Design a House

Welcome to the 2022-23 City of San Diego's Development Services Department page. Use this site as a resource when designing your house.

Your task is to design (and eventually build) a scale-model house on your property. You will have a lot of creative freedom when designing your house; however, you will be required to follow city codes and regulations, including but not limited to guidelines on setbacks, fire code, and general building design. 

Your task will be divided into two phases: 

• Phase 1- "Plan Approval" (Sections A, B, & C)

  • Phase 1 is all about getting your floor plan approved by the City of San Diego's Development Services Department. During this phase, you will work closely with the City as you design the floor plan of your house. City employees will be a resource, so if you have questions, please ask. This website will also be a resource as you design your house. Once you have your floor-plan design finished, you will submit your plans to the City. If your plans adhere to city codes and regulations, DSD will officially stamp your plans and issue you a building permit. Congratulations, you are now ready to begin construction!

• Phase 2- "Construction of Building" (Sections D & E)

  • Phase 2 is the construction phase of your scale model. This phase begins with you ordering the walls of your structure. You will be responsible for precisely drawing the dimensions of your walls using Google Draw. Then, you will submit your order to "J&L Wall Manufacturing," a new, local company based in Barrio Logan, where your walls will be cut. Once your walls are finished, it's time to carefully assemble your house on your property. Congratulations, you are scale-model homeowners, and you can move into your new neighborhood! 

• Early finishers, please visit the Additional Design Opportunities or Employment Opportunities sections of this site.