ADU floor plans and models
Upside ADU floor plans & models
Upside builds 6 pre-designed ADU models — from a studio garage conversion up to a 3-bedroom detached home — ranging 400 to 1,200 sq ft with fixed 2026 starting prices from $95,000. Permit-ready plans price and approve faster than fully custom builds, and every model can be modified to fit your Sacramento lot.
The lineup
Six models, fully modifiable
Each model is a permit-ready floor plan mapped to a specific build type, with a fixed starting price. Pick the one closest to your size and budget, then tailor the layout and finishes during design.
Inside an Upside ADU
Renderings show the standard finish package and are representative, not a specific built unit. Finishes are selected during design.
Spec comparison
Compare the models
Side-by-side specs and fixed starting prices. Final price depends on size, finishes, and your site — run your numbers on the calculator or see the full pricing breakdown.
| Model | Style | Size | Beds | Baths | From |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Upside Studio | Studio garage conversion | 400 sq ft | Studio | 1 | $95,000 |
| Upside One | 1-bed detached | 600 sq ft | 1 | 1 | $165,000 |
| Upside Annex | 1-bed attached | 600 sq ft | 1 | 1 | $150,000 |
| Upside Two | 2-bed detached | 800 sq ft | 2 | 2 | $200,000 |
| Upside Suite | Accessible multigen 2-bed | 1,000 sq ft | 2 | 2 | $250,000 |
| Upside Three | 3-bed detached (max) | 1,200 sq ft | 3 | 2 | $300,000 |
Starting prices are 2026 Sacramento-baseline turnkey figures, derived from each model's build type. They are starting points — confirm your exact number on the cost calculator.
When a model wins
Pick a model when you want a faster, more predictable path. The plans are already engineered, so you skip from-scratch design, lock a fixed starting price sooner, and — in the City of Sacramento — can ride the pre-approved-plan track to roughly a 30-day permit.
- Permit-ready drawings — less design time
- Fixed starting price, known layout
- Fastest route to a rentable unit
- Still modifiable: finishes, entry, window placement
When to go custom
Go custom when your lot, goals, or aesthetic don't map to a stock plan — an unusual setback, a specific multigenerational layout, or a design that matches your main home. Custom adds design time and cost but removes every constraint. Which build type you need is a separate question.
- Choosing a build method (detached, garage conversion, attached, junior, multigen)? Start at the services overview.
- Want a standalone backyard home? See detached ADUs.
- Reusing an existing garage? See garage conversions.
- Housing family nearby? See multigenerational ADUs.
A model is what you get; a build type is how it's built. Each model maps to a specific build type, and most can adapt to other configurations during design.
Pricing & scope
What the model price includes
Each model's starting price is a turnkey number covering design, permitting, and construction. Site-specific work and upgrades are quoted separately. Full line-item pricing and the payment schedule live on the pricing page.
Included in the model price
- Permit-ready architectural plans & Title-24 energy compliance
- Full kitchen, bath(s), HVAC, and in-unit laundry hookups
- Quartz counters, shaker cabinets, LVP flooring (standard finish package)
- Foundation, framing, roofing, siding, and exterior finishes
- Utility connections to the main home (sewer, water, electrical)
- Design management, engineering, and permit submittal
Quoted separately
- Site-specific costs: long utility trenching, grading, retaining walls, or tree removal
- Premium finish upgrades and appliance packages beyond the standard selections
- City impact fees on units 750 sq ft and larger (units under 750 sq ft are exempt)
- Solar (if triggered by jurisdiction) and any off-site improvements
You start with just $1,000 down (the California legal maximum for a residential improvement contract), then pay on inspection-tied milestone draws as the build progresses. Full price-by-type tables, the deposit, and the payment schedule live on the pricing page. Want a number for your exact lot and size? Run the cost calculator.
Where we build
Models built across the Sacramento region
We deliver these models throughout the four-county region. Pick your city for local permit rules, cost modifiers, and lot guidance.
ADU model & floor plan FAQs
Our models are permit-ready: the architectural and structural drawings are already engineered to current California code, so they skip the from-scratch design phase. In the City of Sacramento, pairing a standardized plan with the ADU Resource Center's pre-approved track can cut permitting to about 30 days versus the typical ~60.
Yes. Every model is a starting point — you can flip the layout, move the entry, adjust window placement, change the roofline, and pick finishes during design. Larger structural changes are possible but shift you toward a semi-custom path, which adds design time and cost.
The lineup spans 400 to 1,200 sq ft, from a studio garage conversion up to a 3-bedroom detached unit at the full 1,200 sq ft state cap. Each model maps to a specific build type, so its size, layout, and starting price are fixed and predictable.
Renderings and interior photos are representative of the standard finish package, not a specific built unit. ADUs are delivered unfurnished. Exact finishes — counters, cabinets, flooring, fixtures — are confirmed during your design selections, and final layout reflects your lot and city requirements.
A model is a pre-designed floor plan with fixed starting pricing and engineered drawings, so it permits and prices faster. A fully custom ADU is drawn from scratch to your exact specs — more flexible, but more design time and cost. Most owners start from a model and modify it.
Compare costs & build types
Find the right model for your backyard
Tell us your lot and goals — we'll match you to a model, modify it to fit, and send a transparent, all-in quote.