ADU cost in Sacramento — published 2026 prices
What an Upside ADU actually costs
An ADU in the Sacramento region costs about $165,000–$500,000 in 2026 for a detached unit — roughly $250–$360 per square foot, turnkey. Garage conversions start near $95,000 and Junior ADUs near $85,000. We publish the numbers most builders hide until they have your phone number.
Prices updated June 2026 · 2026 Sacramento-region figures · turnkey (design + permits + construction) · no gated forms.
ADU price by type
The biggest cost lever isn't finishes — it's the type of ADU. Reusing an existing structure (garage conversion, JADU) is far cheaper per square foot than pouring a new foundation. Here's the 2026 turnkey range for each type we build in the Sacramento region. Tap a type to see how we build it.
| ADU type | Typical size | $ / sq ft | From | Turnkey range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Detached ADU | 500–1,200 sq ft | $250–$360 | $165,000 | $125,000 – $432,000 |
| Garage Conversion ADU | 380–620 sq ft | $180–$280 | $95,000 | $68,400 – $173,600 |
| Attached ADU | 450–850 sq ft | $240–$340 | $150,000 | $108,000 – $289,000 |
| Junior ADU (JADU) | 220–500 sq ft | $200–$320 | $85,000 | $44,000 – $160,000 |
| Multigenerational ADU | 600–1,200 sq ft | $250–$370 | $175,000 | $150,000 – $444,000 |
Ranges are turnkey and vary by city and site — higher-cost submarkets like Granite Bay and El Dorado Hills run above baseline, while a flat lot with a short utility run lands at the low end. Run the numbers for your lot → For market-wide cost factors and how Sacramento compares statewide, see our full ADU cost breakdown.
Worked example: a 750 sq ft detached ADU
A 750-square-foot, 2-bed/1-bath detached ADU is the Sacramento sweet spot: it stays under the 750 sq ft impact-fee exemption while still renting like a real home. At our published rate it lands at roughly $187,500 to $270,000 turnkey, depending on finishes and site conditions.
What a turnkey price includes
A real all-in number covers five buckets. The dangerous quotes are the ones that quietly drop site work, utility connections, or permit fees — that's exactly where a "cheaper" builder makes it back in change orders. Here's where every dollar of an Upside ADU goes.
Design & engineering
Architectural plans, structural engineering, and Title 24 energy compliance. Pre-approved plans cut this and shave weeks off permitting.
Permits & city fees
$5,000–$25,000 depending on jurisdiction. Units under 750 sq ft are exempt from impact fees statewide — the single biggest fee line you can legally avoid.
Site prep & utilities
Grading, foundation, and sewer/water/electrical connections. The most variable bucket: a long utility trench or a sloped lot moves this more than finishes ever will.
Construction (shell & trades)
Framing through rough-in: foundation, framing, roof, windows, and all rough mechanical, electrical, and plumbing. The bulk of the build.
Finishes & fixtures
Flooring, cabinets, countertops, fixtures, and appliances. The one bucket you steer — builder-grade to designer-grade is roughly a $40–$80/sq ft swing.
Included in every turnkey quote
- Architectural & structural plans, Title 24 energy calcs
- Permit application, plan-check, and city/county fees
- Foundation, framing, roofing, windows & exterior
- Full electrical, plumbing & HVAC (heat-pump mini-split)
- Kitchen, bath, flooring, paint & standard fixtures
- Utility connections from the main house or street tap
- Project management, inspections & final cleanup
Not included — and we say so up front
- Your finish upgrades above the included allowance (priced in writing first)
- True unknowns behind a wall or under the soil — bad sewer laterals, undocumented fill
- Detached garage demo or major tree/retaining-wall work, if your site needs it
- Solar, if your jurisdiction triggers it on a new detached unit (separate quote)
- Furniture, window coverings, and landscaping beyond the building pad
Finish allowances baked in
Your turnkey number already includes a real finish package — not a stripped-down shell you have to rescue with upgrades. Want to go higher? Every upgrade is priced in writing and approved by you before it's ordered.
| Item | Included allowance | Common upgrade |
|---|---|---|
| Cabinets & vanity | Shaker, soft-close, semi-custom | Custom millwork, panel-ready |
| Countertops | Quartz, 2 cm | 3 cm quartz, slab stone, waterfall |
| Flooring | Luxury vinyl plank throughout | Engineered hardwood, large-format tile |
| Appliances | Stainless package, electric range | Induction, panel-ready, premium brand |
| Heating & cooling | Heat-pump mini-split | Multi-zone, ducted system |
Published model pricing
Want a fixed number instead of a range? Our pre-designed model line carries a single published price per plan — pre-engineered and often pre-approved, which trims design time and can drop permitting to about 30 days. It's the fastest, most predictable path to a finished ADU, and the price is printed before you ever call us.
- One fixed price per floor plan — no "starting at" games
- Pre-engineered plans cut design weeks and de-risk the budget
- Pre-approved options can shorten permitting to ~30 days
- Same turnkey scope and $1,000-down terms as a custom build
Range vs. fixed model price
A custom build is quoted as a range because every lot is different. A model is quoted as one number because the plan is locked. Most owners who don't need a bespoke layout save both money and months by picking a model.
Payment schedule & deposit
You put $1,000 down — the California legal maximum, not a percentage — and pay the balance in milestone draws tied to inspected phases of work. A draw releases only after that stage passes a real inspection, so you always pay behind the work, never ahead of it. That structure is why the builders who collected 30–50% up front and walked off couldn't have operated this way.
$1,000 down — the legal cap
Milestone draws after each inspected phase
Balance released at final inspection & walkthrough
The full draw schedule, deposit protection, and how your money is held live on our guarantee page. This page owns the price; the guarantee owns the deposit and payment-protection terms.
Estimate yours in 60 seconds
Ranges are a starting point — your number depends on size, type, finish level, and which city you build in. The calculator runs your inputs against the same 2026 model behind this page and gives a personalized estimate, with no sales call required.
Paying for it
Most Sacramento owners fund an ADU with home equity — a HELOC or cash-out refinance — or a renovation/construction loan, then let the rent service the debt. A 750 sq ft unit renting at $1,900–$2,500/mo in much of the region covers a meaningful share of the monthly payment. The CalHFA ADU grant is exhausted as of 2026, so don't budget around it.
The quick framing
- HELOC or cash-out refi taps existing home equity
- Renovation & construction loans underwrite the finished value
- Rent can offset much of the monthly payment
- CalHFA grant exhausted — plan financing accordingly
We keep this short on purpose — the lender details and worked payment math live on the financing page.
ADU pricing FAQs
In 2026, a detached ADU in the Sacramento region runs about $165,000–$500,000 turnkey, or roughly $250–$360 per square foot with design, permits, and construction included. Garage conversions start near $95,000 and Junior ADUs near $85,000 — the lowest-cost paths to a legal unit.
A Junior ADU is cheapest, from about $85,000, because it's built inside your home's existing footprint. A garage conversion is next, from roughly $95,000, since it reuses an existing slab and walls. Detached new-construction ADUs cost the most but add the most rent and resale value.
Yes. Our turnkey number covers design, engineering, permits and city fees, site work, utility connections, full construction, and standard finishes. The only additions are upgrades you choose or genuine unknowns behind a wall or under the soil — each priced in a written change order you approve before any work starts.
$1,000, or 10% of the contract, whichever is less. Because every ADU costs far more than $10,000, your deposit is capped at $1,000 by California law. After that you pay in milestone draws tied to inspected phases. See the full schedule on our guarantee page.
Usually because they exclude site work, utility connections, or permit fees — the buckets where surprise change orders hide. A $180/sq ft 'quote' that leaves out a $30,000 sewer trench isn't cheaper; it's incomplete. Always compare turnkey, all-in numbers with the same scope.
Only the added value is reassessed, not your whole property — California uses blended assessment for ADUs. The math and current rates are covered in our property-tax guide, which links from this page; this page owns the build price, not the tax estimate.
See these prices as finished models
Estimate & finance
See your real, all-in number
Get a turnkey, fixed-price quote and a feasibility check for your specific Sacramento-region lot — with the full deposit and draw schedule in writing.