302 sq ft
From $190,500 at this size
Size-band figure — provisional, design + build, confirmed at feasibility.
1 bed · 1 bath
Footprint 15'-6" X 19'-6"
Living room, Kitchen, Bedroom, Bathroom
Detached ADU
Detached ADUs
A standalone structure in the yard — most privacy, most rent, and the most involved permitting path.
Detached ADU
How it compares to the other two.
Junior ADUCarved out inside the existing houseOpen
Attached ADUShares at least one wall with the homeOpen
You’re hereDetached ADUA standalone building in the yardPlans that fit
What this looks like on paper.
A floor plan is not attached-only or detached-only — many layouts can be built either way, and which fits depends on your lot, not the drawing. A sample across our size range:
One we built
The same unit, front and back.
A detached ADU we designed, permitted and built in San Diego County — photographed from both sides so you can see the whole thing, not a flattering angle.
Rules that apply.
Limits vary by jurisdiction. These are the levers that decide what fits on your lot — we confirm every one of them against your city before design starts.
- Smallest a city may cap you at850 sq ft, or 1,000 sq ft with 2+ bedroomsGov. Code §66321
- Height a city must allow16 ft, or 18 ft near a major transit stopGov. Code §66321
All the rules that apply, with citations
- Allowed at 4 ft side and rear setbacksAt least 800 sq ftGov. Code §66321
- KitchenFull and independent
These are California state minimums — the floor every city has to allow. Your jurisdiction may permit more, and applies its own setbacks, height and design rules on top. We confirm all of it against your address before design starts. See regulations by city. Statutes reviewed 4 August 2026.
Is this you? When this is the right call
You have yard space and want maximum privacy between units.
You are targeting the strongest rental return.
You want a building that reads as its own home.
Feasibility → design → permit → build — the same four steps as every project we run. See how the process works.
Start with a free consultation.
Under an hour, no pressure — we talk through what your lot allows and give you a ballpark for your property. No charge, and no obligation to go further.