OwnAdu Guides
ADU guides for homeowners who want the real answer
Every guide here is sourced, dated, and re-validated against current statute and builder cost data. We update them when the law or the market shifts — and we tell you in the body when that happened.
Regional
Market-by-market deep dives — local code, permits, costs, and the rules that actually decide what you can build.
Regional
Custom ADUs in Malibu
Coastal Zone permits, hillside, wildfire compliance, and what a true custom ADU actually costs to build in Malibu.
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Regional
ADU Program — Washington, DC
How DC's accessory apartment rules work under ZR16: zoning, permits, owner-occupancy, and what an ADU costs in 2026.
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Product
What you're really buying when you pick a product category — modular, panelized, kit-of-parts, custom site-built.
Code & Compliance
The technical rules that decide whether your plans pass plan check — kitchens, fire, energy, accessibility.
Code & Compliance
ADU kitchen requirements
Full kitchen vs JADU efficiency kitchen, Title 24, ventilation, gas-vs-electric, and the violations inspectors flag.
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Code & Compliance
AB 2533: California's ADU Amnesty Law, Explained
How California's 2024 AB 2533 lets homeowners legalize pre-2020 unpermitted ADUs without paying impact fees, retroactive penalties, or current-code retrofits beyond health & safety. Step-by-step process, eligibility, and city-by-city implementation.
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Code & Compliance
Garage Conversion ADU: The Complete 2026 California Guide
Code, cost, and process for converting a garage to a permitted ADU in California: 7'0" ceiling minimum, egress windows, Title 24 insulation, fire separation for attached units, slab + foundation surprises, and how to beat the $60K-$200K range.
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Not sure which guide answers your question?
Start with the construction-process pillar for the full project arc, or run the feasibility check if you don't yet know whether you can build an ADU on your lot.