between a designer, an expediter and a contractor. We own every step.
- 1
Lot check
We review your parcel against San Diego rules: size, setbacks, utilities and any coastal or fire overlays.
- 2
Design and engineering
Floor plan, elevations, structural and Title 24, designed around how you will use the unit.
- 3
San Diego permits
We submit to the City of San Diego, answer every correction and keep your permit moving.
- 4
Build to keys
One crew, one point of contact, through final inspection and move-in.
Client reviews
What ADU clients say about Nucave
“Nucave brought my ADU vision to life. I had a dilapidated detached garage with many issues, and they guided me in the right direction and helped me overcome obstacle after obstacle with the city of San Diego. They did everything they said they would do and more.”
“Love my new ADU, every detail's exquisite, and I was shocked at how quickly it was done. Vaulted ceilings with skylights make mornings magical. Ryan and his team are absolutely amazing: efficient, attentive, meticulous. If you want a luxury ADU, not a prefab paper-thin build, it's quality.”
“Major props to the guys at Nucave for transforming our unfinished garage into a complete masterpiece of an ADU that our mom can now live in. They kept us in the loop about every update and had the place move-in ready the same week she made her drive.”
San Diego ADU questions
Before you hire an ADU builder
Free consultation
Ready to build your San Diego ADU?
Thirty minutes with a licensed ADU builder who knows the San Diego rules. No pressure, no obligation.