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Rana DevelopmentIrvine, California

Blog

What we have learned, written down.

Straight answers about costs, permits, code and contracts in Southern California — the things we end up explaining on every project, in more detail than a phone call allows.

Partially built home with sheathing and roof framing complete

Budget

What it actually costs to build a custom home in Orange County

Per-square-foot numbers get quoted constantly and explain almost nothing. Here is what sits inside the number, what sits outside it, and why two builders can quote the same house 40% apart.

· 8 min read

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Compasses resting on a set of architectural blueprints

Permits & Code

How long permits really take — and what actually delays them

Plan check is rarely the bottleneck people expect. The delays that hurt are the ones nobody scheduled: HOA design review, corrections cycles, and drawings that were never coordinated.

· 7 min read

Hands signing a construction contract with a pen

Working With a Builder

How to read a builder's bid (and what California law already protects you from)

Allowances, exclusions and unit prices are where bids differ. Some protections you do not have to negotiate for — they are written into the Business and Professions Code.

· 7 min read

Two-storey home with rooftop solar panels against a clear sky

Permits & Code

Title 24: what the 2025 standards changed for new homes

California's 2025 Building Energy Efficiency Standards took effect on 1 January 2026. For new single-family construction the headline is simple: heat pumps became the prescriptive baseline.

· 6 min read

Small detached garden building surrounded by mature planting

Permits & Code

ADUs in California: what recent legislation changed

A run of bills has made California's accessory dwelling unit framework the most permissive in the country. Here is what changed, and what it means for an Orange County homeowner.

· 6 min read

Interior of a home mid-construction, a temporary post carrying a newly opened structural wall

Renovation

Renovating while you live in the house

It can be done well, and it is done badly all the time. The difference is almost entirely in the sequencing decisions made before demolition starts.

· 6 min read

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Let’s talk about what you want to build.

Send us the basics — lot, scope, rough budget, timing. We will tell you honestly whether we are the right builder for it.

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