La Mesa
ADU and home addition builder in La Mesa
From the older streets around La Mesa Village to the hillsides toward Mount Helix, La Mesa homes come in every age and shape. As an ADU builder serving La Mesa, Rom Builders designs, permits, and builds ADUs, additions, second stories, and custom homes here.
Building in La Mesa
La Mesa has some of the oldest neighborhoods in East County, with homes near the Village that go back to the early and middle 1900s, alongside later ranch houses and hillside homes with views. Older houses often have character worth keeping, so an addition or ADU should match the original style rather than fight it.
Hillside lots are common here. Slopes, retaining walls, construction access, and drainage all shape what can be built and where, and they are part of what our engineers look at before anything is drawn.
City of La Mesa or County?
La Mesa is its own city, so most projects here are permitted by the City of La Mesa rather than the City of San Diego. Around Mount Helix and Casa de Oro, though, some addresses with a La Mesa mailing address are in unincorporated San Diego County, where the County handles permits under its own rules.
We confirm which agency covers your address before design starts. Our permit expediters work with both, and our architects draw the plans for the rules that apply to your lot.
What we build in La Mesa
Backyard ADUs
A separate small home for family, or a rental where local rules allow. See our ADU page.
Garage conversions
A permitted unit from the garage you already have. See garage conversions.
Home additions
New rooms that match an older home's style. See home additions.
Second stories
More space on a smaller lot, with the yard kept. See second-story additions.
Custom homes
New homes on view lots and tear-down rebuilds. See custom homes.
Nearby areas
We also build in Lemon Grove, Spring Valley, El Cajon, Santee, and Allied Gardens and San Carlos, and across San Diego County. See the full service area, or contact us for a free visit.
Other areas we serve
Common questions
Who issues permits for my La Mesa project?
Usually the City of La Mesa. Some addresses with a La Mesa mailing address, especially around Mount Helix, are in unincorporated County land, where the County issues permits. We confirm which applies to you first.
Can I build an ADU on a sloped La Mesa lot?
Often yes, but the slope, access, drainage, and setbacks decide where it can go and what it needs. We check your lot at the free feasibility visit.
Can an addition match my older home?
Yes. Our architects design it around your existing rooflines, windows, and exterior, and you see it in 3D before construction starts.
Do you build custom homes in La Mesa?
Yes, including new homes on view lots and tear-down rebuilds, from design and permits to the final walk-through.
Do you build second stories in La Mesa?
Yes. On hillside and view lots, our architects plan the roofline and windows with the slope and the neighbors in mind, and our engineers check the existing structure first.
Planning a project in La Mesa?
The first visit and feasibility check are free, and we can help you look into financing.