The Alder ADU Plan

The Alder ADU Plan is a compact 2-bedroom, 1-bathroom backyard home with a clean modern farmhouse look and a practical single-level layout. It is designed for homeowners who want a real second dwelling on their property without creating a structure that feels oversized or out of place.

The main living area combines the kitchen, dining, and living room into one open space, making the home feel larger than its footprint. The kitchen is sized for everyday use, with room for an island and direct connection to the dining area. The living room sits toward the front porch, giving the home a welcoming feel and a strong connection to the outside.

The primary bedroom is tucked toward the quieter side of the plan, while the second room can work as a guest bedroom, office, studio, or flex space. This makes the plan useful for a wide range of needs, including rental housing, multigenerational living, a guest house, or a work-from-home setup.

The exterior keeps the design simple and residential, with board-and-batten siding, a gabled roof, covered entry, and warm wood accents. It has enough character to stand on its own, but it is restrained enough to fit behind an existing home or within an established neighborhood.

Built on a slab-on-grade foundation with a straightforward roof form, the Alder ADU is intended to be efficient to build and easy to place on typical backyard or infill sites. It offers the comfort of a small home, the flexibility of a second bedroom, and the curb appeal of a modern cottage.

What's Included in This Plan Set

• Architectural Construction Details — Typical wall, roof, floor, foundation, eave, opening, flashing, and other construction details necessary to communicate the design and intended construction.
• Structural Foundation Plan — Foundation layout showing footings, foundation walls, slabs, posts, beams, and other primary structural components.
• Structural Framing Plans — Floor and roof framing information showing joists, rafters, beams, headers, posts, bearing locations, and other structural framing elements.
• Structural Details — Typical structural connections, framing conditions, foundation details, and other information necessary to support construction and permit review.
• Schematic Electrical Plan — Electrical layout showing typical lighting, switches, receptacles, smoke and carbon monoxide alarms, and other common residential electrical locations for permitting and coordination.
• Site Plan Template — A blank site plan diagram sized for the intended lot configuration. Your local surveyor, designer, architect, or civil engineer can use the template to add property lines, setbacks, utilities, topography, driveway locations, and other site-specific information.
• General Construction Notes — Typical construction requirements, material references, installation standards, and code-related notes applicable to the building.
• Energy Compliance Notes — General energy-efficiency requirements and construction notes intended to assist with compliance in many U.S. jurisdictions. Project-specific energy calculations or local compliance documentation may still be required.
• Life-Safety and Code Information — Typical residential code information addressing items such as egress, safety glazing, smoke alarms, carbon monoxide alarms, guards, handrails, and other common code requirements where applicable.
• Door and Window Information — Sizes, types, locations, and related information necessary for coordination and construction, where included in the plan design.
• Drawing Organization — Drawings are professionally organized into a coordinated architectural and structural plan set suitable as the basis for local permit submission. Information will need to be added to meet local compliance.
• Print-Quality PDF Files — High-resolution PDF drawings formatted on 24" × 36" sheets, a standard architectural sheet size accepted by most e-permitting systems and print shops and commonly used for residential permit submissions.
• Immediate Digital Delivery — PDF files are available for download immediately after checkout so you can begin reviewing, pricing, printing, or preparing your project for permitting.

Plan Specifications Table