A modern, white house with large glass sliding doors opens onto a wooden deck. Solar panels are installed on the roof, and the yard has various trees and plants. In the background, neighboring houses and mountains are visible.

Don’t rush your ADU
Plan smart not fast

Don’t start with a contractor.
Start with a plan that lets you compare and control.

Start Backyard Check

Plan first Compare with confidence

Many homeowners start with a contractor, not realizing they lose the chance to compare quotes.
Plan first, so you can choose your builder with confidence.

Build your plan one step at a time

Every step adds clarity and brings your ADU closer to ready to build.

Step 1 Backyard Check (free)

Step 2 ADU Fit Report ($99)

Step 3 Concept Design ($299)

Final Permit Package

(Credit applied from previous steps)

Final Permit Package

Each step moves you closer, no double payments, no wasted fees.

See how your plan takes shape step by step

Each stage helps you move from idea to permit with clarity and control.

Southern California backyard with green lawn, patio furniture, and ADU-ready space beside a white house — ideal site for backyard home design.

Step 1

Backyard Check

Free

Your first step to a buildable plan

  • We take a quick, expert look at your property to uncover its ADU potential.

    • Review of zoning, setbacks, and lot size

    • Written summary showing if your lot qualifies (Yes / Maybe / No)

    • Clear next-step guidance from an architect

    👉 Best for homeowners exploring possibilities.

A backyard with a lush green lawn, a white fence, a patio area with a table and chairs, an umbrella, and flowering plants, houses with red tiled roofs, and palm trees in the background.

Step 2

ADU Fit Report

$99

Discover what’s buildable

  • Turn “possible” into buildable. We map out exactly where and how big your ADU can be.

    • Zoning summary with height, setbacks, and parking data

    • Buildable footprint diagram and approximate ADU size

    • Architect’s notes and recommendations for next steps

    💡 Your $99 applies 100% toward your permit package.
    👉 Best for homeowners wanting measurable data before design.

3D floor plan model of a house with labeled rooms including living room and kitchen.

Step 3

Concept Design

$299

Visualize your ADU

  • See your ADU come to life with a plan and realistic 3D rendering.

    • Floor plan layout and one exterior 3D view

    • Estimated square footage and cost range

    • One round of architect feedback and refinement

    💡 Your $299 applies 100% toward your permit package.
    👉 Best for homeowners comparing layouts or design options.

Modern California ADU exterior with white stucco walls, large window, and clean architectural lines on a minimal backyard lot.

Final

Permit Package

from $6,200

Permit-ready architectural plans

  • Your full permit-ready ADU plan — everything you need to submit to the city.

    • Code-compliant architectural design prepared for city plan check and permit submittal

    • Architectural drawing set — site, floor, roof, elevations, sections, and construction details

    • Architect of Record stamp for city submittal

    • Coordination support with structural, Title 24, and survey consultants

    • Unlimited plan-check revisions (minor updates included)

    • Structural, Title 24, and survey service fees are not included, but will be coordinated through trusted consultants.

    👉 Best for homeowners ready to build with confidence.

Start Backyard Check

Free review by a licensed architect

Born from curiosity, Guided by clarity

  • A modern tiny house with wooden siding, a glass sliding door, a small wooden porch, surrounded by desert-style plants and a garden, with a house and trees in the background, under a clear sky.
  • A house under construction with wooden framing next to a swimming pool in a backyard.
  • Open-concept living room and kitchen area with sliding glass door leading to patio with potted plants, white cabinetry, wooden countertop, small dining table with two chairs, gray sofa with decorative pillows, and various houseplants.
  • Backyard with small modern house, sliding glass door, and window, with green lawn, small trees, and bushes, under a clear blue sky.
  • A white house with black trim featuring solar panels on the roof, situated in a backyard with a green lawn, a stone pathway, a patio area with wooden chairs and a fire pit, surrounded by plants and palm trees, under a clear sky.
  • View of a backyard swimming pool and patio area seen through sliding glass doors from inside a house, with chairs, plants, and trees in the scene

Homeowners are turning clarity into confidence.

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Homeowners are turning clarity into confidence. *

Outdoor patio of a modern ADU in California with wicker seating, sliding glass doors, and landscaped backyard greenery.

Paul N., Yorba Linda

“Backyard Project quickly showed what’s buildable in our backyard.”

Minimalist ADU bedroom interior with neutral tones, large windows, and natural light — contemporary backyard home design.

Eric W., Fullerton

“Their plan gave us the clarity to move forward with confidence.”

Modern backyard ADU with fire pit, outdoor lounge, sliding glass doors, and wood pergola — Southern California accessory dwelling unit concept.

Hanna P., Anaheim

“Our plans were approved smoothly, and we finally compared fair quotes from different builders.”

It all starts with curiosity

•

What's possible

•

Let's find out

•

It all starts with curiosity • What's possible • Let's find out •

Check My Backyard

Start free, see what’s possible in your backyard.