A finished Cocoon Homes backyard ADU in Utah with board-and-batten siding, cedar shutters, and a standing-seam metal roof

Cocoon Homes · Utah ADUs

Add a backyard home to your Utah lot.

Cocoon designs, permits, and builds accessory dwelling units across the Wasatch Front — built on-site by our Utah crew, with all-in builds typically running $75K–$200K. Start here: real prices, your city's rules, and the rental math, all in one place.

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Built on-site on your property We submit permits to your city Call 801-919-9666

$75K–$200K

Typical all-in ADU build

$200K–$400K+

What traditional custom ADUs cost

$1,200–$2,500

Monthly ADU rents on the Wasatch Front

+20–35%

Resale premium for homes with ADUs (Freddie Mac)

Start with the basics

What is an ADU?

An accessory dwelling unit (ADU) is a second, self-contained home on a single-family lot — with its own kitchen, bathroom, and entrance. A detached ADU is a permitted dwelling classified as real property: it's inspected to residential code, counted in your home's appraised value, and can be legally rented in most Utah cities. That's what separates it from a tiny home on wheels, which most cities classify as an RV.

It's a real homeFull kitchen and bath, built to residential code and city-inspected.

It's legal to rentA permitted long-term rental in most Wasatch Front cities.

It builds equityAppraised as part of your property — not a depreciating vehicle.

ADU vs. tiny home — the full breakdown

Plan with real numbers

Everything you need to plan your ADU

Four free tools we keep current for Utah homeowners. Most people start with cost, then check their city.

Cost calculator

What will an ADU cost me?

Ballpark your all-in number in about a minute: pick a home, set your site difficulty, and see home price plus realistic site work. Cocoon ADUs typically run $75,000–$200,000 all-in depending on size — well under the $200K–$400K+ typical of traditional custom builds.

Estimate my cost City rules tracker

Can I build one in my city?

Detached-ADU rules for 34 Wasatch Front cities — lot size, height limits, owner-occupancy, and permit status — kept current as ordinances update toward the October 2026 SB284 deadline.

Check my city's rules Rental income & payback

What will it earn?

City-by-city rents and a payback calculator. A one-bedroom backyard ADU typically rents for $1,200–$1,500 a month on the Wasatch Front — and many pencil out in roughly 7 to 8 years, before counting resale value.

Run the rental math ADU vs. tiny home

Which one do I actually need?

One is real property; the other is an RV in the eyes of most Utah cities. The legal status, financing, and resale differences decide what belongs on your lot — here's the honest comparison, from a company that builds both.

See the difference

Utah Senate Bill 284

Utah just opened its backyards.

Under SB284, most Utah cities must allow detached ADUs — with ordinances in place by October 2026. If a backyard home has ever crossed your mind, the rules are now moving in your favor.

Cities of 5,000+Must permit detached ADUs; cities without an ADU policy must adopt one by October 2026.

Lots of 11,000+ sq ftLarger lots are squarely who the law opens doors for — many now qualify by right.

Local rules still applyCities keep control of setbacks, height, size caps, parking, and owner-occupancy — so check your city.

Check My City's Rules

The homes

Five floor plans, ready for your backyard

Every Cocoon floor plan can be built on-site as a permanent, foundation-set ADU by our Utah crew — same layouts, permitted to code. Prices below are the standard-width base home; site work adds 35–50%. Many ADU customers go bigger — a wider footprint, more square footage, or a second-story loft — so all-in builds range from about $75K for a compact studio up to $200K.

100 Series

Want something different? Our design team drafts fully custom, engineer-stamped plans ($7,000–$10,000) and submits them to your city. Compare all five plans

Inside a Cocoon

Built like a home. Because it is one.

Real finishes and residential craftsmanship — no RV interiors, no builder-grade shortcuts.

Cocoon backyard ADU exterior with firepit seating area and mountain views

Cocoon ADU living room with shiplap walls and a modern fireplace

Full kitchen inside a Cocoon ADU with custom cabinetry and stainless appliances

Why homeowners build

One backyard. Four good reasons.

Family, closer

Aging parents nearby but independent. Adult kids launching without a downtown lease. Same yard, separate front doors.

A rent check, every month

Wasatch Front ADUs rent for $1,200–$2,500 a month — long-term income from land you already own.

Space that flexes

A home office with a real door. A guest house your in-laws actually enjoy. A studio, gym, or landing pad — it's yours.

Equity that compounds

Homes with ADUs sell for 20–35% more, per Freddie Mac research — the rent is only half the return.

How it works

From first call to move-in, one team handles it.

You make the fun decisions. We do the rest — including the paperwork.

Free consultation

Tell us about your lot, city, and goals. You leave with a realistic all-in number — no pressure, no obligation.

Pick plan & finishes

Choose a floor plan and your finishes from our curated catalog — no design fee. Fully custom plans available.

We handle permits

We prepare stamped plans and submit them to your city, then manage the approval process for you.

Your home is built

Our Utah crew builds on-site, on your property and foundation — permitted and inspected to residential code at every stage.

Move-in ready

Utilities connected, final inspection passed, keys in hand — ready for family or your first tenant.

The math, honestly

What a real project looks like

Real 2026 numbers across our build range — not a lowball teaser. Every figure is all-in: home, site work, utilities, and permits.

What a Cocoon ADU actually costsall-in: home + site work, utilities & permits

Compact studio, standard-width plan (100 Series, 170 sq ft)From ~$75K

Popular one-bed, standard width (300 Series)$105K–$117K

Larger ADU — wider footprint, more square footage, optional loftUp to $200K

Two-story & premium builds$300K+

Compare: traditional custom-built ADU$200K–$400K+

Why the range? An ADU isn't limited to the 10-foot width of a road-legal tiny home — most owners build wider, add square footage, or add a second-story loft. Your lot and city set the rest — estimate yours

Then it starts paying you back

City	Typical 1-bed rent (2026)
Salt Lake City	$1,300–$1,430/mo
Lehi	$1,379/mo
Provo	$1,299/mo

At $1,300 a month, a compact one-bed grosses $15,600 a year — roughly a 7 to 7.5 year payback on a $105K build, before counting the 20–35% resale premium. Bigger builds take longer to pay back but rent for more.

Run the numbers for your city

Walk through one before you decide.

Tour our Lehi model, or start with a free 30-minute consultation — we'll talk through your lot, your city's rules, and your real number.

Book a Free Consultation Call 801-919-9666

Good to know

Utah ADU questions, answered

How much does an ADU cost in Utah?

Cocoon ADUs typically run $75,000–$200,000 all-in, depending on size and site. A compact 170 sq ft studio can come in around $75,000, our most popular one-bedroom lands around $105,000–$117,000, and larger builds — wider footprints, more square footage, second-story lofts — run up to $200,000, with two-story premium builds topping $300,000. For comparison, a traditional custom-built ADU typically runs $200,000–$400,000+. Use the cost calculator for your ballpark.

Can I build an ADU in my city?

Probably — and the odds improve every month. Under Utah's SB284, cities with 5,000+ residents must permit detached ADUs, with ordinances in place by October 2026. Cities still set their own lot size, setback, height, and owner-occupancy rules, so check yours in our tracker covering 34 Wasatch Front cities.

How much rent can an ADU earn?

Wasatch Front ADUs rent for $1,200–$2,500 a month depending on city and size; a typical one-bedroom brings $1,200–$1,500. At $1,300 a month, our 300 Series pays back its all-in cost in roughly 7 to 7.5 years, gross. See rents by city.

Does an ADU add value to my home?

Yes. Freddie Mac research shows homes with ADUs sell for 20–35% more than comparable homes without one. Because a detached ADU is real property — permitted, inspected, and appraised — it's counted in your home's value, unlike a tiny home on wheels.

What's the difference between an ADU and a tiny home?

Legal status. A permanent ADU is a permitted dwelling and real property; a tiny home on wheels is classified as an RV (personal property) by most Utah cities, which restricts where you can live in one full-time. We build both, so we'll tell you honestly which fits your situation — here's the full comparison.

Who handles the permits?

We do. Cocoon prepares engineer-stamped plans, submits them to your city, and manages the approval process as part of your project — you won't be left deciphering municipal code on your own.

Can I finance an ADU?

Most homeowners fund an ADU with a HELOC, home-equity loan, construction loan, or cash — and because a permanent ADU is real property, it qualifies for home-secured lending that tiny homes on wheels don't. We'll walk through the options at your free consultation.

How long does it take to build?

Every Cocoon ADU is built to order, on-site by our Utah crew, so your schedule depends on the floor plan, your finish selections, city permitting, and our current build queue. We'll confirm your build slot and timeline at your free consultation.

Where does Cocoon build ADUs?

Across the Wasatch Front — including Salt Lake, Utah, and Davis counties. Every ADU is built on-site on your property by our Utah crew, headquartered in Lehi. If you're nearby but not sure you're in our area, call 801-919-9666 and ask; you'll get a real person.

Not a homeowner project?

We also build at volume — tiny-home communities, workforce housing, and disaster relief on a single contract.

Communities Workforce Housing

Last updated: July 2026 · Cocoon Homes, Lehi, Utah · 801-919-9666