Daily independence
Discuss entry, cooking, bathroom use and privacy. Make the household’s expectations explicit before choosing a layout.
Follow Us
Junior ADU (JADU)
Explore independent living within your home.
A junior ADU is a distinct option to investigate when adapting space in an existing home. Start by discussing the intended household arrangement and confirming which requirements apply to your property.
Book a 30-minute call
What does junior ADU (jadu) mean?
A JADU is a unit of no more than 500 square feet contained within a single-family residence. It includes an efficiency kitchen and may have its own bathroom or share bathroom facilities with the main home, subject to the applicable requirements.
Who might consider it?
Owners considering a compact living arrangement within the home who want to compare a JADU with a full ADU.
Decisions worth making early
The remaining home
Consider how the change affects circulation, storage and rooms used by the existing household. An isolated floor plan can hide important compromises.
Confirm the pathway
Ask the design team to establish whether the proposed arrangement fits the applicable JADU requirements or should be developed as another project type.
Services for this project
The ADU type describes what you want to create. Services describe the design, documentation and construction work needed to get there.
Your questions, answered
What is a junior ADU?
A JADU is a unit of no more than 500 square feet contained within a single-family residence. It includes an efficiency kitchen and may have its own bathroom or share bathroom facilities with the main home, subject to the applicable requirements.
Is every small ADU a JADU?
No. Size alone does not make a dwelling a JADU. Its location within the home and the applicable requirements matter. A small detached unit is not automatically a junior ADU.
How do we decide between a JADU and an interior ADU?
Compare the intended independence, bathroom arrangement, available space and effect on the main household. Have the design team confirm which pathway fits the property before preparing detailed plans.
Compare another option
Compare all ADU types
How could an ADU work for you?
Tell us who it is for
Family, your own home or a potential rental each brings different priorities. Discuss independence, access, privacy and the rooms you need.
Review the property
Share the address, photographs and available drawings. Identify the permitting agency and investigate the existing buildings, access, utilities and site constraints.
Compare a realistic scope
Explore suitable configurations and the work each requires. Compare design, consultant work, fees, construction and site improvements rather than a headline price alone.
Develop the selected option
Agree the design and documentation scope, prepare the required application and address review comments. Construction follows the necessary approvals and a defined construction agreement.
Definitions checked against California HCD guidance. Property-specific requirements need individual review.