Papaya Construction Group: Design-Build ADU Contractor in Orange County
Papaya Construction Group is a licensed, bonded, and insured California construction company established in 2018. They offer a design-build approach to accessory dwelling unit construction, combining in-house ADU design, permitting support, and construction coordination under one team. The company holds a B – General Building Contractor license and a C-27 – Landscaping license, serving homeowners across Orange County cities including Irvine, Anaheim, Santa Ana, Costa Mesa, Fullerton, and others.
Their services are aimed at homeowners looking to add a secondary dwelling unit — whether for family use, rental income, or long-term property value — without the complexity of managing multiple contractors and consultants separately.
Types of ADUs Papaya Construction Builds
Papaya works with several ADU configurations depending on the property, budget, and intended use. Each project is treated as a custom design-build effort rather than a standardized installation.
- Detached ADUs: Standalone accessory dwelling units with complete living amenities, offering privacy and independence on the same lot. These are often suited for multigenerational living, rental use, or long-term investment. Under California state guidelines, detached units can be up to 1,200 square feet in many standard cases.
- Attached ADUs: Built onto the existing structure of the home, attached units can work well on tighter sites where setbacks, yard configuration, or access make a fully separate build less practical. Attached units may be up to 50 percent of the primary dwelling in many standard cases.
- Garage Conversion Contractor: Converting an existing garage into a finished living space is often one of the faster paths to creating a legal ADU. This approach can preserve more open yard area and reduce site disruption. Under California state law, converted existing garages may be treated differently from new construction for setback purposes.
- Above-Garage ADUs: When lot coverage is limited, building above an existing garage can create additional living space without significantly expanding the property footprint. This option typically requires structural engineering and careful coordination.
For homeowners considering a guest house or backyard cottage, Papaya can help evaluate which build type fits the property and intended use. A guest house may start as space for visiting family and later transition into a home office, studio, or rental unit.
Papaya also reviews lot specifics early in the process — including utilities, fire access, setbacks, and yard relationships — so that design decisions are grounded in what the property can actually support.
The Design-Build Process
Papaya's process is structured around three main phases:
- Consultation and Feasibility: The team reviews the homeowner's goals, property layout, budget, and intended use for the ADU before design begins. This step helps identify site constraints, utility considerations, and access issues early.
- Design, Plans, and Permits: Papaya develops the ADU design, prepares construction documents, and coordinates permit submissions and revisions. California HCD notes that ADU approvals are generally ministerial when a proposal meets objective standards, though city comments and revision cycles can still affect the timeline. In some cases, pre-designed plans may serve as a starting point before moving into a more customized design.
- Construction and Final Delivery: Once approvals are in place, the team manages construction through to completion.
ADU design at Papaya focuses on practical considerations like window placement, natural light, storage, circulation, and material selection. The goal is to make compact square footage feel functional and comfortable rather than simply fitting the required rooms into a small footprint.
For homeowners who also need related exterior work, Papaya can coordinate site and outdoor improvements through their landscaping license, covering access paths, patios, drainage, and utility runs connected to the new unit.
Regarding rental income and long-term value, Papaya takes a measured approach. While accessory dwelling units can generate rental income and improve property utility, no responsible ADU contractor should promise specific rent or resale figures without reviewing the location, market, and finished design. The focus is on realistic planning rather than inflated projections.
Papaya Construction Group serves homeowners throughout Orange County, including Huntington Beach, Garden Grove, Tustin, Yorba Linda, Newport Beach, Mission Viejo, Laguna Niguel, and surrounding areas.
