Detached ADUs
Detached ADU (accessory dwelling unit) Builder
A detached ADU is a separate, complete home on the same lot as your house, with its own kitchen, bath, and front door. Wolf reviews the property, prepares the permit, builds the home in our Battle Ground factory, and sets it on a permanent foundation in Washington and Oregon.
Where Wolf works
In Washington and Oregon, Wolf employees handle your project from property review and permits through construction, site work, delivery, and installation. Some projects require third-party services, such as surveys or septic design and installation, depending on the property and jurisdiction. Beyond Washington and Oregon, local contractors complete site work and utility connections.
Who it’s for
Who a detached ADU is for
A parent who wants independence nearby
Their own kitchen, bath, and schedule, a short walk from family. Wolf plans are single-level, and we can add accessibility features when you tell us the need.
Adult children saving for what comes next
A private home in the backyard is a different arrangement than a childhood bedroom. It stays useful after they move on.
Guests, caregivers, and long visits
People who stay longer than a weekend need a real bath and a door they control. A detached unit gives both households privacy.
Owners planning long-term rental income
Inside Washington urban growth areas, HB 1337 removed the statewide owner-occupancy mandate for ADUs. Oregon covered cities cannot require it for long-term ADUs. Local rules still apply, so we check the parcel.
A home office or studio that is still housing
A permitted dwelling can hold a desk now and a tenant later. A shed usually cannot hold a legal bedroom and kitchen.
Your own downsizing plan
Some owners build the detached ADU for themselves, then rent the main house or pass it to family where local rules allow.
What Wolf builds
What is a detached ADU?
A DADU (detached accessory dwelling unit) is a self-contained home that stands apart from the main house on the same lot. It has a living area, kitchen, bathroom, sleeping space, utility connections, and a private entrance. You may also hear backyard cottage, granny flat, in-law suite, guest house, backyard home, or casita. An attached ADU shares a wall with the house or converts a garage or basement. Wolf builds detached ADUs only: factory-built to IRC/IBC (International Residential Code / International Building Code) residential code, inspected by Washington L&I or Oregon BCD, and set on a permanent foundation.
More privacy than an attached unit
No shared walls, no shared stairs, and no footsteps through the ceiling. Each household keeps its own door and its own routine.
The main house stays intact
A garage conversion or addition takes rooms away from the primary home. A detached ADU adds a home without remodeling yours.
Built indoors, not in your yard for a year
Framing, wiring, plumbing, and finishes happen in our factory. Homes leave the shop about 92% complete, and our field crew finishes the set and connections.
Permit work in writing
We draw the site plan, assemble the packet, and file with your jurisdiction. If a permittable ADU is not possible on the property, the signed permitting agreement defines the eligible refund and exclusions.
Planned around how it will be used
What would the person living here want close at hand? What would they want a little more room for? Tell us about storage, privacy, durable finishes or accessibility features that matter to them. We can work through the available options together.
Uses that can change
Parent today, guest house later, long-term rental after that, if local rules allow. The permit is for a dwelling, not for one occupant.
Process
How a detached ADU project works
- 1
Property evaluation
Setbacks, lot coverage, slope, trees, parking, sewer or septic, power, and the delivery route. We check these before you pay for design. The evaluation is free.
- 2
Design and proposal
We match a pre-engineered model and finishes to the lot, then give you one proposal that separates the home from permitting, delivery and setup, and site work.
- 3
Permitting and factory
Wolf files the permit and coordinates utilities. Permitting and factory production can move in parallel. Permitting often takes two to nine months; shop time is typically three to four weeks.
- 4
Delivery, set, and keys
Our crew excavates, pours a concrete stem-wall foundation, trenches utilities, and sets, anchors, and connects the home. Then we walk you through the warranty and the Owner Portal.
Models
Detached ADU plans for different households
Most detached ADUs are Model K or Model E / F. Choose a larger plan when the lot, the local size limit, and the household all call for it. Each model page shows the starting price for the home itself; appliances are separate.
Notice the rooms and details you would use. These are layouts to explore; we need to review your property before recommending one.
Model B — City of Portland (only) — 307 sq ft
City of Portland (only)City of Portland (only). A complete one-bedroom for tight Portland lots.
Model K — 432 sq ft
The usual one-bedroom detached ADU, with a separate bedroom and living room.
Model E — 616 sq ft
Two bedrooms at opposite ends for a parent and caregiver, or two roommates.
Model F — 616 sq ft
The Model E footprint with an open kitchen and great room.
Model J — 828 sq ft
Two beds, two baths, and a covered porch when the ADU has to feel like a small house.
Model L — 984 sq ft
Two beds, two baths, dining, and laundry. We can adjust the plan for accessibility.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a detached ADU and an attached ADU?
Is a DADU the same as a backyard cottage or granny flat?
Can my property have a detached ADU?
How much does a detached ADU cost?
Is a factory-built detached ADU as good as a site-built one?
Do you handle permits for a detached ADU?
Can I rent out a detached ADU?
Where do you build detached ADUs?
Keep reading
Related Wolf pages
Can your property support a detached ADU?
Send the address and how you would use the unit. We will check setbacks, access, utilities, and model fit, then give you a clear next step. The evaluation is free.
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