Architectural concept of a timber garden home with a sheltered outdoor dining terrace

NUVO ADU　/　SANTA CLARA COUNTY

ADU services

Explore ways to build a backyard home, convert a garage, or make room for family. Find the design, engineering, and permitting services your property needs.

Garden retreat　/　Architectural concept
01 / Services

Find your service.

Garden path leading between two homes 02

Ways to live

Start with the people who will use the home.

02 / Compare your options

What are you starting with?

Compare a separate garden home with an addition that shares a wall.

03 / HOMEOWNER GUIDES

Explore the planning tools.

Each guide pairs a design study with a worksheet or a choice you can try on your own property.

7 guides
04 / Homeowner questions

Choosing a service.

Which service should I start with if I only have an address?

Pre-construction and feasibility helps organize the first site review. Bring the address, a few photos and a short list of priorities. Note what you want to keep, such as a tree, parking space or garden path. View service ↗

How do I choose between an attached and a detached ADU?

Trace two possible entrances from the street. A detached home can offer more separation, while an attached addition brings the shared wall, roof connection and privacy of the existing rooms into the design. View service ↗

Can I explore a garage conversion before committing to a floor plan?

Yes. Start with the existing shell. Photograph floor levels, door openings, framing and utility connections. Use the scope worksheet to distinguish priced work from items that still need investigation. View service ↗

What if I need to keep the garage for parking?

Explore an above-garage option and draw the stair as well as the rooms upstairs. Ask an engineer what information is needed to evaluate the structure below. View service ↗

Which guide helps us plan for a parent moving closer?

Open the multigenerational guide with the future resident. Walk through arrival, meals and outdoor time together, then list what each household wants to share and where privacy matters. View service ↗

Is there a way to test a rental idea early?

The rental worksheet lets you vary rent, vacant months, reserves and debt payments. Compare a typical year with a higher-vacancy year before settling on a budget. View service ↗

Where do I start if I already have drawings?

Check the date and scope on the drawing set. Bring unresolved layout questions to design, structural or building-system questions to engineering, and submission questions to permitting. View service ↗

What information should I gather for a permit discussion?

Identify the reviewing jurisdiction and gather current drawings, any available permit records and a plain-language description of the proposed work. Ask which records and forms apply to that address. View service ↗

When should I start choosing interior finishes?

Start with fixed decisions such as appliance dimensions and storage needs while the layout can still change. Record materials, quantities and alternatives in a finish schedule as the design develops. View service ↗

Can a concept model be adapted to the way we live?

Use a concept to explain what appeals to you. For a custom ADU, identify the furniture, storage, light and outdoor connections that should guide the first layout. View service ↗