Define use
Who will live there, what privacy is needed, and how should daily arrival and outdoor space work?
Field note 04 · Project types
Compare Fullerton ADU types by property fit.
Detached, attached, conversion, and junior units can serve similar goals through very different construction paths. Begin with how the space should work, then test the site and structure.
01 · Side-by-side
Four types, four starting conditions.
| Type | Starts with | Early question |
|---|---|---|
| Detached ADU | Open area on the lot | Can placement, access, privacy, and utilities work together? |
| Attached ADU | An addition to the main home | How will new structure and systems connect to the existing building? |
| Garage conversion | An existing permitted shell | What must change for safe residential use? |
| JADU | Space within the home | Do program, access, covenant, and owner-occupancy conditions fit? |
02 · Attached study
A connection creates both opportunity and complexity.
An attached unit can preserve more of the yard, but roof geometry, foundation transitions, shear walls, drainage, utilities, privacy, and construction next to occupied rooms become central scope questions.
03 · Decision sequence
Choose by constraints, then refine the plan.
Test property fit
Compare placement, structure, utilities, access, and likely disruption for each viable type.
Confirm current rules
Use the live City and HCD sources before treating a type as selected.
04 · Tradeoffs
Choose the type that solves the homeowner’s real problem.
A detached unit can provide separation but requires a complete new building and site connections. An attached unit can preserve yard area while adding structural and weatherproofing work against the main home. A conversion reuses a shell only after its condition is understood. A JADU uses less space but follows a narrower program.
Compare privacy, outdoor space, construction disruption, utility routes, accessibility, storage, long-term use, and the parts of the property that would be lost or changed. Then ask which option can be documented and priced with the fewest unresolved assumptions.
Call from the job site
Walk us through the house and yard.
A phone conversation with current photos and measurements can expose missing questions before you spend more on a plan.