Common questions

Not for every project. It depends on the change you want, the condition of the building, and what the city or county requires. Tell us about the property. We will say whether engineering is the next step, or whether permit help, a repair, or your existing architect or contractor is the better path.

Yes. Send the city’s comments with the drawings they reviewed. We look at whether the response is a letter, revised calculations, or a broader correction, and we say so before any paid scope. The jurisdiction still makes the permit decision.

No. A short description and photos are enough to start. Existing plans, architectural drawings, and plan-check comments are useful when you already have them. You can upload them with the inquiry or send them later.

Yes. Engineering, permit support, or construction can sit alongside an architect or contractor who is already involved. Say who is on the project so the recommendation fits that team.

A site visit is used when photos and documents are not enough to understand the condition or the scope. It is not required to send an inquiry, and it is arranged only when it is part of the recommended next step.

Whatever you already have: property photos, existing plans, architectural drawings, city plan-check comments, or an inspection report. Uploads are optional. You can describe the project in writing and add files later.

We review the address, the project, and what you sent, then follow up by email or text with a recommended next step. You do not have to schedule a consultation. Submitting does not obligate you to hire GPJ Residential.

San Francisco Bay Area, California. Include the property address so we can confirm the jurisdiction.

Yes, when the project calls for both. Some scopes are engineering or a permit response only. Construction is a separate step. Asking a question does not put you into a construction contract.

No. It is a preliminary planning tool based on your answers and available public data. It is not permit approval, engineering design, legal advice, or a construction estimate. For a recommendation on a specific property, tell us about the project.