Category · Buying Guide
Buying Guide guides.
Comparisons, decision frameworks, and the practical math of building an ADU.
17 guides
Buying Guide
ADU Insurance: What Changes When You Build One
Building an ADU adds insurable value to your property, which means your homeowner's policy usually needs an update, and a rented ADU may need landlord coverage. Here's what to expect.
August 27, 2026 · 6 min
Buying Guide
Prefab vs. Site-Built ADU: Which Is Right for You?
An honest comparison of prefab/modular ADUs versus site-built construction, cost, timeline, quality, and disruption, so you can choose the right path for your property.
August 24, 2026 · 4 min
Buying Guide
An ADU for Your Adult Children: A California Guide
An ADU for adult children keeps your kids close and housed for $180,000 to $557,000, permitting budget included. See which models fit, real costs, and how to pay for it.
August 23, 2026 · 8 min
Buying Guide
Building an ADU for Rental Income in California (2026)
Building an ADU for rental income in California? See which models rent best, our all-in pricing with the permitting budget included, and how to run the ROI numbers before you build.
August 23, 2026 · 9 min
Buying Guide
ADU vs Home Addition: Which Adds More Space, Value, and Income?
Side-by-side comparison of ADUs vs home additions in California, costs, build times, rental potential, property value impact, and a decision framework for which is right for your goal.
August 23, 2026 · 8 min
Buying Guide
Can an ADU Be Built Over a Garage?
Yes, in many California cities you can build an ADU above an existing or new garage. Here's how it works, what it usually requires, and how it differs from a single-story factory-built ADU.
August 23, 2026 · 6 min
Buying Guide
What Is a Detached ADU?
A detached ADU is a freestanding, separate home built on the same lot as your house. Here's exactly what makes it different from an attached ADU or a JADU.
August 23, 2026 · 5 min
Buying Guide
What Is a Prefab ADU?
A prefab ADU is built largely off-site in a factory, then transported and installed on a permanent foundation. Here's exactly what that means, and how it differs from a manufactured home.
August 23, 2026 · 5 min
Buying Guide
What Is an Attached ADU?
An attached ADU shares a wall or is directly connected to the main house, unlike a detached ADU or a JADU. Here's how it works, its height allowance, and the trade-offs.
August 23, 2026 · 6 min
Buying Guide
Prefab vs Modular vs Manufactured Homes: The Real Difference
Prefab vs modular vs manufactured: modular is built to the same local code as a site-built home, manufactured to a federal HUD standard. Here is the real difference.
August 22, 2026 · 8 min
Buying Guide
The 6 Types of ADUs in California, Explained
Detached, attached, JADU, garage conversion, above-garage, and basement conversion. What each type of ADU actually is, real cost and complexity tradeoffs, and which one fits your lot.
August 19, 2026 · 10 min
Buying Guide
What Is an ADU? The Complete 2026 Guide
An ADU is a secondary, independent home on a single-family lot, with its own kitchen, bath, and entrance. What one actually is, the California laws behind it, the types, typical size and cost, and how Framework First builds them.
August 19, 2026 · 14 min
Buying Guide
Building an ADU for Aging Parents in California (A Practical Guide)
How to plan, design, and finance an ADU for aging parents in California, accessibility features, layout choices, financing options, and the conversations to have before you build.
May 29, 2026 · 9 min
Buying Guide
California ADU Rental Laws (2026): What You Can and Can't Do
California ADU rental laws explained in plain English, minimum lease lengths, short-term rental rules, owner-occupancy, tenant protections, AB-1033 condo-ize-and-sell, and the city-level details to verify.
May 29, 2026 · 10 min
Buying Guide
ADUs and Property Taxes in California: What to Expect
How building an ADU affects your California property taxes, why your whole home isn't reassessed, how the 'blended' assessment works, and what it means for your bill.
May 26, 2026 · 3 min
Buying Guide
Best ADU Builders in California (2026): An Honest Comparison
A fair, no-spin comparison of California ADU builders in 2026, Framework First, Abodu, Samara, Villa Homes, and local contractors, on price, timeline, transparency, and who each is best for.
May 26, 2026 · 4 min
Buying Guide
JADU vs. ADU: What's the Difference? (California)
A clear comparison of a Junior ADU (JADU) and a standard ADU in California, size limits, kitchens, owner-occupancy, cost, and which one is right for your goal.
May 26, 2026 · 3 min
Other Categories
Pricing
What an ADU actually costs, how the price is built up, and where the money goes.
Financing
HELOC, construction loans, cash-out refi, and how to fund an ADU without a $300K bank account.
Permits
California ADU law, city-by-city permit timelines, and what blocks an ADU build.
Process
Build quality, factory vs site-built, eligibility, and what to expect at each step.
Local Guides
City-by-city permit processes, timelines, and rules across our service area, cited to official sources.
Comparisons
Model-by-model and option-by-option comparisons to help you choose with confidence.
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