What happens when the ADU you spent months designing… isn’t actually the best option anymore?
That’s exactly what one San Marcos couple discovered after spending years overcoming a major title issue on their property. What started as a deeply custom ADU project came full circle when they realized that one of SnapADU’s new pre-approved plans met all their needs.
In this story, we’re highlighting how clarity, flexibility, and an evolving design library helped this project get back on track after a multi-year pause.
A Homeowner’s Story: Life changed, our needs shifted, and a pre-approved design did everything we wanted—without the stress.
When this San Marcos couple first started planning their ADU three years ago, they were certain of one thing:
“It had to be custom.”
They knew what they wanted—2 bedrooms, 1 bathroom, their preferred roofline, and a few thoughtful design tweaks to make it feel just right. They planned to work closely with the SnapADU team to refine a layout, incorporating a list of design modifications to match their specific preferences.
But everything came to a halt when they discovered a 60-foot private road easement running through the back of their property. Originally recorded in the 1950s, the easement was created with the idea of extending their road into a through street—an idea that had long since faded. Still, it rendered the entire buildable area off-limits. (Read more about how easements can affect ADU feasibility)
“Our property was saddled with a 60-foot private road easement at the back… obliterating all the land available to build the ADU on.”
Resolving it wasn’t simple. After extensive research and guidance from a title company, the couple had to secure 43 notarized signatures from 22 neighboring property owners and 5 mortgage companies in order to remove the easement from their title.
SnapADU continued to check in—with great appreciation for their tenacity—over the next 2.5 years. And when the day finally came, the property owners were ready to celebrate:
“Incredibly great news! We’re having a hard time believing it, but we can finally, finally, finally move forward with building our ADU.”
That alone could’ve been the turning point. But what happened next was unexpected.
A Familiar Plan. A Better Fit.
During the pause, SnapADU had been selected to design several pre-approved ADU plans for cities in San Diego County. One of them—a 2BR/1BA plan approved for use in San Marcos—caught the clients’ attention.
“We received an email regarding the new pre-approved designs—and noticed one of the San Marcos designs is basically just an update of the 2BR/1BA design we were working on before.”
It had nearly all of the design modifications they’d originally worked so hard to customize—and even some new features they liked better.
“Frankly, our desire for the remainder of the custom design changes has very much waned.”
The ADU Planning Lesson:
Many homeowners assume their project is so specific that only a custom design will do. But this client’s journey is proof that what feels custom can often be solved with:
- A well-thought-out, efficient layout
- A builder who evolves their plans based on common requests
- A pause in the process that creates clarity about what really matters
Sometimes, the distance from the design process helps reveal that your needs aren’t so niche after all. Read more about the conversations to have with your family about your ADU to get to the heart of your needs.
And best of all, these clients were able to pick back up with momentum—not start from scratch.
- No need to redraw.
- No guesswork about code updates.
- No regrets about letting go of ultra-custom tweaks.
Just a clear path forward with a build-ready design.
What Are Pre-Approved ADU Plans?
Pre-approved ADU plans are designs that have already been reviewed by your city’s building department. That means faster design, permitting, reduced fees in some jurisdictions, and fewer rounds of revisions. It also means more predictable build costs.
SnapADU has been actively working with cities across San Diego County to expand this offering—and we now have a growing library of efficient, buildable layouts that work on a wide range of lots.
Curious how pre-approved plans work and whether they’re a fit for your property? Read our guide to pre-approved ADU plans.
Takeaway:
Don’t underestimate how far a thoughtfully developed pre-approved plan can take you. Your ideal ADU might already exist—refined through real-world feedback from dozens of builds.
Curious if one of SnapADU’s pre-approved floor plans could meet your goals? Explore our plan collection or start a conversation about what’s changed since you last picked up your project.
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