Sometimes you need a little help taking the first step to realize your ADU dream.
Start your ADU project confidently with resources designed for people like you: an ADU plans ebook, budget worksheets, investment proforma, sample design drawings, questionnaires, books and more. These tools guide you through planning and budgeting. For best results, combine them with our professionally designed, pre-approved ADU plans to maximize your investment. Explore our expert plans and free resources to bring your ADU vision to life with ease.
Free ADU Resources:
ADU Books
By Sheri Koones
An excellent book highlighting a range of nicely designed ADUs from across the country. Perfect ADU design inspiration that will make you want to build one on your property!
By building your own ADU (accessory dwelling unit), you will discover how to generate income from your primary asset—your home—to fund a more meaningful and exciting future.
Backdoor Revolution:
Guide to Building an ADU
By Kol Peterson
The Definitive Guide to ADU Development provides step-by-step advice from someone who built one on their own property. Perfect for anyone planning an ADU in their backyard.
By Lydia Lee
An inspirational look book for conceiving, planning, and building an accessory dwelling unit (ADU), a quickly growing trend that is transforming our vision of what a dream home should be.
More great books are available in our Bookshop.
Books about ADUs, design, architecture, business, marketing, entrepreneurship, fun kids books, and our favorite novels.
Not sure what resource to start with?
The ADU Starter Pack was made for you.
Master Your ADU Project from Start to Finish with the ADU Starter Pack.
The ADU Starter Pack is the ultimate digital toolkit for homeowners ready to move from inspiration to action. This comprehensive bundle combines our most essential resources including the Modern ADU Plans E-book, Budget Worksheet, Investment Proforma, and Financing Guide. Whether you are building for rental income, a home office, or family, you will have the professional tools needed to visualize your design and manage your project’s bottom line with total confidence.
Designed to eliminate guesswork, this pack provides a clear roadmap for every stage of the process. You can explore 20 curated floor plans while simultaneously tracking permit fees, construction costs, and long-term rental ROI. By mastering your budget and loan options before you break ground, you stay in control of your timeline and protect your investment from costly surprises.
Stop the endless research and start building with a professional framework. Invest in the ADU Starter Pack today to turn your vision into a well-planned, profitable reality.
Everything you need to start your ADU.
The ADU Starter Pack brings together our four most popular resources, saving you time, money, and stress. Get the complete toolkit today.
The Vision: Modern ADU Plans E-Book
The Funding: How to Finance Your ADU E-Book
The Cost: ADU Budget Worksheet
The ROI: ADU Investment Proforma
Begin your ADU dream with the Modern ADU Plans Ebook.
Unlock the potential of your property with our Modern ADU Plans eBook. In today's real estate market, accessory dwelling units (ADUs) are a game-changer for homeowners looking to boost their income and enhance their property's value. Our eBook is a comprehensive guide designed to walk you through the ins and outs of ADUs, from design concepts to practical implementation.
Inside, you'll find 20 expertly crafted pre-designed plans that cater to various needs, whether you're interested in generating rental income with a guest house, creating a cozy vacation retreat, or simply adding extra living space for family members. Each plan is tailored to maximize efficiency and aesthetic appeal, ensuring your ADU complements your main home while standing out as a remarkable addition.
Don’t miss the opportunity to transform your property into a lucrative investment. Get your copy of our Modern ADU Plans eBook today, for only $49, and take the first step towards a brighter, financially sound future!
Access 20 ready-to-go ADU floor plans.
Reimagine your backyard with 20 ADU floor plans, each fully dimensioned and paired with stunning design examples. This comprehensive E-Book makes it easy to explore options, find the perfect fit for your property, and confidently bring your ADU vision to life.
Keep Your ADU Project On Budget With the Modern ADU Plans Budget Worksheet.
Planning your Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) project just got easier with our comprehensive ADU Budget Worksheet. This digital download empowers you to take control of your project finances by providing a clear, organized way to estimate costs, track expenses, and stay on budget from start to finish. Whether you're building a cozy guest house, a modern rental unit, or a vacation retreat, having a detailed budget plan helps prevent unexpected surprises and ensures your investment delivers maximum value.
Designed specifically for homeowners like you, the worksheet breaks down every critical expense, from design fees and permits to construction materials and finishing touches, so you can make informed decisions and avoid costly overruns.
Save time, reduce stress, and confidently move forward with your ADU project knowing your financial blueprint is rock solid. Invest in your ADU success with our easy-to-use Budget Worksheet and turn your property vision into a profitable reality.
Take Control of Your ADU Budget
Building an ADU is a big investment, so don’t go in blind. This downloadable spreadsheet helps you estimate costs, track expenses, and avoid budget surprises. Simple, powerful, and made for real homeowners. Know what you’re spending before you start building.
Unlock Your ADU's Potential: The Complete Financing Guide
Don't let financing be the hurdle that stalls your ADU dream. This comprehensive ebook, How to Finance Your ADU: A Guide to Loans, HELOCs & Creative Financing, is your essential resource for turning a challenging cost into a smart investment.
The design of an ADU is only half the battle; the real strategy lies in securing the right capital on the best terms. This guide provides the expert-level insight you need to navigate all funding options, manage financial risk, and maximize your return.
Inside, you'll gain clarity on the most successful financing strategies homeowners use today, including detailed breakdowns of HELOCs, construction loans, and specialized ADU programs. We show you how to structure your financing to perfectly align with your build schedule, saving you time and money.
Move forward with confidence. Stop guessing about your budget and start building your financial blueprint today. Download the guide and make sure your ADU project is not just built, but profitably funded.
The Financial Map to your ADU.
Stop guessing how to pay for your ADU and get the complete financial blueprint that lenders want to see. Learn how to prepare your finances, pitch lenders with confidence, and secure the funding you need to start building your wealth-building asset. The ebook is your guide to Loans, HELOCs & Creative Financing to help you turn your ADU dream into reality.
There are many reasons you might want to build a Modern ADU on your property, and you probably have many questions before you get started.
Looking to add additional living space to your property or generate passive income from an ADU rental? Want a home office that can double as a guest suite? Thinking about downsizing your lifestyle or building a home for aging-in-place? Or perhaps you are even considering building a small vacation retreat out in the woods?
Pre-designed ADU plans are an excellent solution for all of these project goals and more. It’s the fastest way for you to start working towards your ADU dream. But you probably have lots of questions before you are ready to kick-start your ADU project.
The FAQs below are some of the most common questions from people interested in building an ADU. We cover questions about predesigned ADU plans as well as embarking on a custom designed ADU. Read on to get your questions answered.
-
We are guessing that if you got this far through our site, you probably already know what an ADU is. Just to make sure we are all the same page, the acronym of ADU stands for Accessory Dwelling Unit - a second dwelling on a property that already has a main house.
Depending on where you live people may commonly refer to them by other terms such as guest suite, granny flat, guest house, backyard cottage, laneway suite, junior ADU, detached ADU, basement suite, casita, and many others. ADUs typically are full living units including bathrooms and kitchens, so they are a bit more involved than a backyard studio or office. They also are much different than Tiny Homes as ADUs have real foundations, can’t be on wheels, and typically are much larger. People build ADUs for a variety of reasons but some of the most common are creating housing for aging family members, downsizing after kids leave the house, income generator from long term or short term rentals (think Airbnb), while others add them for extra living space and as a place for guests to stay while visiting. ADUs can come in a variety of forms from fully detached structures (our preferred type of ADU), to attached additions or even renovations to interior spaces (think basement apartments). You can see many examples of ADU designs in our ADU Plans Store.
-
We could write thousands of words about the cost of ADU projects, and we have over the years. Truthfully, the cost of an ADU project really depends on hundreds of factors and it is hard to give an accurate estimate without learning more about the specifics of your project.
However, to give a straightforward answer, you can assume that the cost of building an ADU with current construction costs will be over $200,000. That being said, the ADU you are probably imagining for your backyard is more likely to come in at $250,000 or higher, maybe even over $300,000. We have worked on ADUs with construction budgets as high as $600,000. The biggest variables are site conditions (how easy/hard is it to build on your property - slopes are more $$$), complexity of the design (a simple box or more complex form?), and selection of materials and systems (do you want fiber cement siding, vinyl windows, and Ikea kitchen, or are you looking for more premium finishes like natural cedar siding, wood windows, and custom cabinets?).
Our ADU budget advice:
If you want a truly beautiful and sustainable project you probably should budget between $300,000 and $500,000 for your ADU. This will get you a project that uses premium materials, and high performance systems; one that you will be proud of, will be durable, and will add a lot of value to your property. We have found that ADUs are great investments and you recoup the cost of building through rental income, increased space for your family, and increased property values.
We understand that those numbers aren’t attainable for everyone, and may not be the right budget for a rental accessory dwelling unit. Also consider that the cost of construction varies a lot based on where in the country you live. The prices above are rough guidelines to consider as you plan for your project. We have designed simple, functional, and affordable ADUs for under $200,000 and luxury designs for clients who didn’t have a budget. We always strive to deliver projects to meet the needs of our clients.
-
If you're looking to save money on your accessory dwelling unit, starting with a pre-designed ADU plan is one of the most affordable options. These ready-to-build plans eliminate the cost and time of custom architectural design, making it easier and faster to begin construction. Other ways to cut costs include choosing a simple layout, limiting the ADU’s footprint, and converting existing structures like a garage. Investing in affordable ADU plans upfront can reduce design fees by thousands of dollars and streamline permitting.iption
Ready to start an ADU project?
Your backyard should work for you! Find the ADU plan that works for your property and start generating rental income, create more space for your family, or downsize into a beautiful new home. There is an ADU plan that’s perfect for your needs. Find your design and kickstart your dream ADU.
Everything you need to start your ADU.
The ADU Starter Pack brings together our four most popular resources, saving you time, money, and stress. Get the complete toolkit today.
The Vision: Modern ADU Plans E-Book
The Funding: How to Finance Your ADU E-Book
The Cost: ADU Budget Worksheet
The ROI: ADU Investment Proforma