Our Services
ADU design and construction built around Ithaca's rules and your goals.
ADU Design Services
Custom plans that make the most of your space and meet every Ithaca zoning rule.
- ✓Site assessment and feasibility
- ✓Custom architectural design
- ✓3D renderings
- ✓Permit-ready drawings
- ✓Interior layout planning
- ✓Sustainable design options
ADU Build Services
A skilled construction team that builds your ADU with care and attention to detail.
- ✓Full construction management
- ✓Licensed, insured contractors
- ✓Permit and inspection coordination
- ✓Quality materials and finishes
- ✓Schedule and budget tracking
- ✓Support after move-in
Our Process
Consultation
We look at your property, goals and zoning.
Design
Custom plans that balance value and function.
Permitting
We handle applications and city coordination.
Construction
Careful building with regular updates.
Project Estimator
A quick estimate in five steps.
What type of property do you have?
ADU Return on Investment Calculator
See your rental return and how long it takes to pay off.
Annual return
5.64%
Break-even
17.7 yrs
- Monthly rental income
- $1,425
- Annual rental income
- $17,100
- Annual expenses
- -$3,000
- Net annual income
- $14,100
Estimates only. Real returns depend on the market and vacancies — talk with a financial advisor.
ADU Cost Calculator
Get a ballpark cost range.
Pick an ADU type to see an estimate.
Includes design, permits and construction. Excludes land, financing and utility bills.
AI Budget Advisor
Tell us about your project and site, and get a personalized budget range with the key cost drivers explained.
ADU type
Finish level
Site conditions
Baseline range
$189,000 – $241,500
Last checked 10/25/2026
Checked weekly on Mondays. Estimates, not contractor quotes or guaranteed store prices.
Retained every benchmark unchanged (0% adjustment). ADU-type figures remain USD per square foot, finish tiers remain dimensionless multipliers, and site-condition figures remain USD lump-sum planning allowances—not verified installed quotes. The consulted sources did not establish fresh, directly comparable Ithaca/Tompkins County contractor prices or verified Home Depot Ithaca lumber and Essential/Standard/Premium fixture prices. Regional contractor evidence is recorded for review, not substituted for local bids. Review is needed before any proposed adjustment exceeding 15%; no such adjustment was applied or clipped to the limit. A price check is not evidence that prices changed. Retail product prices, when available, are not installed construction quotes. To avoid double counting, do not add a separate lumber or fixture basket on top of the area-rate/finish allowance; add site allowances only for incremental work excluded from the base scope, and reconcile overlapping excavation, drainage, utility and access work. Confirm whether design, permits, taxes and contingency are included before treating any estimate as a total project budget.
Weekly check: Weekly evidence check completed.
Price sources (5)
- The Ithaca Home Depot — Store #6155
Confirmed the intended store at 410 Elmira Rd Bldg 1, Ithaca, NY 14850. The accessible store page did not establish store-specific lumber or fixture prices. No availability or price change is inferred. ([homedepot.com](https://www.homedepot.com/l/Ithaca/NY/Ithaca/14850/6155))
- Home Depot — Glacier Bay Toilets
Checked as a potential Essential-tier fixture reference. The retrieved page exposed no dollar prices, and Ithaca-specific pricing was not verified. This does not support changing the 0.88 multiplier. ([homedepot.com](https://www.homedepot.com/b/Bath-Toilets/Glacier-Bay/N-5yc1vZbzbdZn7))
- Home Depot — KOHLER Toilets
Checked for potential Standard and Premium fixture comparisons. The retrieved page exposed no dollar prices; neither a tier-specific product basket nor Ithaca store prices could be verified. Retained both multipliers. Brand alone does not establish a finish tier. ([homedepot.com](https://www.homedepot.com/b/Bath-Toilets/KOHLER/N-5yc1vZbzbdZ1qh))
- SAP Construction — ADUs & In-Law Suites in Syracuse, NY
Contractor-published CNY planning ranges: attached basement conversion or side addition, 400–600 sq ft, $55,000–$95,000; above-garage apartment, 500–700 sq ft, $75,000–$120,000; detached ground-up cottage, 400–600 sq ft, $110,000–$175,000; converted existing detached structure, 400–700 sq ft, $65,000–$130,000. Premium finishes add 15–25% to interior finish costs, not total construction costs. These are nonbinding Syracuse/CNY benchmarks, not Ithaca quotes or paired size-price observations. No benchmark change is justified. ([sapconst.com](https://sapconst.com/services/accessory-dwelling-units/))
- Accessory Dwelling Units: A Tool for Aging in Place within Tompkins County
Cornell's December 2023 local report identifies design, permits, materials, labor, site preparation and utility connections as cost barriers, but supplies no directly usable current installed-cost schedule for these benchmarks. It is local context, not current pricing evidence. ([labs.aap.cornell.edu](https://labs.aap.cornell.edu/sites/aap-labs/files/2023-12/adu_report.pdf))
Set your project details and tap "Explain my budget" for an AI-powered breakdown of what drives your cost.
ADU Space Planner
Add rooms and watch the square footage add up.
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Your floor plan · 0 rooms
Tap a room to start.
Your ADU Journey
Week 1
Initial Consultation
Talk through goals, look at your property and review options.
Weeks 2–6
Design Development
Custom plans, 3D renderings and final design choices.
Weeks 7–12
Permits & Approvals
We file applications and work with city staff.
Weeks 13–14
Pre-Construction
Contracts, materials, subcontractors and site prep.
Weeks 15–30
Construction
The build, with regular updates and quality checks.
Weeks 31–32
Final Inspection & Move-In
Final inspections, certificate of occupancy, keys.