Published market bands for conversion types live on the cost hub. They are not a quote from Garage Convert SD. This post does not invent City permit totals, school-fee totals, or a La Jolla versus Lemon Grove spread.
The whole-job bands on the service pages today: a junior ADU conversion including permits is listed at $50,000-$90,000. A full ADU conversion including permits and all trades is listed at $75,000-$150,000. Bedroom, office, studio, and trade pages have their own cards on the hub.
What actually moves the number
Finished use. A bedroom that stays part of the house is not a full ADU. A JADU is attached-only, 150 to 500 square feet, with an efficiency kitchen. A detached garage cannot be a JADU.
Plumbing distance. A kitchen or bath far from the stack is a different job than a room next to existing drains.
The garage-door opening. Closing it, matching the exterior, and adding a window or door is structural and energy work, not paint.
Permits. Every ADU and JADU in the City of San Diego needs a building permit. The converted space must meet current residential building, health and safety, fire, and energy standards. Plan-check, permit, connection, and school fees can still apply when impact fees are barred. State law bars impact fees on a JADU of 500 square feet or less of interior livable space, and on an ADU of 750 square feet or less. Confirm the live fee schedule with the department that stamps the address.
Parking. State law bars most replacement-parking requirements when a garage becomes an ADU. The City of San Diego still lists a Beach Impact area exception outside transit priority areas. Confirm the parcel on the City maps.
How to compare bids
Same unit type. Same plumbing route. Same permit responsibility. Same finish list. California caps the downpayment at $1,000 or 10 percent of the contract price, whichever is less. Verify the license at cslb.ca.gov.
For how people pay, see how to pay.
Garage Convert SD matches homeowners with licensed, independent local professionals. The homeowner contracts with and pays that professional directly. Call (858) 400-4935.
How much does a garage-to-ADU conversion cost in San Diego?
The published full-ADU band on this site is $75,000-$150,000 including permits and trades. The licensed pro’s written proposal is the price.
Do I have to pay school impact fees for a garage ADU conversion?
School fees can still apply. They are set by the district. They are not the state impact-fee exemption. Confirm with the district that serves the property.
Is a garage conversion cheaper than building an ADU from scratch?
A conversion reuses an existing shell. This site does not publish a savings figure versus new construction. Compare written scopes.
What is the cheapest garage conversion I can do in San Diego?
A bedroom or office that stays part of the house is usually a smaller scope than a full ADU. Use the cost hub cards for the published bands, then get a site-specific proposal.