The Bay Area's premier ADU contractor.
Burton Builders is a licensed ADU contractor that has designed, permitted, and built more than 50 accessory dwelling units across the Bay Area — detached, attached, garage-conversion ADUs and JADUs, delivered turnkey, on schedule, and fully to California ADU code.
ADU Construction
An ADU — also called a granny flat, in-law unit, or backyard cottage — is one of the highest-return improvements you can make to a Bay Area property. A place for family, a rental that helps carry the mortgage, or a flexible work-from-home space, and we build them as a true turnkey general contractor. You get one team and one project lead from the first site walk through final inspection, not a handoff between a designer, a permit expediter, and a framer.
As a licensed ADU contractor with 50+ units completed, we know how each jurisdiction actually reads the code — what East Bay and Marin building departments flag, where setbacks and utility connections get expensive, and how to keep a project moving when PG&E or the city is the bottleneck. That experience is the difference between an ADU that breaks ground on time and one that stalls in plan check.
ADU options we deliver.
Detached ADUs
Free-standing backyard units — the most flexible option for rental income, multigenerational living, or a private home office, built ground-up on its own foundation.
Attached ADUs
New living space added onto your existing home, ideal on tighter lots where a detached unit will not fit but you still want a full, independent dwelling.
Garage conversions
Converting an existing garage into a code-compliant ADU — typically the fastest, most cost-effective path to a permitted unit since the shell already exists.
Junior ADUs (JADUs)
Up to 500 sq ft created within the walls of your existing home — a streamlined, lower-cost route that pairs well with a second detached ADU on the same lot.
One project lead. Clear decisions. Fewer handoff gaps.
Whether Burton is guiding the project from an early idea or building from plans already underway, one experienced project lead stays at the center from planning through closeout.
Early clarity
We surface site, scope, and permit considerations early, before they turn into surprises down the line.
Connected planning
We keep the owner, architect, consultants, city, and construction team aligned as the project moves forward.
Disciplined construction
Burton manages trades, schedule, inspections, communication, and changes throughout the build.
Complete closeout
We finish punch-list work, final inspections, documentation, and warranty handoff before the project is considered complete.
Curious how this looks on a real project?
Explore our design-build process to see the full journey from start to finish.
ADUs across the Bay Area and Sacramento.
We build accessory dwelling units across the Bay Area, plus select ADU projects in the Sacramento area. Each county reads ADU code a little differently — and that local familiarity is what keeps our projects moving through plan check and inspection.
Every city reads ADU code a little differently. These guides cover the local rules, fees, timelines, and quirks — written from the projects we've permitted and built in each one.
ADU Construction questions, answered.
How much does it cost to build an ADU in the Bay Area?
How long does an ADU take to build?
Do you handle the permits and design?
Can I rent out my ADU?
How big can my ADU be?
Which Bay Area cities do you build ADUs in?
Thinking about an ADU?
Tell us about your lot and what you want the unit to do. We'll walk the site, flag any feasibility surprises early, and come back with a real, fixed-scope number.