The short answer
City or County: where does a Sacramento ADU start?
A Sacramento ADU starts with one question: City or unincorporated County. Inside City limits you pick between the City's local ADU ordinance and state standards, and can use three free shelf-ready detached plans of 367 to 747 habitable square feet. At 749 square feet the City's fee estimate is about half what it is at 750. County lots follow the County zoning code, with a 16-foot default height for detached units and their own free plans. Either way, SMUD decides how power reaches the unit, and its ADU handout advises planning at least six months ahead.
Before choosing a free plan, check which side of the City line the lot sits on. The City's three plans stop at 747 square feet. The County's run from 460 to 1,184 and serve unincorporated addresses only.
Renology is bringing on contractors in Sacramento now. Share your project and an advisor will get back to you as soon as we can match it.
Convert existing space: inclusions & limits
Sacramento County treats converting an accessory structure as a change of use that must meet current residential building standards, so a detached garage's slab, walls, insulation and wiring get judged, not assumed. Under County rules, converted garage parking does not have to be replaced. A JADU inside the house or attached garage is capped at 500 square feet, needs a recorded deed restriction, and the owner must live in the house or the JADU.
Detached ADU: inclusions & limits
City shelf-ready plans come in three sizes and cannot be modified, only mirrored, and you still supply a site plan. A detached unit can tie into the house's water line or take its own meter, which adds an encroachment permit, tap, meter and fees. If new roof and paving add more than 500 square feet of impervious area, the City requires onsite stormwater detention. SMUD warns that setbacks under 5 feet can make new service lines difficult.
Attached addition: inclusions & limits
The City's local ordinance and the County both cap attached ADUs at the greater of 50 percent of the main home, 850 square feet for a studio or one bedroom, or 1,000 square feet for two or more bedrooms. In the City, an attached unit must share the house's water line, and SMUD says a duplex meter is usually required for ADUs, possibly mounted on the existing house. Expect parts of the main home to lose use during tie-in work.
What an ADU project costs in Sacramento in 2026.
A new backyard cottage and a converted garage both count as an ADU in Sacramento, but the City's permit records put them in very different price brackets. On 578 permits for a single new detached ADU filed in the City from January 2023 to August 2026, the declared valuation had a median of $135,168, and half landed between $102,909 and $187,019. On 257 permits turning a garage into an ADU or junior ADU, the median was $63,047.
$135,168
Read those numbers for what they are. For new construction the City sets the valuation from floor area, and its current fee form prices a dwelling at $170.80 a square foot, which is why about 44 percent of the detached values carry cents. The figure is the yardstick the City uses to set permit fees, not a contract price. Conversion values are closer to what owners and builders wrote down, and about a third of them are round multiples of $5,000.
Size does most of the sorting. Nearly four in five of those detached permits were for 749 square feet or less, the line under which state law waives the City's impact fees, and their median was $125,851. Units of 750 square feet and up had a median of $204,448. Outside City limits the pattern holds: 745 new-build ADU permits in unincorporated Sacramento County had a median of $150,958, and 197 conversions a median of $50,298.
All the numbers and where they come from
| Figure | Value | What it measures |
|---|---|---|
| New detached ADU | $135,168 | Median declared valuation on 578 City of Sacramento permits for one new detached ADU, 150 to 1,200 habitable square feet, filed January 2023 to August 2026. Half fall between $102,909 and $187,019. For new construction the City computes this value from floor area. (City of Sacramento applied building permits, open data) |
| Garage converted to an ADU | $63,047 | Median on 257 City permits converting a garage into an ADU or junior ADU. Half fall between $45,000 and $100,000. Conversions inside the existing walls had a median of $55,259 (182 permits); those that also added square footage, $97,821 (75 permits). (City of Sacramento applied building permits, open data) |
| Detached, 750 sq ft and up | $204,448 | Median on 127 detached ADU permits of 750 habitable square feet or more, against $125,851 on the 451 permits at 749 square feet or less. (City of Sacramento applied building permits, open data) |
| City valuation rate | $170.80 a sq ft | The dwelling rate on the City's current ADU fee form, which values a 749 square foot unit at $127,929.20. Plan review, permit, excise and general plan fees are calculated from this valuation. (City of Sacramento, ADU Fee Estimate, form CDD-0419 (revised 07-12-2026)) |
| Unincorporated County, new build | $150,958 | Median declared valuation on 745 new-construction ADU permits in unincorporated Sacramento County, applied for January 2023 to September 2026. Half fall between $99,648 and $209,762. Garage and other conversions had a median of $50,298 on 197 permits. (Sacramento County permits, open data) |
| Carpenter wage | $35.79 an hour | Median carpenter wage in the Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom metro, May 2025. Electricians earned a median $35.98 and plumbers $31.35. Contractors bill above wages. (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025 wages, Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom) |
Median declared value of a new detached ADU by community plan area
- East Sacramento$154,500 median, 69 permits
- Land Park$142,142 median, 86 permits
- South Area$135,335 median, 65 permits
- Fruitridge and Broadway$134,120 median, 174 permits
- North Sacramento$130,130 median, 110 permits
Source: City of Sacramento applied building permits, open data
| Budget line | Define it | Watch for |
|---|---|---|
| City and County fees | The City's ADU fee estimate (form CDD-0419, revised July 2026) totals about $5,272 at 749 square feet and $10,624 at 750, the gap being impact fees. | Those totals exclude school fees plus sewer and regional sanitation charges. Outside City limits, ask the County's Site Improvement and Permits Section for an impact fee estimate. |
| Utility connections | SMUD service and metering, a water tie-in or separate meter, and sewer through either the City or the Sacramento Area Sewer District. | SMUD's ADU handout puts application to occupancy at four to six months, separate from permit review, so ask when your contractor files with SMUD. |
| Construction | Foundation, framing, roof, systems and finishes. The City's ADU guide says about 80 percent of a budget typically goes to construction and 20 percent to design and fees. | The City's fee form values new floor area at $170.80 a square foot. That rate sets fees, so use the permit medians above, not the rate, as a first budget. |
For inclusions, allowances and exclusions, see how to read a contractor quote line by line. For broader benchmarks, see the Renology Cost Index.
What an ADU project budget buys in Sacramento.
Under $65,000
Around the median garage conversion on City permits, $63,047, and the $55,259 median for conversions that stay inside the existing walls. This is a garage that already has a slab, a roof and a wall line, brought up to current code with insulation, a kitchen, a bathroom and its own entrance. An attached garage tied to the house's water line tends to sit at the low end, with a median of $50,305 on 38 permits.
$97,000 to $137,000
The range of the City's free shelf-ready plans as permitted. The 559 square foot plan had a median valuation of $97,208 on 32 permits and the 747 square foot plan $136,178 on 47. Both stay under the 750 square foot line, so the City's park, flood control and transportation impact fees do not apply. The plans cannot be changed, only mirrored, and the site plan, SMUD service and utility runs are still yours to price.
About $205,000
The median for detached units of 750 square feet or more, $204,448. Where these permits list bedrooms, most name two or three, against one or two below the line. Crossing the size line adds impact fees the City's form lists at $2,617.50 for parks, $1,575 for flood control and $1,154.64 for transportation at 750 square feet. School fees are paid separately at the district office.
$225,000 and up
One in ten City detached permits declared $225,000 or more, and in unincorporated County the top tenth of new-build ADUs starts at $324,149. The 59 City permits at this end have a median of 900 habitable square feet, about a third are two-story and more than half mention a garage built with the unit. Every one still needs a route for SMUD service, and onsite stormwater detention once new roof and paving pass 500 square feet.
Where Sacramento ADU bids split: under the ground.
On a new unit the permit valuation is floor area times the City's table rate, used to set fees. A contractor's price adds labor, materials, overhead and margin, and allowances for soil, trenching and whatever sits under a garage slab. In May 2025 the Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom metro's median carpenter earned $35.79 an hour, its median electrician $35.98 and its median plumber $31.35. Contractors bill above that.
Power is the first split. SMUD decides how it reaches the unit, and a duplex meter is usually required, sometimes on the main house. One bid may include that work, a new sub panel and the solar the state now requires on new units; another may list it as an exclusion.
Water and sewer split bids the same way. A detached unit can share the house's water line or take its own meter, which brings an encroachment permit, a tap, the meter and development fees. Sewer goes to either the City or the Sacramento Area Sewer District, and the unit's line has to reach the house lateral or the main, which sets how much trench gets dug. Ask each bidder to price these as separate lines, so you compare the same job.
Bring the bid checklist to every contractor so the numbers describe the same job.
Make the guide yours
Garage conversion, backyard cottage or attached ADU?
There are three ways to add a unit here, and each has its own catch. Sacramento County judges a converted garage against current residential standards, slab and wiring included. A detached cottage can use a free shelf-ready plan but still needs a route for SMUD's service line. An attached addition shares the house's water line in the City and can take rooms out of use during tie-in work.
No scope selected. The guide and checklist are available without choosing a project tier or leaving contact details.
Check the site before choosing the plan
SMUD's ADU handout names the site problems that make new service hard: overhead lines above the footprint, trees in the path of the new line, and side or rear setbacks under 5 feet. Walk the yard with that list before a plan is picked, because a plan cannot move a power line.
The City's shelf-ready plans cannot be modified, only mirrored, and the site plan is still yours to supply. Change anything beyond a mirror and it becomes a custom design with its own plan review, so pick the plan that fits the lot you have.
Official starting point: Sacramento ADU resources.
A decision to work through · illustrative scenario
The free 747 square foot plan on a narrow side yard
An owner picks the City's free 747 square foot plan, which permits declared at a median $136,178. The only route for the power line runs down a side yard with a 4 foot setback, the kind SMUD's handout flags as hard to serve.
Before you compare bids: Book SMUD's free ADU consultation before any bids, and give its answer on the service route to every contractor, so each one prices the same trench and meter.
How long does a Sacramento ADU take, from plans to move-in?
Two clocks run on an ADU here. The City's is the permit: 1 to 3 weeks for the optional zoning review, then 1.5 to 2 months of building plan review, by the City's count, before corrections. SMUD's is the power, and its handout puts application to occupancy at four to six months. Occupancy needs both, so start the SMUD conversation before anything is drawn.
- 1
Feasibility. Confirm City or County jurisdiction, then check the lot in Symbium Build or the County's ADU zoning guide. In the City, decide between the local ordinance and state standards, and talk to SMUD about service routes before anything is drawn.
- 2
Plans and permit. City applicants can file the free optional zoning review, which takes 1 to 3 weeks, then building plan review, which the City puts at 1.5 to 2 months before correction time. State law requires a decision within 60 days of a complete application.
- 3
Build and occupy. The City's inspection sequence runs site prep and utilities, foundation, framing, insulation, then building, plumbing, mechanical and electrical finals. Occupancy follows approval of all finals, and SMUD's connection must be ready, so keep its timeline running alongside construction.
Ask for separate dates for design, permit review, ordering and construction.
Five checks before you pick an ADU plan in Sacramento
Several ADU decisions here belong before the first bid, not after it. One square foot separates the City's fee estimate of about $5,272 at 749 square feet from $10,624 at 750. Jurisdiction decides which rules and which free plans apply. And the City says a new address can take up to four weeks, so it is worth requesting early.
- Confirm City limits or unincorporated County on the County general map before picking plans or rules.
- In the City, choose local ordinance or state standards; that choice sets size, height and setbacks.
- Book SMUD's free ADU consultation early; its handout advises planning at least six months ahead.
- Price the fee jump between 749 and 750 square feet before fixing the floor plan.
- Request the unit's new address early; the City says it can take up to four weeks.
We are bringing on Sacramento contractors now. The checklist and the quote-review tool work for any project, whoever builds it.
Already have a proposal? Check its scope and exclusions with the quote-review tool before your next contractor conversation.
Fees, free plans and the $40,000 grant, answered
Much of an ADU's paperwork cost in Sacramento is published: the City's July 2026 fee estimate and its free shelf-ready plans are public. The build price is not, but City permits show what new units and conversions declare. The answers below keep the two apart, and settle what happened to the $40,000 state grant.
Does a free City plan fix the price of my ADU?
No. It fixes the building, not the site. Permits for the 559 square foot plan declared a median $97,208 and the 747 square foot plan $136,178, values the City sets from floor area. The SMUD service line, water and sewer runs and any stormwater detention are priced for your lot.
How much does an ADU cost in Sacramento?
On 578 City of Sacramento permits for a new detached ADU filed from January 2023 to August 2026, the median declared valuation was $135,168, with half between $102,909 and $187,019. The City computes that value from floor area to set fees, so it is not a contract price. Garage conversions had a median of $63,047. The City's free shelf-ready plans were permitted at $97,208 for 559 square feet and $136,178 for 747 square feet.
What is the $40,000 grant for ADUs in California?
CalHFA's ADU Grant Program paid up to $40,000 toward pre-development and non-recurring closing costs. Its latest round was fully allocated on December 28, 2023, and CalHFA's page lists no new one. CalHFA also warns that anyone offering to get you an ADU grant is running a scam. The City's budget page still describes the program, so leave it out of your budget.
Does Sacramento have free pre-approved ADU plans?
Yes, two sets. The City offers three all-electric shelf-ready detached plans of 367, 559 and 747 habitable square feet, which can be mirrored but not modified. The County offers plans from 460 to 1,184 square feet for unincorporated addresses only. The three larger County models need solar plans, and a separate fire district review may apply.
Check contractor credentials with California CSLB. Match the business identity and scope to the proposal.
Sources
- City of Sacramento ADU Resource Center: Step 1, zoning and ADUs
- City of Sacramento ADU Resource Center: Shelf Ready ADU Plans
- City of Sacramento ADU Resource Center: Step 3, additional considerations (water, stormwater, sewer, SMUD)
- City of Sacramento ADU Resource Center: Step 4, costs
- City of Sacramento ADU Resource Center: Step 4, budget
- City of Sacramento ADU Resource Center: Step 5, application submittal
- City of Sacramento ADU Resource Center: Step 6, construction and inspections
- City of Sacramento: ADU Fee Estimate, form CDD-0419 (revised 07-12-2026)
- City of Sacramento: Preapproved ADUs (AB-1332)
- Sacramento County: Shelf Ready ADU Plans
- Sacramento County: ADU and JADU zoning standards (V8, effective May 21, 2025)
- SMUD: Accessory Dwelling Units and Electrical Service handout
- California Government Code 66317
- CalHFA: ADU Grant Program
- City of Sacramento applied building permits, open data
- Sacramento County permits, open data
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025 wages, Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom
Keep planning.
Explore the general ADU & garage conversion guide for project-wide ideas.
ADU & garage conversion in other regions
Planning guidance, not a quote. Confirm current requirements for your address with the official sources linked above.