Standard Plan Program – City of Los Angeles Building & Safety

I received an interesting email at the end of last week regarding a new pilot program launched by the City of Los Angeles. The program provides a selection of pre-approved standard home plans from a variety of architects, specifically designed to help streamline the rebuilding process for homeowners.

I spoke with one of the participating architects, and for a roughly 3,000 square foot home, the estimated all-in cost for the architectural and structural plans is approximately $50,000. Even more significant is the projected timeline — from signing the agreement to pulling permits, the process is estimated to take approximately three months total.

For comparison, many fully custom homes can take substantially longer just to complete design and plan check revisions, often stretching more than 3 months. These standardized plans have already been coordinated with the City’s requirements, which can significantly reduce redesigns, corrections, and delays during the permitting process. The result is meaningful savings in both professional fees and overall project timeline, allowing homeowners to start construction and move back into their homes much sooner.

It is important to note that these pricing estimates do not include additional third-party costs such as surveying, soils/geotechnical reports, civil engineering, grading plans, title reports, energy calculations, or other consultant fees that may still be required depending on the property and scope of work.

Additionally, the estimated pricing and timelines could increase depending on site-specific conditions. Properties with difficult topography, steep slopes, challenging access, retaining wall requirements, or complex soil conditions may require additional engineering, grading, and design work that can add both time and cost to the process.

For many homeowners, especially those looking to simplify the process and control costs, this could be a very attractive option.

The link to the program is below. Please feel free to reach out to us with any questions or if you would like an introduction to one of the participating architects.

Standard Plan Programs | LADBS