Build types, drawn to scale
Every ADU we build starts as one of these site plans. Each drawing shows the unit type on a typical Los Angeles R1 lot with the setbacks it actually gets.
Real ADU examples
These are real accessory dwelling units and small secondary homes, shown to illustrate each build type. They are not our projects; our own completed work is added as each client signs off on photos.
How the build types compare
The drawings show where each unit sits. This table shows what that means for the lot and the budget. Pricing matches the ranges on each service page; anything marked as assessed depends on the existing structure.
| Build type | Where it sits | Pricing |
|---|---|---|
| Detached ADU | Separate structure in the rear or side yard | $400 to $600 per sq ft |
| Garage conversion | Inside an existing garage footprint | Priced after site assessment |
| Attached ADU | Added onto the main house with its own entry | $400 to $600 per sq ft |
| Junior ADU (JADU) | Within the existing home, up to 500 sq ft | Priced after site assessment |
| Casita / granny flat | Small detached unit in the back yard | $400 to $600 per sq ft |
| Two-story ADU | Detached, built up to save yard space | $450 to $650 per sq ft |
| ADU above garage | Second story over a new or existing garage | $450 to $650 per sq ft |
| Prefab / modular ADU | Factory-built unit set on a site-built foundation | From $115,000 |
| Multifamily ADU | On an apartment or duplex lot, detached or in non-livable space | $400 to $600 per sq ft |
| Unpermitted ADU legalization | An existing unit brought up to code | Priced after inspection |
Swipe the table sideways on a phone.
How to read a site plan
The outer line is the property boundary. The shaded band inside it is the setback, the strip where nothing new can be built. For most new ADUs in California that is 4 feet from the side and rear lines, which is why a detached unit usually sits in a back corner. The existing house and any garage are drawn in outline, and the ADU is the solid block. Utility runs are the part the drawing cannot show: the distance from the ADU to the sewer lateral and the electrical service often decides the budget more than the floor area does. Setback rules in detail are in ADU setback requirements, and full budgets are in the ADU cost guide.
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