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Build a Standalone Backyard Home in Sacramento, CA

A detached ADU is its own separate house. It sits in your backyard, apart from your main home. It has a private front door, a kitchen, a bathroom, and a living space. No shared walls. No shared entrance.
Homeowners build detached units for many reasons. Some want to house a parent or adult child. Others want to earn steady rental income. Many just want to add long-term value to their property.
Our crew at ADU Contractors Sacramento takes the project from start to finish. We draw the plans, pull the permits, connect the utilities, and do all the building. You get a brand-new home on your lot without chasing down different contractors or guessing at city rules.
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What Size Backyard Home Fits Your Property?

Not every lot is the same. We build detached units at different sizes to fit your space and your budget. Here is a breakdown of each option.

Studio Backyard Cottages

A studio is one open room with a sleeping area, a living area, and a kitchen. These units range from 350 to 499 square feet. They fit on smaller lots and cost less to build. A studio works well for a student, a single renter, or someone who works from home.
We frame studio units using structural insulated panels, which are rigid panels with a foam core built in. The foam gives the walls strong insulation from day one. To confirm the walls are airtight, we run a pressure test using a handheld ultrasonic air infiltration receiver. This device picks up air movement through tiny wall gaps that a standard test would miss. This process meets California Energy Code Section 150.0(o), which limits air leakage rates in new residential walls and ceilings.

One-Bedroom Backyard Cottages

A one-bedroom unit has a separate bedroom, a living room, and a full kitchen. These units run between 500 and 799 square feet. This is the most requested size we build. Retired parents love it. So do adult children moving back home.
We frame the floors using engineered laminated strand lumber floor joists. These joists resist bending and do not warp over time the way standard lumber can. To confirm every wall is plumb and square, we measure with a calibrated ultrasonic wall scanner. It checks wall thickness and straightness at the same time without touching the surface. This framing method satisfies California Residential Code Section R301.2, which sets the minimum structural standards for wind and seismic loading.

Two-Bedroom Backyard Homes

Two-bedroom units have two separate bedrooms, a dining area, and a full kitchen. They range from 800 to 1,200 square feet. That 1,200-square-foot cap is the maximum allowed by law in Sacramento. This size works great for small families, long-term tenants, or a couple who needs extra space.
Bedroom walls need to block sound between rooms. We install RC-1 resilient sound isolation channels along the bedroom walls before hanging drywall. The channels create a small air gap that stops sound vibrations from passing through. To measure how well the barrier is working, we use an octave-band sound frequency analyzer. This tool reads sound across multiple frequencies, not just one. This build method aligns with California Building Code Section 1206, which sets the minimum sound transmission class ratings for bedroom walls in new dwellings.

Two-Story Carriage Houses

A two-story unit stacks a living space above a lower level garage or storage area. This design gives you more square footage without eating up your whole backyard. It also creates a tucked-away private entrance that tenants appreciate.
The second floor needs extra support. We install heavy-gauge open-web steel floor trusses between the first and second levels. These trusses carry more weight than wood joists and leave room for mechanical and electrical lines to run through. To confirm the second floor is perfectly level, we use an optical dumpy level instrument set up on a tripod in the yard. This gives us a fixed reference line across the whole floor. This structural method meets California Residential Code Section R301.3, which governs the load design requirements for floors above garages.

Why Sacramento Homeowners Choose Us

There are a lot of contractors in Sacramento who say they build ADUs. Most of them subcontract the work out to multiple crews they do not manage day to day. That is where projects slow down, costs go up, and homeowners get left waiting.
We are different. Here is why our clients keep referring us to their neighbors.

One Crew. One Point of Contact.

You talk to us from the first site visit to the day we hand you the keys. There is no handoff to a separate design firm, a separate permit runner, or a separate build crew. One team handles everything.

We Know Sacramento's Rules Inside and Out.

ADU permits in Sacramento are not the same as standard home addition permits. The rules change by neighborhood, by lot size, and by how close you are to a transit line.

We Do Not Guess at Your Property Lines.

Before we design anything, we survey your lot. We locate buried utility lines, measure your setbacks, and confirm your buildable area. This saves you from costly redesigns later.

Transparent Pricing From Day One.

We give you a full itemized estimate before any work begins. The estimate covers design fees, permit costs, utility hookup fees, and construction. No surprise invoices halfway through the build.

We Handle the City So You Do Not Have To.

Sacramento's Community Development Department has a detailed review process. We submit your plans, respond to all city comments, and track your permit status. You do not need to make a single call to the city.

Our Work Passes Inspection the First Time.

We build to code on every project. Our team reviews every trade inspection before the city inspector arrives. This keeps the project on schedule and avoids failed inspections that push your move-in date back.

Sacramento Neighborhoods We Build In

Each neighborhood in Sacramento comes with its own set of rules and challenges. We know how to work inside all of them.

East Sacramento & Curtis Park

These streets have some of the oldest homes in the city. The historic review board checks every new backyard structure to make sure it matches the neighborhood's look. We submit full exterior design packages to the board before breaking ground.

Midtown and Downtown

Lots here are narrow and deep. Alley access is common. We use alley corridors to stage materials and frame separate rear entrances for tenants. This keeps the front yard clean and preserves parking.

Natomas and North Sacramento

Parts of Natomas sit inside FEMA flood zones near the American River levee system. We build detached units on engineered pier-and-beam foundations to keep the floor above the base flood elevation level.

Arden-Arcade and Carmichael:

These neighborhoods have big lots and older utility infrastructure. Some properties still run on septic. We handle the full septic decommission and public sewer connection before building begins.

Your Questions Answered

How large can a detached ADU be in Sacramento?
The limit is 1,200 square feet. That is the maximum for both Sacramento City and Sacramento County. Your main home’s size does not affect this number. Even a small primary home qualifies for a full 1,200 square foot backyard unit.
Under California state law, your detached unit must sit at least 4 feet from your rear property line and 4 feet from each side property line. We survey the lot before we design anything so there are no surprises later.
Yes. California Title 24 requires a solar panel system on every new detached residential structure. We include the solar system design, permits, and installation in our project scope. If your roof has heavy shade, a partial exemption may apply.
The standard height cap is 16 feet for single-story units. Two-story carriage house layouts can go up to 25 feet if the property is within a half-mile of a transit stop. We check your transit proximity during the feasibility audit.
Yes, but it takes extra planning. Properties in FEMA-designated flood zones, like parts of Natomas and areas near the American River, require the finished floor to sit above the Base Flood Elevation. We handle the elevation certificate and the engineered foundation to meet that requirement.
It will add to your tax bill, but only on the value of the new structure. California law limits property tax increases from new ADU construction to the assessed value of the new unit only. Your main house tax base stays the same.
Yes. Unlike JADUs, detached ADUs carry no owner-occupancy requirement. You can rent the unit and live elsewhere. Short-term rentals through platforms like Airbnb require a City of Sacramento Short-Term Rental Permit. We advise you on this during planning.
Standard plan review runs 4 to 8 weeks for most properties. Projects in historic overlay zones, like Curtis Park or Boulevard Park, can run 10 to 14 weeks due to the extra design review steps. We submit, track, and respond to city comments on your behalf.

Let's Start With Your Backyard

A detached ADU adds a real home to your property. It gives your family more options and puts your land to work.
We start every project with a free site visit. We walk your yard, check the utility locations, measure the setbacks, and review your zoning. By the end of that visit, you know exactly what you can build and what it will take to get there.
No pressure. No guesswork. Just a clear plan from people who do this every day in Sacramento.
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