What an ADU actually is
An accessory dwelling unit is a second, smaller home on a lot that already has one. That covers several quite different projects: a detached unit built in the yard, a garage converted into living space, a basement or attic conversion, or an addition attached to the existing house. They are not the same job and they do not cost the same. Which one suits a property depends on the lot, the existing structure and what the local rules allow, which is usually the first thing a builder will want to establish.

