Construction planning setbacks are common. From basement expansions, construction of ADUs, or second story additions, designing your dream home isn’t as easy as hiring a pro and breaking ground. The dream begins with a big chore: finding public records, navigating city and county databases, and figuring out what’s really possible with consideration to local zoning and codes. 

“Today, figuring out what’s actually allowed is confusing, time-consuming, and often requires speaking to multiple professionals before you even know if your project is feasible,” explains shared James Harris, CEO of Breezy. 

Harris, the Million Dollar Listing Los Angeles star and Afterpay co-founder Nick Molnar just released a service expansion to their AI-powered platform designed to help homeowners understand the true potential of their property—before contractors, before engineers, before architects. 

The new service, UnderBuilt Radar, offers homeowners a different way of interpreting public information so they can make the most of their time, budget, and their home improvement projects. “This tool is designed to help homeowners understand the barriers to construction long before they’ve broken ground,” he explains.

In another life, I spent hours and days every week interpreting zoning guidelines for major cities across the U.S.. Scouring databases and PDFs, interpreting local codes, and then applying them to projects was both time consuming and riddled with opportunity for human error. When the team at Breezy dropped news of UnderBuilt Radar in my inbox, I knew at once how valuable this could be for homeowners and anyone else navigating the world of zoning and permitting.

poolside pergola, ADU, or shed in a backyard with angled roof
Many property owners aspire to have a poolside pergola, ADU, or shed. Understand the permissions required in your region. Credit: PJC Architecture // Photography Bjorg Magnea

Saving Homeowners Thousands of Dollars on Remodeling Plans

Project planning costs incurred by architects and contractors can cost thousands—no—tens of thousands of dollars. All too often, homeowners merely glance over the assignment—understanding zoning requirements and property limitations—and fail to spot barriers that could stall their project. 

Rather than hiring professionals to interpret data or proceeding with the notion that they can beg the city for forgiveness later, homeowners can now use UnderBuilt Radar, a tool that costs $89 and pulls from the same public records and zoning data. From an AI standpoint, we know this is riddled with skepticism, but this data is expert verified, and interprets the true potential of a property according to local codes.

"Homeowners shouldn’t have to become zoning experts before they can renovate their home,” shared Harris. “UnderBuilt Radar changes that by instantly showing homeowners what they can build at any address, bringing clarity to what has traditionally been a frustrating and opaque process.”

Breezy’s already a popular tool used by the real estate community. This new solution via UnderBuilt Radar cuts through the bureaucracy and turns public data into an actionable, quick, and accurate report.

Buying or Selling Your Home? This Tool Helps You, Too

UnderBuilt Radar also stands to help sellers, as well as real estate professionals, scope the potential of a property for the purposes of verifying property value. 

For homebuyers working with a real estate agent, it offers a way to understand the potential of a property on the market.

UnderBuilt Radar is already programmed for over 10,000 cities, and it’s expanding daily.

Couple installs a deck with Trex flooring.
Decks, porches, and patios are a valuable addition, but it's important to understand the zoning codes for your region. Credit: TREX

What projects usually require zoning permissions?

Guidelines vary by city and region but homeowners can expect to review zoning and property permissions for any of the following home improvements:

Outdoor Living

  • Decks, patios, porches
  • Pergolas or gazeboes
  • Outdoor kitchen
  • Permanent fire pits
  • Sunrooms or enclosed patios

Additions and Exterior Changes

  • Any additions and home expansions, including second-story build-outs. 
  • Detached garages
  • Sheds
  • Accessory dwelling units (ADUs)
  • Roof replacements
  • Siding replacements
  • New or enlarged windows
  • Skylights
  • Balconies
  • Rooftop decks
Outdoor kitchen designed by Luana Fox.
Designing the outdoor kitchen of your dreams starts with understanding property codes. Credit: Luana Fox // Photography ccourtesy of Soake Pools

Fences and Landscaping

  • Fences
  • Retaining walls
  • Entry columns, decorative walls, or driveway gates
  • Tree removal
  • Yard grading
  • Drainage systems

Parking

  • New driveways
  • Driveway expansions, including circular driveways

Pools and Play

  • Swimming pools, hot tubs, or spas
  • Basketball, pickleball, or tennis courts
  • Treehouses and permanent playhouses

AI-generated bathroom in a cottage with a clawfoot tub.
AI Interior Design is Here to Stay
It's changing how designers, contractors, and homeowners plan and personalize spaces. And it works.
Read More

Energy and Utilities

  • Solar panels
  • Septic systems
  • EV charging stations

Waterfront Projects

  • Docks or piers
  • Boat lifts
  • Seawalls or shoreline barriers

Can the general public use UnderBuilt Radar?

Yes! While Breezy was traditionally built as a tool to help real estate professionals, UnderBuilt Radar serves to make public records and zoning information available for all customers in an instant.