ADU / backyard unit
Zoning, utilities, and privacy drive cost more than floor plans alone. A planning range is useful before you hire - especially when comparing ADU vs addition paths.
Seed an ADU estimate← HomeFor clientsStart a project
Client tool
State, project type, and a construction budget or square footage — a typical design-fee band, not a bid.
Same tool, different design problems. Use a preset to seed the calculator, then adjust for your site and scope.
Local planning estimate
Planning estimate for design services
$10,772 – $22,850
9–15% of project budget
Compare professionals or request proposals.
Not a binding quote. This is planning guidance only. Fees vary by scope, risk, and firm; confirm with licensed professionals in your market.
Data sources: Regional adjustment: BEA Regional Price Parities (2024; latest available as of 2026). National construction cost baseline: NAHB Cost of Construction Survey (2024; ~$162/sq ft typical single-family construction; latest available as of 2026).
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Studio accounts can set a custom fee range and send a personal report link clients can revisit without logging in.
Sign in to studioScope drifts with site, finishes, and how much coordination you want through permits. The band helps you ask better fee questions - not lock a number before drawings exist.
Zoning, utilities, and privacy drive cost more than floor plans alone. A planning range is useful before you hire - especially when comparing ADU vs addition paths.
Seed an ADU estimateTenant improvements move on landlord criteria, base-building capacity, and permit timing. Early fee orientation helps you brief studios with lease and schedule constraints.
Seed a commercial TI estimateReady to talk with a studio?
Use your estimate as a conversation starter, then structure an open project so studios can propose on the same brief.
Pair the fee band with site reality and a clear project post - so proposals respond to your constraints, not a generic lead form.