If you’re considering building an ADU, the most useful thing you can do is walk through real projects.
This tour brings together four (recently or nearly) completed ADUs in Berkeley, each built with a different approach to layout, construction method, and use. Rather than showing a single “ideal” solution, the goal is to make the range visible and help you understand what actually works in practice.
You’ll see:
We are excited to meet everyone who has registered and are looking forward to answering questions and providing guidance on your own future ADUs. Our team, including Carrie Diller, Jimmie Sandman, and several designers, will be there throughout to walk through the projects and answer questions.
The event will begin on April 11th, 10 AM, at San Pablo Park in Berkeley. If you haven’t registered yet (it’s free!): http://berkeleyaduwalkingtour.eventbrite.com
Rather than showing a single ‘ideal’ solution, the goal is to make the range visible and help you understand what actually works in practice.
MLK ADU: Stacked Duplex Built for Rental Income
This project takes a more development-oriented approach, using a stacked configuration to create two separate units on a single footprint.
Each level is a 2 bedroom, 2 bathroom unit, resulting in 4 bedrooms and 4 bathrooms total across the structure. The layout is based on our L-shaped Antonio floorplan, adapted into a two-story configuration.
The project was built as an owner-builder effort by a licensed general contractor, using conventional on-site stick framing. Interior finishes were handled as a custom DIY process, with cabinetry sourced through Granite Expo.
This is a useful example of how ADUs can be used to generate rental income, and how construction and finish decisions shift when the priority is yield and cost control.
Key Details
Parker ADU: Compact Single-Story Unit with Hands-On Cost Management
This is a smaller, single-story ADU designed for personal use and guest space.
The layout is fully custom, with a 1 bedroom, 1 bathroom configuration. Like MLK, the project uses conventional stick framing, but the process was more hands-on from the client side, with significant involvement in managing scheduling and costs during construction. The project reflects a more active client role in day-to-day coordination and finish execution. Finishes were completed as a custom DIY design effort, with Inspired ADUs involved primarily with architecture and permitting.
This project is a good reference point for what it looks like to stay closely involved in the build process and prioritize cost control while still achieving a functional, well-resolved space.
Key Details
Bancroft ADU: Panelized Two-Story Home for Multi-Generational Living
This project uses a modified version of our Bancroft floorplan to create a 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom ADU designed for full-time living. A half bath on the first floor was modified into a small full-bath to accommodate future age-in-place needs for the parents.
Built as part of a multi-generational compound, the unit houses an adult son and his wife, and functions as a complete, independent residence rather than a secondary or occasional space.
The structure is delivered using panelized construction, with wall panels and roof trusses fabricated off site and installed on site. All finishes are completed in the field, allowing for customization while maintaining the coordination advantages of panelization. You’ll see during the tour that the clients took special care to coordinate the exterior of the ADU very closely with the existing exterior and details of the main home, along with thoughtful landscaping to pull the property together.
Kitchen and bathroom design were handled by Inspired ADUs, with cabinetry provided through Bellmont via Inspired. The project was built with MacBuilt Construction, part of our general contractor network.
This is a clear example of how panelized framing can support a more complex program without limiting design or finish quality.
Key Details
Carleton ADU: Partial Two-Story Layout Balancing Space and Scale (Under Construction)
This ADU uses a partial two-story configuration to balance interior space with overall building scale.
The layout is based on our Sierra floorplan, configured as a 2 bedroom, 2 bathroom home for full-time residence. The project was built using conventional stick framing, with custom finishes designed by Inspired ADUs.
Cabinetry is again provided through Bellmont via Inspired, and construction is actively underway by GC Innovative Builders, a long-time partner in our general contractor network.
Key Details
Join the Tour!
Individually, each of these projects is a clear response to a specific set of priorities. Together, they show the wide range of ADU design, strategy, and outcomes.
If you’re actively planning an ADU, or trying to understand what approach makes sense for your property, this is one of the most effective ways to see real examples and compare decisions side by side.
Our team, along with each project’s clients and builders, will be on site to answer questions and walk through how these projects came together.
Register here:
http://berkeleyaduwalkingtour.eventbrite.com
If you have questions ahead of the event, you can reach us at hello@inspiredadus.com or text Anamika at 732-670-1881.
Thank you to our clients, builders, and team for making these projects available to tour, and to everyone joining us for the event!
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