
ADU meaning accessory dwelling unit is a hot new term that more and more people are beginning to talk about. But what is an ADU? What are all of these people talking about? That is the focus of this article.
ADU Meaning
ADU stands for accessory dwelling unit. Other names include mother-in-law units, granny flats, casitas, and guest houses. Each accessory dwelling is considered a secondary housing unit from the main single-family house, meaning you can rent them out. There are different types of ADUs, such as garage conversions, detached or attached units, along with many others, each meant to serve different purposes.
Why Build an ADU?
- Rental Income – Rent out the ADU or move into the ADU and rent out the main house. The financial benefits are enormous.
- Ease of Financing – Use the equity in your home to build the ADU, rent it out, and make additional income.
- Multi-Generational Family Living – Allow family members to stay in the ADU, keeping them close and at home, while giving them independence.
- Extra Space – Use the ADU for that extra space you need. Many people use their ADU as a home office, yoga or art studio, or whatever flex space you need!
The Benefits of Having an ADU
An ADU adds value to your property. You are essentially adding square footage to your residence at a cost that is less than the value you’ll gain. New laws have recently passed in California allowing homeowners to build an ADU and a Junior ADU on their property. This means that you could rent out the main residence to one family, the ADU to another family, and the Junior ADU to someone looking for a studio apartment. You could potentially have three rental incomes from one property! Whether you plan to live in the ADU or not, the potential for rental income makes having an ADU, or two, worth it.

An ADU also adds square footage! You are basically building a second home onto an existing property, creating room for elderly parents, adult children or extended relatives. All of our ADUs are built with curbless showers and at least 32” doors, so the disabled and elderly have easy access. Adding an ADU also benefits remote workers who need an office or meeting space at home.
Superior ADUs
Superior ADUs is here to help anyone wanting to have an ADU built on their property. We have pre-designed and engineered a series of ADUs in a variety of sizes, floor plan configurations, and architectural styles that we build for a fixed price and on a defined timeline. We also offer three different design packages – transitional, modern, or contemporary – for each plan type. Everything is already done for you, which greatly speeds up the process. You simply choose what you want, and we take care of the rest. With Superior ADUs, there are no surprises or headaches, which saves you time and money.

ON YOUR OWN | WITH SUPERIOR ADUs |
---|---|
DESIGN: 2 – 3 MONTHS Find & hire an architect. Initial to final design. | DESIGN: 2 – 4 WEEKS Our pre-designed plans shorten the design-phase. |
PERMIT: 2 – 3 MONTHS You must communicate with the city and handle requested revisions. | PERMIT: 2 – 6 WEEKS Our experience & relationships with the cities help us navigate the system faster. |
BUILD: 4 – 6 MONTHS Find & hire a contractor. Start to finish. | BUILD: 2 – 3 MONTHS Our experienced contractors are ready to go! |
TOTAL TIME: 8 – 12 MONTHS | TOTAL TIME: 3 – 5 MONTHS |
Since Superior ADUs has already paid for an architect to produce several floor plans and schematics, you don’t have to! You simply choose from one of our masterfully designed models, and the drawings are sent to the city for approval. Each model then has three different finish packages to choose from, offering you a variety of styles and material options. Our licensed contractors are also familiar with each model and finish package, making the construction process smooth and easy. The architect even guarantees his work for ten years and the general contractor guarantees for a whole year. With Superior ADUs, you save precious time and money!
Contact us today and we’ll answer all of your questions: 949-216-0686