Southern California · Land Surveying
Don’t submit your ADU plans until the setbacks are verified. We measure your property lines and confirm the distances the city checks — so your project doesn’t stall on a setback correction.
Tell us what the city, county, architect, or engineer requested — we’ll help determine whether you need boundary, topo, setback, hillside, or permit survey support. Call now to discuss your project.
A setback survey establishes your true property lines and measures the distances from existing and proposed structures to those lines. For an ADU, that’s the number plan check cares about most: does the unit sit far enough from the side and rear lines, and from the main house? Verifying it before submittal is far cheaper than a correction and a redesign.
State ADU law sets common baselines — often modest side and rear setbacks for new detached ADUs — but cities apply their own standards, and lot shape, easements, and existing structures change the picture. Rather than rely on a rule of thumb, we measure your actual property and report the real distances. For the fuller picture of when a setback survey is required for an ADU — and when it may not be — see our ADU survey guide.
Want the full ADU site-plan base too? See our ADU survey.
It’s a survey that establishes your property lines and measures the distances from structures to those lines, so you can confirm the ADU meets required side, rear, and structure-to-structure setbacks.
It depends on your city and lot — state law sets common baselines, but local standards, easements, and existing structures change it. We measure your actual property and report the real distances.
Often because the site plan used estimated lines or the assessor map instead of a survey. A measured setback exhibit resolves that.
Yes — that’s the ideal time. Verifying setbacks pre-submittal avoids a correction and a costly redesign.
No. It confirms the setback facts the city reviews, but the city makes the final decision. It removes setbacks as a reason for rejection.
Timing depends on site size, terrain, access, and records research; we confirm the expected schedule with your quote.
A survey supports plan check, design, and code review. It does not guarantee permit approval — the city or county building and planning departments make the final decision. Our job is to make your project survey-ready.
Survey scope and deliverables depend on title records, site conditions, and what your project requires. Call (213) 787-3342 to discuss the property and the survey you need.
Get the property lines and setbacks confirmed before you finalize the design — and avoid a setback correction later.