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Design & Build Your Backyard Home

Whether you’re a homeowner unlocking backyard income or a builder streamlining your next project, Ohana Dwellings gives you AI-powered tools to design, price and deliver beautiful ADUs faster than ever.

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May 28, 2024

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Everything you need to build your ADU business—AI-powered, streamlined, and all in one place.

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Explore Models

You’ll see best-fit footprints that respect privacy, sun, and access. Make sure it fits first.

Digitally Place

Pick a look you love and swap finishes—siding, roof, windows, floors—without breaking code or your allowed footprint. What you see is buildable, not “inspiration only.”

Design it

Instant price ranges update as you change packages and options, based on real assemblies and local factors. No hidden math—see assumptions and what’s included so you can set a realistic budget.

Price It

Turn your chosen model into next steps: a jurisdiction-specific checklist, plan notes, and links to the right forms. You’ll know what to submit, in what order, and what to expect for timing.

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Permit it

Builds a materials take-off from your chosen package and quantities, ready for efficient and optimized material ordering.

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Build Smarter

Know it fits and what it costs—before you commit

See exactly where an ADU can legally go on your lot and get a clear, selection-based price range the same day. No guesswork, no surprise “gotchas”—just a realistic budget you can plan around, AI empwoered.

One guided path from idea to permit to materials

Place it, style it, price it, permit it, and procure it in one flow. You leave with a permit-ready checklist, plan notes, and exportable take-offs your builder can order from—saving weeks and preventing rework.

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Smart Site Planner

Instant Visualizer

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Download the Free Model AR App

Our free calculator compares building an ADU vs. buying a bigger home—using your actual numbers.

Run the Numbers

What's the smarter move for your family?

How this works:

STEP 1

Browse & Choose a Plan

Get expert help to bring your ADU project to life:

Browse over 150+ plans that match your lot or project portfolio, then invite your team or clients into the design.

Filter by Features: Narrow down options by square footage, number of bedrooms and bathrooms, or architectural style.

Step 2

Check Your Lot

Instantly see where an ADU fits and which setbacks apply.

Filter by Features: Narrow down options by square footage, number of bedrooms and bathrooms.

Instant Site Feasibility Analysis: Input your project address and receive immediate insights on zoning regulations, setback requirements, and allowable ADU sizes based on local jurisdiction guidelines.

STEP 3

Customize Your Design

Use our design tool to tailor floor plans, finishes and exteriors—perfect for homeowner inspiration and builder value-engineering.

STEP 4

Site Planning & Feasibility Analysis

Get expert help to bring your ADU project to life:

Smart ADU Placement - Visualize the optimal ADU location on your lot based on setbacks, access, and existing structures

Topography & Grading Insights - Analyze slope and elevation to determine grading needs, foundation type, and site prep complexity.

Utility Distance Awareness - See approximate distances to water, sewer, electric, and gas to anticipate trenching scope and costs.

STEP 5

AI-Powered ADU Pricing.

See real costs instantly — broken down, validated, and ready to review.

Room-by-Room Cost Clarity - Automatically calculates materials and labor by exterior, kitchen, living spaces, bedrooms, and bathrooms.

Intelligent Cost Breakdown - View materials, labor, site planning, and total project costs in one unified, easy-to-understand summary.

Approval-Ready Pricing - Approve or adjust selections in real time with transparent line items, vendors, and pricing logic.

STEP 6

Connect with Builders or Use Your Builder

Get expert help to bring your ADU project to life:

Turn your ADU plan into a real project — with the right builder.

Pre-qualified ADU builders.

Clear scope and pricing from day one

STEP 7

Permitting & Compliance Hub

Navigate the ADU permitting process with clarity, confidence, and fewer surprises.

Step-by-Step Permit Guidance - Follow a guided checklist that walks you through research, document prep, submission, review, and approvals—tailored to your jurisdiction.

Intelligent Plan Set Review - Automatically identify missing sheets, code compliance issues, and priority corrections before plans are submitted.

Timeline & Requirement - Visibility Understand estimated fees, approval timelines, size limits, setbacks, and required studies upfront—so you can plan with confidence.

STEP 4

Preview in AR

Turn your vision into a reality with expert guidance:

Step Inside Your ADU—Before It's Built

Use your phone or tablet to place a life-size 3D model of your ADU right in your backyard. With our Augmented Reality (AR) preview, you can walk around, peek inside, and experience the design at full scale—just like it’s already there.

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Using Augmented Reality (AR) in finding your perfect ADU (Accessory Dwelling Unit) model can significantly enhance the construction process. Here are the top 5 reasons

Top 5 Reasons to use the Ohana AR Model Placer App for your ADU build

The Rivera family's journey with Ohana Dwellings transformed their backyard into a marvel of compact living, utilizing pre-designed plans and a model configurator to optimize space in their new ADU. Innovative solutions like multi-functional furniture and built-in storage maximized usability and comfort within the limited square footage, proving that smart design could make small spaces both functional and stylish. Their experience highlighted how effective planning and creative design strategies can turn tiny footprints into expansive living experiences.

The Compact Canvas: Ohana Dwellings' Symphony of Space

This tale of the Thompsons' garden nook ADU is a testament to the innovative spirit of Ohana Dwellings, demonstrating how pre-construction planning, AI Co-pilots, 3D configurators, and AR apps can redefine the integration of new structures into old landscapes, making the process not just about building but about crafting spaces that tell a story of harmony, innovation, and respect for the environment.

The Garden Nook: Crafting Spaces with Ohana Dwellings' Innovation

In the evolving landscape of urban living, Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) present a creative solution to space limitations, offering compact yet efficient living areas. This blog delves into the innovative design strategies that maximize the functionality and comfort of ADUs, focusing on multi-functional furniture, built-in features, and smart layout planning. Multi-functional furniture like transformable sofas and expandable tables optimize space by serving dual purposes.

Maximizing Space in ADUs: Innovative Design Strategies for Compact Living

Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) are emerging as a pivotal solution to the affordable housing crisis, offering cost-effective alternatives to traditional housing by eliminating the need for additional land, major infrastructure, structured parking, and elevators. Their integration into existing properties not only increases housing stock but also promotes affordable rental options, thanks to various financial incentives such as grants and low-interest loans provided by local governments. ADUs are driving innovation in housing design, maximizing space efficiency through creative architectural solutions and prefabricated models, which further reduce construction costs and time. Beyond affordability, ADUs contribute to community and environmental benefits by supporting denser living within urban areas, thereby reducing urban sprawl and fostering multi-generational living arrangements.

Unlocking Affordable Living: The ADU Advantage

Southern California, particularly the Los Angeles Metro area, is at the forefront of the Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) boom, reflecting a significant shift in housing development. This region has seen over half of California's ADU permit applications in the last five years, with a per capita rate of applications 39% higher than the state average.

The ADU Wave in Southern California: Beyond the Numbers

The quiet revolution of ADUs continues to unfold in California, promising a future where affordable and accessible housing is within reach for more Californians.‍

The Quiet Revolution of ADUs in California

Despite the burgeoning interest in Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) as a solution to California's housing crisis, a significant gap exists between the number of ADU permits filed and the actual units constructed.

Navigating the ADU Maze: The Surprising Gap Between Intentions and Realities

The integration of AI-enhanced 3D configurators and AI construction co-pilots, including advanced building code lookup tools, is revolutionizing the construction industry. These technologies provide contractors with precise planning and design capabilities, interactive client engagement, and efficient resource management.

Revolutionizing Construction with AI: The Power of 3D Configurators and AI Co-Pilots for Contractors

This blog post emphasizes the importance of AI-driven solutions in enhancing client relationships in the ADU construction and real estate sectors, focusing on personalization, efficiency, and improved communication.

Building Stronger Client Relationships with AI-Driven ADU Solutions

The blog post delves into the significant cost-saving benefits of using advanced 3D configurators and AI systems in Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) construction. It highlights how this technology streamlines the building process by enabling precise design planning, optimizing resource allocation, and improving workflow efficiency, thus reducing overall construction costs and time.

Cost-Efficient ADU Building: How Technology is Cutting Costs

In the blog post "Leveraging Technology for Customizable ADU Interiors," we explore the transformative role of 3D configurators and AI in designing interiors for Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs). Traditional design methods often fall short in optimizing the limited space of ADUs, but the advent of advanced technology offers a solution. The post highlights how these tools enable users to create detailed, customizable interior designs in a virtual environment. Users can adjust various elements like wall colors, flooring, and fixtures in real time, with AI integration providing smart design solutions and space optimization.

Leveraging Technology for Customizable ADU Interiors: The Future of Personalized Space Design

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