Bigger or unusual job? Compare bids from local pros and you pick who does the work.
The service
What room addition / adu is, what a visit covers and where the line is.
The short answer
A room addition adds new living space to a home, from a single bedroom or office to a full accessory dwelling unit with its own kitchen and bath. Room Addition / ADU in Atherton is booked through pros who cover its 1 ZIP codes, in neighborhoods such as Lindenwood, West Atherton, and Lloyden Park. In Atherton, the dry season from late spring to fall is the easiest time for outside work, and the fall calendar fills before the first big rain. Each contractor sets their own price and you choose.
What a room addition / adu visit includes
What is included depends on the jobs you pick and on how each pro sets up their visit and timing. You see the exact scope with each pro's price before you book.
- Design & permitting
- Foundation & framing
- Roofing tie-in
- Plumbing & electrical rough-in
- Insulation & drywall
- Interior finish
- workmanship warranty
Pick what is on your list
Tick what you want done, or add your own. Your list goes under the booking card and to the pro you choose, and you can describe anything else when you book.
Living space additions
Tick what you want done. One visit can cover several.
Tick jobs above, or add your own. Your list goes under the booking card and to the pro you choose, so they see exactly what you need before they arrive.
What shapes a room addition / adu job
These are the things that make one job different from another. Mention them in your notes so each pro can scope your job properly.
Major decisions for an addition
These early choices set the cost, schedule and permit path. Decide them first, or ask bidders to price more than one approach. Tap an option to compare, then add your pick to your job notes.
What is not part of room addition / adu
Knowing where the line is keeps the visit on track and keeps you safe. When a job belongs to a specialist, NorTech tells you before you book.
- Any job reaching $1,000 in labor and materials is done by a licensed contractor. An addition always exceeds that, so bids come from licensed contractors.
- Architect and engineer fees, surveys and soil reports are separate unless a bid names them.
- Landscaping, fencing and driveway repair after construction, unless listed in the bid.
- Furniture, window coverings and appliances for the new space.
- Utility company fees for new service connections and any public works charges.
- Zoning approval, variances and homeowner association review. You apply, and your contractor can help with the documents.
- In Atherton, town of Atherton has strict permit requirements. Smaller jobs stay within the $1,000 handyman exemption; larger projects are bid on by NorTech-verified licensed contractors.
License and permits for room addition / adu
A room addition involves structural, framing, roofing, electrical and plumbing work. A licensed general contractor runs the project, and licensed trades handle the regulated parts. The pro holds the license and it is shown on the pro profile.
Additions commonly need drawings, a building permit and inspections at several stages, such as foundation, framing, rough utilities, insulation and final. Zoning review applies too. Ask each bidder who prepares plans, who pulls permits and who pays the fees.
Check the license and insurance on the pro profile and ask for the license number in the bid. Ask to see the approved plans, the permit and each inspection sign-off, and keep them with your home papers.
Plan your visit
How booking works, how to get ready, and what to expect where you live.
How booking room addition / adu works
Say what needs doing
Add your ZIP and a few words about the job.
Compare pros near you
Each pro sets their own price and warranty. NorTech does not pick for you.
Book the pro you pick
Add photos and details on their page. Your card is held and only charged after the work and the photos.
Photos and a warranty
Your pro backs the work with a workmanship warranty — if covered work is not right, your pro makes it right, free.
Before you book room addition / adu
Quick things that save a trip. Tick them off as you go; none of it is required to book.
Check zoning before you design
Contact the local building office about setbacks, height limits and rules for accessory units. Knowing the limits first keeps you from paying for a plan that cannot be permitted.
Photograph and measure the site
Take pictures of the yard, the side of the house where the room would attach, the roofline and any trees, fences and utilities. Add a rough sketch with dimensions to your brief.
Locate utilities and easements
Know where the water, sewer, gas and electric lines enter and whether any easements cross the lot. Underground lines and trees can change where the addition can go.
Ask who handles plans and permits
Some contractors include design and permits, others expect you to hire an architect. Ask every bidder to state who does what, because it changes the schedule and the total.
Compare scopes, not just totals
Ask for an itemized bid with allowances for finishes you have not picked. A bid that leaves out permits, utilities or exterior finishes is not the same scope as one that includes them.
Agree on change orders and payments
Ask each bidder how changes are approved in writing and how payments tie to completed stages. Check the pro license and insurance on the profile before you choose.
Say where in Atherton you are
Add your neighborhood, for example Lindenwood, West Atherton, and Lloyden Park, or your ZIP code to your notes. Pros choose the neighborhoods they cover, and it tells them how far they have to travel.
How where you live changes room addition / adu
Best time to book room addition / adu
Foundations, framing and roof work go fastest in dry weather. Starting in spring gives the best chance of closing in the structure before the rainy or snowy season. Plan and permit work in winter so the build can start as soon as the weather settles. In Atherton, the dry season from late spring to fall is the easiest time for outside work, and the fall calendar fills before the first big rain.
Often booked together with room addition / adu
Book several services with one pro. Pros set their own bundle discounts.
Insulating the new floor, walls and ceiling is a key stage of any addition.
Joining the addition to the house often means opening an existing exterior wall.
New floors are installed near the end, and matching the existing house takes planning.
The new room and adjoining walls are often painted together for a consistent finish.
Around Atherton
Where in Atherton the work happens, and the cities close by.
Room Addition / ADU across Atherton
Pick your neighborhood to see what homes there tend to need. Pros choose the neighborhoods they cover, so enter your ZIP code to see who covers yours.
Cities near Atherton
Pros often cover more than one city. The rings show 5 and 10 miles from the center of town.
Other services in Atherton
Each one has its own page for this city.
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See pros in AthertonTrust and answers
What backs the work, who is licensed and insured, what customers say, and your questions.
Backed by your provider’s warranty. If covered work fails, your provider makes it right, free.
Atherton homeowners
Room Addition / ADU reviews in Atherton
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Your pro backs the work with a workmanship warranty — if covered work is not right, your pro makes it right, free. Book with confidence and tell Atherton how your pro did.
Book Room Addition / ADU in AthertonFrequently asked