ADU Guides

California law caps the deposit on a $200,000 ADU at $1,000. Here is the eight-point checklist we would hand our own mother, built on the statute and on what NBC Bay Area reported.

The City of Sacramento says shelf-ready ADU plans are approved within 10 days, and the plans are free. Here is what that covers, what it leaves out, and when custom design is the better call.

California’s Governor signed AB 956 on September 29, 2026, which per its author allows up to two detached ADUs by right on single-family lots. Here is what Sacramento homeowners can rely on today and what to verify first.

Since January 1, 2026, California bars development impact fees on ADUs of 750 square feet or less. Here is what that means for your Sacramento build, what SB 1117 may change, and why the CalHFA grant is a walk-away signal.

An all electric ADU skips the gas line and the second utility connection. Here is what SMUD pays builders and homeowners, plus the tradeoffs worth knowing before you build.

Nobody can quote you an exact ADU timeline before walking your lot. Here is where the months really go – and how to keep your project off the stall list.

What a backyard ADU actually collects around Sacramento, and the honest math for deciding whether your lot pencils.

If you own a single-family home in California, state law is already on your side. Here are the six checks that decide whether an ADU actually happens on your lot – and what it will cost.

A detached ADU in the Sacramento area runs roughly $250 to $400 per square foot as a ballpark, garage conversions and JADUs run less, and your lot’s conditions move every number. Here are the real ranges, the cost drivers, and the rent math.

A JADU caps at 500 sq ft inside your existing home and can cost half or less per square foot compared to a detached ADU. Here is the honest math on build costs and rent, and how to pick without guessing.