Renovation planning, in plain English
Figure out what your home project actually involves — before you call anyone.
HomePlan walks you through permits, costs, and contractor bids the way a knowledgeable friend would: in simple language, with every number sourced and dated. Built for US homeowners, with city-specific workflows added one at a time.
Guides
3 guides available
- SeattleBackyard cottage (DADU)Workflow
Build a backyard cottage in Seattle: the project workflow
Step-by-step workflow for a Seattle DADU project. 30 steps across 7 phases, from feasibility check to occupancy. Click any step on the project map to read the detail.
7 phases · 30 steps · Last verified 2026-04-23
- PortlandBackyard cottage (DADU)Workflow
Build a backyard cottage in Portland: the project workflow
Step-by-step workflow for a Portland, OR DADU project. 30 steps across 7 phases, from feasibility check to occupancy. Click any step on the project map to read the detail.
7 phases · 33 steps · Last verified 2026-04-23
- Seattlesecond-story-additionWorkflow
Add a second story to a Seattle older home: the project workflow
Step-by-step workflow for adding a second story to a Seattle Craftsman or older home. 30 steps across 7 phases, from feasibility check to final inspection. Click any step on the project map to read the detail.
7 phases · 30 steps · Last verified 2026-04-23
Don’t see your city or project type?
We’re building HomePlan into a dynamic tool that answers renovation questions on demand. While that’s in progress, our team handles requests one by one — tell us what you’re planning and we’ll try to put together a sourced answer for you.