Why this network exists
Accessory dwelling units are one of the fastest-growing categories of home construction in California, driven by the state's statewide ADU law and real demand for rental income, multigenerational housing, and added property value. But ADU construction is a licensed trade, and homeowners researching their first project often struggle to tell a genuinely experienced ADU builder from a general contractor who has only done one or two. California ADU Network was built to solve that specific problem: a single place to request a match with a licensed contractor who actually builds ADUs regularly in your part of California.
How we vet the network
Every contractor in our network is required to hold an active, appropriate California contractor license for the scope of work they take on. We do not publish contractor names as our own employees, and we do not claim California ADU Network itself is a licensed contractor — we are a routing and referral service that connects you to independent, licensed businesses.
What we do not do
We do not fabricate reviews, invent project counts, or claim in-house construction experience we do not have. This is a newer network, and we would rather be straightforward about that than manufacture a track record. What we can offer instead is real buyer-education content in our Research Center, built from California's actual ADU law and process, so you go into your first contractor conversation informed.
Our standard for a network contractor
Beyond an active license, we ask every contractor in our network about their actual ADU project history, the jurisdictions they regularly work in, and whether they carry appropriate insurance for residential construction. We are not a licensing board and do not replace your own diligence — you should still verify a contractor's license and ask the questions in our contractor question checklist before signing anything — but we treat this as a real filter, not a formality.
Why we focus on California ADUs specifically
ADU construction is a genuinely different project type than a kitchen remodel or a room addition: it involves a distinct permit pathway under state law, its own utility-connection challenges, and a contractor skill set that benefits from repetition. General home-improvement directories mix ADU builders in with contractors who do everything from decks to bathroom remodels. We built a network specifically around ADU work so homeowners are not sorting through that noise themselves.
Who is behind California ADU Network
California ADU Network is operated as part of a broader effort to make specific, licensed-trade home-service categories easier for California homeowners to navigate honestly, without the fabricated reviews, fake local offices, or inflated project counts that show up too often in this space. We would rather grow this network slowly with real, verified contractors than publish claims we cannot back up.
Talk to us about your ADU project
Request a match or call to ask questions before you commit to anything.