ADU Craft Oakland
Small dark-shingled backyard cottage above a vegetable garden
Backyard homes · Oakland, CA

A backyard home in Oakland, designed, permitted and built by one team.

Cottages, garage conversions, attached units and junior ADUs. We check your lot against Oakland and state rules, draw the plans or use a city pre-approved design, and build it.

Check what my lot allows Oakland ADU costs
Pre-approved plansStudio, one- and two-bedroom city designs
Licensed & insuredCalifornia contractor; details with your quote
Planning + BuildingBoth Oakland permits handled

How much does an ADU cost in Oakland?

As of November 2026, a 2026 Bay Area guide from Maxable puts garage conversions at about $120,000 to $150,000 and detached ADUs at about $250,000 to $500,000 or more, with most standard builds around $300,000 to $450,000. Oakland's pre-approved plans can trim design time and permit fees. Your lot sets the real number.

See the full cost guide

What kinds of ADUs do we build in Oakland?

Five ways to add a home to an Oakland lot, from a full backyard cottage to a junior ADU inside the house.

Pink cottage with green double doors and a small patio

Detached ADU

A free-standing cottage in the back yard, studio to two bedrooms.

Detached ADU
Gray garage with a roll-up door and a car parked beside it

Garage conversion

Reuse the slab, walls and roof you already have.

Garage conversion
Small pale-green bungalow with a covered entry and steps

Attached ADU

A side or rear addition that is a full, separate unit.

Attached ADU
Living and dining room with wood-trimmed windows and a coffee table

Junior ADU

A small suite carved from existing space in the house.

Junior ADU
Construction drawings with a red scale ruler

Design and permits

Custom or pre-approved plans, submitted and tracked.

Design and permits

Why does Oakland need two permits for one ADU?

Oakland requires both a Planning permit and a Building permit for every ADU. Planning checks zoning: setbacks, height, overlays and whether a pre-approved plan suits your site. Building checks the construction itself.

We start with the city's zoning criteria checklist and a site plan, then file the zoning worksheet through the Online Permit Center. Doing that well up front is what keeps the building review short.

Brick patio and garden between a house and a small cottage

How does an ADU project work?

  1. Lot checkZoning, setbacks, easements and utility routes for your address.
  2. DesignFloor plans sized to the yard and the budget.
  3. PermitsPlans submitted and followed through city review.
  4. BuildConstruction, inspections and final sign-off.

Inside an Oakland ADU

Kitchens, living spaces and baths from the kinds of units we build.

Compact kitchen with green tile backsplash and white cabinets
Compact kitchen with green tile backsplash and white cabinets
Living room with a fireplace, rug and open dining area
Living room with a fireplace, rug and open dining area
Bathroom with a round mirror, wood vanity and walk-in shower
Bathroom with a round mirror, wood vanity and walk-in shower
Backyard garden lawn with shrubs and a fence line
Backyard garden lawn with shrubs and a fence line

Oakland neighborhoods we serve

All of Oakland. Four pages cover what tends to come up in each.

Craftsman bungalow with a deep front porch, stone steps and a leafy garden

Glenview

Craftsman homes and long back yards.

ADUs in Glenview
Mediterranean-style house with a red tile roof and tall windows

Dimond District

Bungalows, garages and steep side streets.

ADUs in Dimond District
Victorian cottage with a front porch and a palm tree

Maxwell Park

Compact lots and junior ADUs.

ADUs in Maxwell Park
Small cottage with a purple roof below dense trees

Longfellow

Flatland lots with room in back.

ADUs in Longfellow

Is your lot ready for an ADU?

Send your address and a sentence about what you want. We look up the zoning, setbacks and utility routes and reply with the ADU types that fit.

We build in Oakland, CA.

We use your details only to answer this request. Your address is never published.

Oakland ADU questions

Does Oakland have pre-approved ADU plans? Can I rent my ADU short term in Oakland? What are the ADU rules in Oakland? How much does an ADU cost in Oakland? How long does it take to build an ADU in Oakland?