Home Renovation & ADU Contractor
Aldridge Construction, Home Renovation, and ADU Contractors in Santa Cruz provide complete design & build services for homeowners ready to improve their living space. Whether it’s a kitchen update, a new room addition, or a detached ADU, we manage the design, permitting, and construction with one accountable team.
Our local knowledge of Santa Cruz codes, coastal requirements, and neighborhood styles ensures every project runs smoothly and meets compliance. From the first consultation to the final walkthrough, we deliver a stress-free process and results built to last.
Our Home Renovation and ADU Services
From the first sketch to the final punch list, we deliver remodels, additions, and ADUs that fit your budget and schedule. Here’s a clear look at what we build, and how we keep Santa Cruz permits and reviews simple.
Home Renovations & Additions
Revitalize your Santa Cruz home with improvements that enhance comfort, style, and long-term value.
- Kitchen & Bath Remodels: Smarter layouts, high-quality finishes, improved lighting, and enhanced ventilation.
- Interior upgrades: Kitchens, baths, flooring, and trim, while preserving cottage details.
- Whole-home updates: Flooring, paint, casework, insulation, and energy-efficient fixtures.
- Window/door upgrades: Better comfort and egress, with proper flashing and energy-code compliance.
- Exterior refresh: Siding, roofing, stucco/shingle, decks, and outdoor-living improvements.
- Structural reconfiguration: Open rooms, add beams, widen openings, or move stairs (engineered and permitted).
Room & second-story additions: Add bedrooms, a suite, or a flexible space that blends with the village look.
Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs)
Make a guest cottage, caregiver suite, or long-term rental that fits Santa Cruz’s scale and style.
- Detached, attached, and over-garage ADUs tailored to your lot and architecture.
- Garage conversions with correct structural, fire-separation, and energy upgrades.
- JADUs (up to 500 sq ft) within your existing home, with an efficiency kitchen and separate entrance.
- Up-front feasibility on setbacks, height, parking, utilities, and water credits where applicable.
- Reports & reviews coordinated when triggered by site or code (structural, coastal, historic/design study).
- Energy-smart by design: service-capacity planning, heat-pump options, solar/battery-ready rough-ins, and complete energy paperwork.
Aldridge Construction stays current with City of Santa Cruz requirements and California building/energy codes, and we provide full, permit-ready submittals so your ADU or JADU is efficient, comfortable, and future-ready.
ADU Requirements in Santa Cruz (What’s Allowed)
Santa Cruz has specific rules for ADU size, height, setbacks, parking, and rentals. We guide you through these requirements to ensure your design is fully compliant.
Size & Height
California law requires cities to allow at least 850 sq ft for a studio/1-bed ADU and 1,000 sq ft for 2+ bedrooms. Santa Cruz allows up to 16 ft in height for most detached ADUs, and 18 ft when within a half-mile of qualifying transit; some state situations allow 20 ft, we confirm what applies to your parcel before design.
Setbacks & Fire Safety
For most detached ADUs, 4-ft side and rear setbacks apply; attached ADUs follow the main home’s zone standards. Fire-resistance details and limits on openings may apply near property lines—we include these in the plans and coordinate inspections. (County parcels may require deeper rear setbacks when a unit exceeds 16 ft.)
Parking & Rental Rules
Parking exemptions can apply (for example, in some transit-served areas), and garage conversions often avoid new parking. Short-term rentals are prohibited on properties with a single-family home and an ADU or JADU in the City of Santa Cruz. We’ll confirm the rules for your address.
Utilities & Separate Entry
ADUs need a separate entrance and must meet building, energy, and green-building requirements. Your permit set includes architectural drawings, Title 24 energy, and CALGreen documents; we also verify water/sewer paths and electrical capacity during feasibility.
Utilities & Separate Entry
ADUs need a separate entrance and must meet building, energy, and green-building requirements. Your permit set includes architectural drawings, Title 24 energy, and CALGreen documents; we also verify water/sewer paths and electrical capacity during feasibility.
Permits & Compliance We Handle
We take care of all permits and compliance, from City and County approvals to energy, water, and coastal requirements, so your project moves forward without delays.
ADU Submittal (City of Santa Cruz)
ADUs/JADUs require a building permit (no planning hearing) with a complete plan set: site plan, floor plans, elevations/sections, structural calculations as needed, plus Title 24 and CALGreen. ADUs in the Coastal Zone may also need a Coastal Permit. We prepare and track everything through approval.
Renovation & Addition Permits
For remodels and additions, we draft code-compliant drawings, coordinate structural calculations, and include any required notes (e.g., WUI/fire). We package energy and green-building documents and keep plan-check responses timely so your permit timeline stays predictable.
Water & Environmental
When projects add bedrooms or fixtures, or in County areas when new service is needed, agencies may require water service confirmation (“will-serve” letter) and sewer clearances. Aldridge Construction verifies requirements early and uses the County’s ePlan submittal checklist for unincorporated projects.
Coastal & Historic Overlays
Some Santa Cruz parcels sit in the Coastal Zone or within historic districts. We identify those overlays up front, fold their objective standards into the design, and guide you through the correct process (including historic alteration permits when applicable).
Our Design–Build Process
Our design–build process keeps everything under one roof, from the first idea to the final walkthrough. This streamlined approach saves you time, reduces stress, and ensures your project stays on budget and on schedule.
Consultation & Site Feasibility
We listen to your goals and study your parcel: zoning, setbacks, access, utilities, tree/grade constraints, and any coastal/historic flags. For ADUs, we verify size, height, parking, and likely permit path before we draw.
Concept Design & Budget
You’ll see clear plan options and easy visuals that show light, storage, privacy, and flow. We value-engineer structure and finishes to meet your budget and build a realistic schedule.
Construction
Your project manager runs pre-con, sequencing, inspections, and quality checks. We protect your home and neighbors, keep the site tidy, and communicate weekly on progress and selections.
Permitting & Approvals
Aldridge Construction assembles a complete, approvable set, including architecture, structure, Title 24, CALGreen, and responds quickly to plan-check comments. If your site needs coastal or historic steps, we coordinate those in parallel.
Final Walkthrough & Warranty
Together we complete the punch list, review manuals and finishes, and hand off a simple care guide. We stand behind the work with documented warranties.
Why Homeowners Choose Our Team
and coastal/historic rules, so approvals move fast and the work is done right.
- Licensed, local, experienced. We build in Santa Cruz year-round and design with the city’s character, coastal context, and neighborhoods in mind.
- Permit-ready plans. We bake compliance into drawings, WUI/fire details where needed, Title 24/CALGreen, and clean plan sets, to reduce corrections.
- Coastal & historic savvy. We flag overlays early and align with objective standards so your design is approvable and practical to build.
- One accountable partner. Design–build means one contract, one schedule, and clear pricing from concept to keys.
- Craft that lasts. We specify materials and details for the marine climate—proper flashing, ventilation, and durable finishes, for long-term performance.
- Clear, predictable costs: We provide upfront, itemized pricing with allowances and value-engineered options. Milestone billing ties to progress, helping you avoid surprises and stay on budget.
Ready to reimagine your home with a renovation or addition? Let Aldridge Construction guide you through every step of the process. Visit our Contact Us page to fill out our short form, or call us directly at 831-682-9788 to discuss your project with Brian Aldridge. Together, we can create a space that perfectly suits your lifestyle and preferences.
We bring your vision to life!
Frequently Asked Questions About Home Renovation & Additions
An Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) is a small, self-contained home on your property. It adds living space, rental income potential, and increases property value.
Yes. Both the City and County of Santa Cruz allow ADUs and JADUs under state law, but rules on size, height, setbacks, and parking vary by location.
Timelines depend on the scope and permits. On average, design and approvals take a few months, and construction can run 6–12 months.
You can build detached units, attached additions, garage conversions, or Junior ADUs within your existing home.
Yes. Santa Cruz requires permits for most renovations, additions, and all ADUs. We handle the paperwork, Title 24 compliance, and approvals for you.
Long-term rentals are generally allowed. Short-term rentals, however, face restrictions depending on whether your property is inside the City or County.
In many cases, yes, especially for smaller remodels. For major additions, we’ll discuss logistics and help you plan for comfort and safety.