ADU Plans & Design
Garage conversion, detached backyard unit, or an attached addition built for a second household. Apex Drafting Services drafts permit-ready ADU plans that match your lot, your local rules, and your reason for building.
What ADU Plans & Design Covers
An accessory dwelling unit, or ADU, is a secondary living space on a residential lot: a detached backyard cottage, an attached unit built onto the side or top of the existing home, or a garage converted into livable square footage. ADUs are used for rental income, aging parents, adult children moving back home, or simply more usable space on a property that already has one.
This service is built for homeowners adding a rental or in-law unit, builders and contractors who need permit-ready ADU drawings to bid and build from, and investors converting existing structures into income-producing units. Whatever the use case, we draft to the specific rules that apply to your address, because ADU law is not uniform. Size caps, setback rules, parking requirements, and even whether an ADU is allowed at all can change from one city or county to the next, sometimes even within the same state. If you're building in Texas, Florida, New York, or California, visit your state's service-area page for the ADU framework that applies there before your project scope is locked in.
What's Included
Detached ADUs
Standalone backyard units drafted as a complete, independent structure, including foundation, framing, and utility connection points back to the main property.
Attached ADUs
Units built onto or within the existing home, drafted to tie into current structural, electrical, and plumbing systems cleanly.
Garage Conversions
Plans that convert an attached or detached garage into livable space, addressing the structural and code differences between garage and habitable-room construction.
Every ADU project includes a full plan set: site plan, floor plan, elevations, and the structural and dimensional detail your building department expects to see on a residential submission. We also account for the practical realities of ADU projects specifically, separate entries and utility metering where required for rental use, sound and privacy separation between the ADU and the main home, and accessibility considerations when the unit is intended for an aging or multigenerational household. See Multigenerational & Universal Design for more on that layer, and Energy-Efficient Home Design if efficiency is a priority for the unit.
Our ADU Process
- Quote and scope. We review your lot, your existing structure (if converting a garage or adding on), and your goal for the unit (rental, family use, or resale value) to scope the project accurately.
- Jurisdiction check. ADU rules are set locally, so we confirm what your specific city or county allows before drafting begins: unit size, height, parking, and separate-entrance requirements are common variables.
- Design draft. We lay out the floor plan and elevations around how the space will actually be used, rental privacy, aging-in-place access, or simply added square footage.
- Revisions. You review the draft and request changes. A set number of revisions is included and confirmed at quote.
- Permit-ready delivery. Final plan set is prepared for submission to your local building department, formatted to the standards they require.
Turnaround
ADU turnaround depends on the type of unit (detached builds generally involve more structural drafting than a garage conversion), your jurisdiction's requirements, and how quickly revisions are returned. We'll give you a real, project-specific timeline as part of your quote rather than a generic promise.
See Examples
Our project portfolio is being built out as ADU and other residential projects are completed. Visit the Portfolio page to see what's available now and check back as real project examples are added.
Related Services
ADU Plans FAQ
What counts as an ADU, and do you draft all types?
An ADU (accessory dwelling unit) is a secondary living space on a residential lot. We draft detached ADUs (standalone backyard units), attached ADUs (built onto or within the existing home), and garage conversions (transforming an attached or detached garage into livable space).
Do ADU rules differ depending on where I live?
Yes, significantly. ADU eligibility, size limits, parking requirements, and permitting processes are set at the state and local level and vary widely from one city or county to the next. Check your state-specific service-area page or talk to your local building department for the rules that apply to your property, and we'll draft to match.
Can you help figure out if my lot or garage qualifies for an ADU?
We can review your property basics and existing structure with you during the quote process and flag anything that looks like it could affect ADU eligibility, but the local building or planning department has the final say on zoning and lot qualification.
How long does an ADU plan set take?
Timelines vary by project scope, ADU type, and local jurisdiction requirements. We'll give you a specific timeline estimate with your quote once we understand your project.
How many revisions are included?
A set number of revisions is included with every ADU project and confirmed upfront at quote, so you know exactly what's covered before work begins.
Can you design an ADU for rental income or for a family member?
Yes. We draft ADUs for both use cases, rental units designed for tenant privacy and separate access, and multigenerational units designed for aging parents or adult children, including accessibility features on request.
Ready to Start Your ADU Plans?
Tell us about your lot, your garage, or your addition idea and we'll scope a permit-ready ADU plan built for your local rules.