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The Studio
An efficient, light-filled single room for a home office, guest suite or first rental.
Accessory Dwelling Units · California
From dream to reality.
Backyard homes designed, permitted and built by one team, with care in every detail.
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Home, framed.
Morada means dwelling: a place to live.
An ADU adds a complete, independent home to the land you already own: a place for family, for guests, for work, or for rental income. We take it from the first conversation to the day you hand over the keys.
The homes
One backyard. Many ways to live.
Every Morada home is designed around your lot, your city's rules and the way you want to use it.
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The One-Bedroom
A full home in miniature: bedroom, bath, kitchen and living space for a parent, a grown child or a tenant.
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The Two-Bedroom
Room for a family, with the comfort and privacy of a stand-alone house.
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Custom & Conversions
A fully custom design, a garage conversion, or a junior ADU within your existing home.
20+years of combined experience
Our group and partners have spent more than two decades planning, building and developing thousands of projects around the globe. Now that experience is focused on one thing: your backyard home in California.
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The process
Four steps from dream to keys.
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01
Design
We start with your goals, your budget and a review of your property. Then we shape a home that fits your lot and the way you'll live in it.
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02
Permits
We prepare the drawings and handle the city submission. Under California law, cities must approve or deny a complete ADU application within 60 days.1
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03
Build
From foundation to finishes, one accountable team manages construction, inspections and every detail, with clear updates along the way.
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04
Move in
After a final walkthrough together, the keys are yours: a new home for family, guests or tenants.
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Why Morada
Experience you can build on.
Over 20 years of combined experience. Thousands of projects around the globe. One team for your home.
One team, start to finish
Design, permits and construction under one roof, so there's one point of contact and one standard throughout.
Planning that runs deep
Our group and partners bring more than two decades of planning, building and development experience.
Built to be lived in
Light, proportion and materials chosen to make a compact home feel generous, and to last.
Service area
Building across California.
Every city applies the state's ADU law with its own local standards. We do the homework for your address before anything is drawn.
ADU questions
Good to know.
General information on California ADU law. Local rules vary, so we confirm everything for your specific property.
What is an ADU?
An accessory dwelling unit is a second, independent home on a residential lot, with its own living, sleeping, kitchen and bathroom space. It can be detached, attached to the main house, or created by converting existing space such as a garage. A junior ADU (JADU) is a smaller unit of up to 500 sq ft created within the existing home.2
How large can a detached ADU be?
State law generally allows a detached ADU of up to 1,200 sq ft. Cities may set their own limits, but must still allow an ADU of at least 800 sq ft that meets the state's height and setback standards.2
How close to the property line can it be?
For a new ADU, cities can't require side and rear setbacks greater than 4 ft. Converting an existing structure in the same footprint doesn't require an additional setback.2
How long does the city have to approve it?
A local agency must approve or deny a complete ADU permit application within 60 days. If it doesn't act in time, the application is deemed approved.1
Do I have to live on the property?
No. California law prohibits cities from imposing owner-occupancy requirements on ADUs. Different rules can apply to junior ADUs.2
Are there impact fees?
ADUs under 750 sq ft are exempt from impact fees. For larger ADUs, fees must be proportional to the size of the main home. Other permit and plan-check fees still apply.2
Can I rent out my ADU?
Yes. ADUs can be rented, though a city may require rentals to be longer than 30 days.2
- California Government Code §66317. leginfo.legislature.ca.gov
- California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD), ADU Handbook (updated 2026) and Gov. Code §§66310–66342. hcd.ca.gov
This summary is general information, not legal advice.
Begin
Let's talk about your backyard.
Tell us a little about your property and what you have in mind. We'll be in touch to arrange a consultation.
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