Typically, our unique process brings your ADU to life in just 3-4 months. Grab your popcorn and enjoy the show!

No need to worry, we handle all permit-related work and ensure a smooth ride through the bureaucracy jungle.

Absolutely! We partner with top lenders to provide you with various financing alternatives. Choose what suits you best!

An ADU, which stands for an additional dwelling unit, is a smaller residential unit built on a single or multi-family residentially zoned lot. ADUs can be used as living or non-living spaces but must include a kitchen, bedroom, and bathroom.

This is completely up to you and your circumstances. Garage conversions tend to be the most affordable and less time-consuming. However, detached ADUs allow for more creativity in design. Attached JADUs are great for multi-generational housing because you can access them from your home without having to go outside. Therefore, the best ADU to build is different for everyone. Weigh the pros and cons of each type with an ADU professional before deciding what will be right for your needs.

If the unit is located within a half mile from public transit, no parking is required. However, if it is not, then you will probably need to provide parking.

Any residentially zoned property (single or multi-family) can have an ADU built on it. You can build an ADU on a multi-family residentially zoned plot too, as long as there is an existing primary home on the lot.

There is no minimum lot size required for building an ADU. As long as the plot meets ADU zoning requirements and can allow for an ADU of at least 150 square feet to be built on it, it is fine.

If you are renting out your ADU or using it for multi-generational housing, you probably don’t want your tenants’ mail getting mixed in with yours. Luckily, most cities, like Los Angeles, can issue you a separate address for your ADU.

When buying ADU appliances and furniture, also choose the options that have a dual purpose and save the most space. Here are a few options for you to consider. Ductless mini-split air conditioners and heaters Tankless water heaters Under the counter refrigerator Workstation sink Washer and dryer combo Sectional sleeper sofa with storage compartments

Here is a quick list of some of the biggest ADU mistakes you can make. Not comparing construction estimates Not creating a budget Not including laundry units Not planning for contingency when creating your budget Not planning for enough storage space Skipping ADU feasibility research

You can build both an ADU and a JADU on your property. However, you should be aware that the JADU has an owner occupancy requirement that does not go away even if you already have an ADU on the property.

An ADU cannot be bought or sold separately from the primary dwelling. Since it is on the same lot of land, it is considered a part of the primary dwelling’s property.

Depending on your property and location, an ADU can improve the value of your home by 30%. Therefore, you can use an ADU to boost your property value when you decide to sell in the future.

The great thing about ADUs is that they can be used for anything as long as they contain a kitchen, bathroom, and living area. Therefore, as long as you include those components, your ADU can be used as a: Art studio Home office Man cave Personal gym Personal movie theater Pool house She shed Yoga studio The best way to use your ADU is however it will benefit you most. If that means not living in it, then go for it!

ADUs make excellent guest houses if you often have company. Your guests can maintain a level of privacy while still being close to you. Using an ADU as a guest house is great for lodging traveling nurses, caretakers, or other personnel that often visit the home.

A: The city will assess the added value of the ADU to your existing property. They do that by taking into consideration the cost to build it. So, yes, your property taxes may increase slightly. However, JADUs and Conversion ADUs generally have much less of an impact on property taxes.

A: It will most definitely add value because you’re maximizing your land use while keeping your own costs to a minimum and potentially doubling your income.

A: Yes absolutely.

A: Anywhere from about 3-6 months. It all just depends on your city and specific plan details.

A: We have a list of materials we see commonly used throughout our projects and have strong relationships with those vendors. When we meet and go over your plan, we will also share this materials list with you and go over our recommendations

A: It would be unfair to give you pricing without more information, as it really depends on various factors. We can tell you that it typically ranges between $200 to 250,000 for about 900 sq. ft.

There are four main types of ADUs. Attached ADUs – Shares a wall with the primary home Detached ADUs – Stand-alone units Conversion ADUs – Are constructed by converting part of the single-family or multi-family, or by converting all or part of an accessory building (like garage, shed, or studio). Junior ADUs – involved converting part of the single-family home into a new dwelling unit that’s no more than 500 square feet and that may share a bathroom with the main house. There are also basement and attic ADUs, that technically fall under internal ADUs.

A Junior ADU (JADU), is a secondary unit no larger than 500 square feet. It is basically a smaller ADU with a few varying rules surrounding it. What makes it different from an ADU besides size is that it: Can share a bathroom with the main residence Either JADU or single-family residency must be owner-occupied Has no parking requirements Must be attached to the primary residency Needs an efficiency kitchen A few advantages to building JADUs are that you can avoid various fees and have the option to share sanitation and utilities which makes it easier to build and more affordable. A few disadvantages include that it must be less than 500 square feet and owner occupancy regulations.

New 2023 ADU laws require all cities to have a height limit of at least 16 feet. If the property is within a half mile of public transit or already has a multi-family dwelling that is two stories high, the height limit must be at least 18 feet. If the ADU is attached to the primary dwelling, the height limit must be at least 25 feet or the zoning code of the property if that is lower. Cities can have higher height limitations than 16 feet, so where you live could be higher. As a general rule, detached ADUs can be built up to 1,200 square feet. Some cities have stricter rules than this though. For example, about 150 cities and counties limit your detached ADU size based on your design plans. Generally, attached ADUs cannot exceed 50% of the square footage of the home. Talk with your local planning board or an ADU professional to determine the ADU size limitation within your city.

ADUs go by many names. Accessory apartment Backhouse Backyard bungalow Carriage house Coach house Cottage Garage house Granny flat Guesthouse In-law suite Laneway homes Ohana (popular in the Hawaiian Islands) Secondary Dwelling Unit Although they have many nicknames, it is important to note that ADUs are not tiny homes. Tiny homes differ in a variety of ways from ADUs including the fact that they are mobile, illegal in most backyards, and cannot be connected to the grid unless in designated areas.

There are a multitude of benefits associated with building an ADU. Offers multi-generational housing opportunities Income opportunity from renting the unit out Helps the local community by offering affordable housing House hacking opportunities Increases the value of your home Provides extra living space for relatives, friends, and or caretakers. Opportunity to downsize while staying within your community. What you do with your ADU will determine the benefits it will provide you. Overall, though, there are quite a few beneficial factors to building an additional dwelling unit.

The type of ADU you build and your design tastes will greatly impact how much it costs to construct your ADU. On average, a new construction 499-square-foot ADU will cost you anywhere from $161,700 – $201,125. A 2-car garage conversion will cost you on average between $90,000 – 119,000.

Typically, city fees are about $3,000 – $5,000 smaller ADU’s under 500 Sqf and $6,000 – $7,000 for ADU’s bigger and up to 749 Sqf. However, if your ADU is over 750 square feet, cities will add new development impact fees on you which will add thousands of dollars.

There are a few ways you can go about financing an ADU. For starters, there are a variety of local government grants and loans such as the CalHFA $40K ADU grant that you can utilize to fund your ADU project. You can also finance it using: Home Equity Loans and HELOCs Cash-out refinancing A personal line of credit Construction loan Renovation loan Chattel loan CDFI or local partnership loan program Peer-to-peer lending Cash savings The best path to finance your ADU would be to apply for grants and look at government programs, and then identify the best loan that will work for your financial situation.

Some quick cost-saving tips for you to consider include: Keep your designs simple Use pre-approved floor plans to expedite the permitting process Buy customizable floor plans to save money on the design phase Use affordable raw materials Work with contractors that have established relationships with local raw material shops Build a smaller unit Consider doing a garage conversion if your garage is in good shape currently Although it will save you money, never skimp on windows as they add needed natural light to make your unit look better. Also, one of the biggest ADU mistakes you can make is choosing an ADU professional based on cost only. Quality comes with a price; remember that.

In general, garage conversions are the most affordable route for building an ADU yourself. This is because the primary structure already exists, and in some cases already have utilities and water hooked up to them.  However, there are exceptions to this statement. If your garage foundation and structure are in bad shape, it may cost more to fix them than to build an entirely new unit.

To find the best ADU contractor in your area, you need to start by making a checklist. The contractor you choose to work with should: Specialize in ADUs Be licensed and insured Have a network of subcontractors Have good reviews Be timely and responsive Be familiar with local ADU laws Have a supply chain plan Start by asking friends and family about their experience with ADU contractors. Then check reviews online from different sites like Yelp or Houzz to broaden your search. Whomever you choose should check off every box on the checklist above.

An ADU is usually built by an ADU contractor with a team of subcontractors in the same way a traditional wood-framed home would be built. However, there are modular (pre-fab) companies that build an ADU in a factory and then assemble it on the property. Also, you can build unique ADUs out of shipping containers and other resources.

Depending on the size of your unit and how you decide to build it, a new construction ADU can take anywhere from 5 to 9 months to construct. A garage conversion can take anywhere from 3 to 4 months depending on the condition the garage is in.

To legalize an unpermitted ADU, you will need to bring it up to code and go through a series of inspections. Various states and cities have developed unit legalization programs to make this process easier. For example, Los Angeles has the Unpermitted Dwelling Unit (UDU) Ordinance which makes legalizing ADUs easier.

The most common use of ADUs is for passive income generated by renting out the unit. Some people even use them for house hacking purposes to help pay off their mortgages quicker. However, if you decide to go this route, make sure you are aware of the ADU rent control factors in your city.

ADUs offer affordable housing options to low-income individuals, helping to keep them from becoming homeless. As a result, they are doing an incredible job at improving the housing crisis. Therefore, many states like California are passing laws to make ADU development easier for everyone. The more affordable housing options there are, the lower the homelessness levels we see.

To keep your aging loved ones out of nursing homes and assisted living, many people move them in with them. This can strain relationships and crowd homes. ADUs offer a great option to move your aging loved ones into your backyard so that you can assist them when they need help, but also allow them to maintain a level of privacy and independence.

Multi-family properties are structures with multiple living units, each with its own kitchen, bathroom, and entrance. Examples include apartments, townhouses, or condos. They differ from single-family homes, which house one family. Often used for rentals or investments.

A custom home is tailored to the buyer's exact specifications, including layout, materials, and features. It’s typically a one-off project, built from scratch on chosen land, often with an architect or builder. Unlike tract homes, it’s not mass-produced, offering unique design and personalization.

Commercial" refers to properties or activities related to business, trade, or profit-making, like office buildings, retail stores, or warehouses, distinct from residential use.