Homeowner lesson
The first win is not picking a company. It is picking the right path for the site, budget, and design ambition.
The constraint
Most ADU owners start with a picture in their head and no clear sense of feasibility, utility work, or permit drawings.
The path
Simple garage conversions can start with as-builts and permit drawings. Custom detached ADUs or tricky lots often deserve design and engineering coordination earlier.
The homeowner lesson
A cheap drawing set is only cheap if it survives plan check and helps a builder price the real work.