What that looks like in Irvine.
HOA architectural review is the Irvine process page. What the committee wants to see, how the CC&Rs treat additions and exterior changes, and that the city permit comes after approval. State law stops an HOA from banning an ADU outright, but the association can still shape it, and an owner in Woodbridge wants a contractor who knows where the line is.
The 1970s villages are the whole-house remodel market. Original kitchens, popcorn ceilings, and floor plans that close off the kitchen are what University Park and Turtle Rock owners are removing, and a gallery section of finished Irvine remodels with the village named shows them a house like theirs done well.
Irvine owners book from forms, not phone calls. An estimate form that asks the village, the project, the budget range, and the timeline, and lets them attach photos and the HOA guidelines, fits how this city buys. It texts you on submission, and a scheduling link lets them pick the consultation slot themselves.