From call to keys.
Pod Essentials in 4–8 weeks. Pod Living & Villa over months — design, permits, and construction, all managed by us.
Pick the path that fits.
The process differs by product, and the biggest difference is permitting. Here’s how it works for each.
Pod Essentials are typically under 200 square feet, and in most Texas jurisdictions — including the City of Austin — that means no building permit is required. Most cities do still require trade permits, usually an electrical permit and a mechanical permit for the mini-split HVAC, which we file on your behalf. A few jurisdictions don’t require even those — we confirm exactly what your address needs before you commit.
Pod Living and Pod Villa are permitted backyard ADUs (accessory dwelling units), so the requirements are more involved. Depending on your jurisdiction, we supply either a full architectural plan set — sometimes with stamped structural engineering — or, in lighter jurisdictions like many Texas counties, a simpler set of plans. That’s why we offer two architectural plan options at different price points, so you only pay for what your city actually requires.
Whenever a building permit is required, the timeline stretches: there are more inspections, more plan review, and more back-and-forth with the jurisdiction. That’s the main reason Pod Living and Villa take longer to build than Pod Essentials — and why we’re upfront about the timeline for each from day one.
Pod Essentials & WorkPods
Usually no building permit. Built and installed in 4–8 weeks, start to finish.
Pod Living & Villa
Permitted ADUs. Months of design, permitting, and construction — we manage every step.
Eight steps, fully managed.
Consultation
A 15-minute call to scope your space, budget, and goals.
Learn more
This is a phone call with our design & purchase consultant, where you can ask any questions you have. We’ll learn more about your site and your goals, and help you pick the right pod.
Free site visit
We come to your property to confirm access, placement, and feasibility.
Learn more
We come out to your property to review the site in person, so we can give you a more detailed estimate based on your specific site requirements.
$500 refundable deposit
Reserve your build slot. Fully refundable if you don’t move forward.
Learn more
At this point we start working on your project and place you on our design and installation pipeline.
Design
Pick your model and finishes and meet your project manager.
Learn more
For Pod Essentials, we typically hold two 30-minute design meetings. For Pod Living and Villa, it’s usually two to three meetings of 30 minutes to an hour to finalize your design.
You’ll meet with our drafter and your project manager to finalize the design before we submit it for permits or begin building.
Permitting
We file permits where required and manage the jurisdiction for you.
Learn more
Pod Essentials
For Pod Essentials, we typically just file the trade permits your jurisdiction requires — usually the electrical and HVAC permits.
Pod Living & Villa
Depending on your jurisdiction, we file for full building permits. We offer two tiers of plan applications depending on how complex the project is and how much detail the local jurisdiction requires.
Preparing the architectural and engineering plans plus the application typically takes one to two months, and permit approval itself can take anywhere from two to six months for more complex applications. In simpler jurisdictions, plans can be ready in as little as two weeks and approval in as little as two weeks.
Construction
Foundation, build, delivery, and install — handled end-to-end.
Learn more
Pod Essentials
Different crews come out for the different stages of construction, so there will be natural pauses as one crew finishes and we wait for the next to free up — meaning some days no one will be on site. That’s normal. Start to finish, we’re looking at four to eight weeks, which can be affected by weather, inspectors, and other factors.
Pod Living & Villa
The timeline varies a lot by jurisdiction — there may be many inspections or very few. In places like the City of Austin, a number of inspections cause work stoppages, often around the utilities and the vertical build. Our six-to-twelve-month range accounts for that.
Walkthrough
We walk the finished pod together and address any punch-list items.
Learn more
Before the final walkthrough, we do a preliminary walkthrough with you and build a punch list, which we note and send over. Our team then works through every item.
At the final walkthrough, we go through the pod together to confirm all punch-list items are complete — and that we’re ready for all inspections to be closed and the project closed on our end.
Handoff
Keys in hand, backed by the strongest warranty in the category.
JOBTREAD
Your whole project, in JobTread.
We run every build in JobTread — a state-of-the-art construction-management platform. You get your own client portal to stay on top of the project from your phone or email, from first estimate to final handoff.
- Your estimate & every bill in one portal — all billing flows through JobTread, so it’s easy to keep track.
- See change orders as they happen and know exactly what each charge is for.
- Message us directly in the portal to communicate with your team anytime.
- Progress logs so you can follow every stage of your build.
- Files & selections uploaded for you — your documents and finish selections, all in one place.
- On your phone or email — state-of-the-art, so nothing about your project slips through the cracks.
We navigate your city.
Structural
Foundation and frame — the category leader.
Systems
HVAC, electrical, and plumbing.
Workmanship
Bumper-to-bumper craftsmanship.
Frequently asked.
Do I need a permit?
How long does it really take?
What’s included in the price?
How does financing work?
Is the deposit refundable?
Can I see one in person?
