MEP Plans in Buellton, CA

Buellton project facts we design around

County	Santa Barbara County
Title 24 climate zone	Climate Zone 5, confirmed by ZIP for every project
Electric utility (most addresses)	Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E)
Permit review	The City of Buellton building department
ADU permits issued, 2021–2025	13 (#379 of 450 cities)
ADU approval timeline	Approve or deny within 60 days of a complete application (state law)

ADU building activity in Buellton

Buellton issued 13 ADU building permits from 2021 through 2025, the 379th most among the 450 California cities that reported ADU permits. Permits went from 3 in 2021 to 4 in 2025.

2021	2022	2023	2024	2025
3	1	4	1	4

Source: California Department of Housing and Community Development, Annual Progress Report data (ADU building permits by year).

Title 24 in Climate Zone 5

• Windows: U-factor 0.27 or lower (no SHGC limit in this zone), with total window area up to 20% of floor area.
• Solar PV sized by the CEC formula kW = (floor area x 0.585) / 1000 + 1.06; no PV is required if that is under 1.8 kWdc, which for a single ADU works out to about 1,265 sq ft or smaller.

Climate Zone 5 requirements in full →

HVAC design for Buellton

The HVAC is sized from a room-by-room Manual J using the outdoor design conditions for the address, in Climate Zone 5's coastal, marine-influenced climate. Right-size the heat pump from a real Manual J instead of a tonnage guess.

Electrical service from Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E)

If the load calculation shows you need a service upgrade, a second meter or a relocated service, Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) handles that through its Your Projects portal, separately from the building permit.

ADU electrical service with Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) →

Plumbing and sewer

The plumbing plan shows the route, slope and cleanouts of the connection to the existing sewer lateral.

Pricing is flat statewide: ADU plans from $995, full ADU MEP package from $2,295, Title 24 add-on $240. See what's in a complete ADU MEP set.