A DADU is not a big shed and we won't pretend otherwise: it's a small home, with everything the word implies: kitchen, bath, laundry, an address of its own, and the zoning and permits of a real dwelling. It's also the single most valuable thing you can build in a backyard.
Why families build DADUs
Three stories cover almost every DADU we're asked about. The parent move: aging parents close enough for Sunday dinner, independent enough for dignity, with no stairs and a walk-in shower designed in from the start. The boomerang: adult kids launching (or re-launching) with real separation on family land. The rental: legal long-term income from a lot you already own, in a metro that desperately needs the housing.
All three want the same build; they just weight the finishes differently.
What a DADU includes
Everything a house includes, scaled down and detailed carefully:
- Zoning and feasibility review first: your parcel's district, lot coverage, setbacks, size caps, and any owner-occupancy rules, confirmed in writing before design money is spent
- Foundation and structure built as a dwelling, not an outbuilding
- Full kitchen (the legal heart of the unit), full bathroom, laundry
- Independent or sub-metered utilities: water, sewer, and electrical paths planned with the jurisdiction
- Complete envelope and systems: insulation, HVAC, ventilation, and the inspections that come with occupancy
- Aging-in-place options where the plan calls for them: zero-step entries, wide doorways, blocking for grab bars
Not sure you need the full dwelling?
The kitchen decides it. If visitors bring their own meals back to your table, a guest house does the job with far less scope. If you want the character without (yet) the classification, a DADU-ready backyard cottage preserves the upgrade path. If the space is for working rather than living, a studio costs a fraction. We'd rather point you at the right building than the biggest one.
What drives the price
Utility connections and the kitchen/bath core are the big blocks, then size, foundation, and finish level. Permit and connection fees vary by jurisdiction and get their own lines. We present the itemized quote after the zoning review, and we'll tell you honestly if your lot makes a DADU hard, before you're invested.
Build process
- Zoning review: your parcel, in writing.
- Design and drawings to the district's standards.
- Permits and utility coordination: the patience stage.
- Construction: foundation, shell, systems, inspections at each rough-in.
- Finish and final inspection, ending with a certificate of occupancy and keys, because this one is a home.
A note on permits: requirements for finished buildings vary with your city and county, zoning, setbacks, utility connections, and the scope of the project. We confirm what applies to your exact address as part of every quote, and coordinate the permit when one is required. The finished backyard buildings overview covers this in more detail.