ADU And JADU Additions

An ADU in Wisconsin is a second home on your own property, and a JADU is the smaller version carved out inside the walls you already have.

What an ADU in Wisconsin Actually Gets You

An accessory dwelling unit is a second, self-contained home on a lot that already has a house on it. Its own kitchen, its own bathroom, its own entrance, its own address.

It can stand alone in the back yard, attach to the house as a new wing, or take over the space above a garage. A JADU is the smaller version, built inside the existing walls and usually capped around 500 square feet.

Most get built for family who needs to live close, for rental income, or as a place to move into later without leaving the property. Your local zoning code decides if you can build one at all, so that is where we start. We design and build both across Central Wisconsin.

Accessory Units We Have Built

3D Home design

5-year workmanship warranty

Trusted by 40+ families

Reviews From Families With Accessory Units

Families who added a second unit have reviewed the process publicly.

Susan Kowalski

Rated 5 out of 5

Working with Justin and his whole crew from Remodeling Journey was a wonderful and heartfelt experience. Everything I wanted and asked for met my expectations.

The perfection and quality of craftsmanship was impeccable. I highly recommend Justin and Remodeling Journey for your project!

Teresa Biechler

Rated 5 out of 5

Enjoyed working with Remodeling Journey! Their project management and attention to detail was excellent. Their sub-contractors were all top notch. Would hire again.

What an ADU or JADU Project Includes

Zoning research before design. What your municipality permits, at what size, with what setbacks, and under what approval process. This determines whether the project exists at all.

A full structural and utility plan. Foundations for detached units, reinforcement for over-garage builds, and a plan for water, sewer, gas, and electrical service to the new unit.

A complete dwelling. An ADU has permanent provisions for living, sleeping, cooking, and sanitation, which means a real kitchen, a real bathroom, and code-compliant egress.

A JADU conversion. A smaller unit built within the existing walls of the house, typically capped around 500 square feet, with an efficiency kitchen and its own exterior entrance. It may share sanitation with the main house.

Separate entrances and privacy design. Sightlines, sound separation, parking, and the walk between the two front doors, all designed deliberately.

Permits, trade permits, and inspections. Filed and coordinated by us, including the separate electrical, plumbing, and HVAC permits Wisconsin requires.

Your Options at a Glance

Option	What It Is	Best For
Detached ADU	A standalone small home elsewhere on the lot	Maximum privacy and independence, where lot size and zoning allow
Attached ADU	A new wing with its own entrance, kitchen, and bath	Sharing a foundation and utilities while keeping separation
Over-garage ADU	A full unit above an existing or new garage	Using vertical space on a lot with no room to spread out
Garage conversion	The garage footprint turned into living space	The fastest path where the structure and slab are sound
Basement ADU	A lower-level unit with its own exterior entry	Ceiling height and code-compliant egress decide feasibility
JADU	Up to about 500 sq ft inside the existing walls	The smallest scope, with an efficiency kitchen and a shared or private bath

How an ADU Fits a Bigger Project

An accessory unit rarely arrives on its own. Adding one usually means rethinking the driveway, the utility service, and the way the main house opens onto the yard, and quite often it happens alongside other work on the property.

We build ADUs and JADUs inside our broader home additions service, which covers in-law suites, garage conversions, bump-outs, and second stories with the same design and permitting process.

Where the accessory unit is going below grade, our basement remodeling work is the relevant starting point, since egress and ceiling height are the two questions that decide whether a lower-level unit is possible at all.

How We Build One

Zoning First, Always

We read your municipality’s code, confirm what is permitted on your parcel, and tell you plainly if the answer is no. This conversation happens before you pay for a design.

Design and Utilities

Floor plan, elevations, and 3D renderings, alongside a real plan for water, sewer, and electrical service to a second dwelling unit. VR walkthroughs are available, and they are genuinely useful in a small unit where every inch counts.

Permit, Build, Warranty

Applications filed, construction by our own crew, inspections coordinated, and then five years of warranty with annual on-site check-ins.

What Sets Remodeling Journey Apart

We tell you early if it will not work

Zoning kills more accessory unit projects than budget does, and we would rather deliver that news in week one.

Licensed in Wisconsin, both credentials

Dwelling Contractor #DC072000742 and Dwelling Contractor Qualifier #DCQ072000769.

A full dwelling built to full standard

Egress, insulation, ventilation, and fire safety get the same treatment at 400 square feet as they do at 4,000.

Five years of warranty, including materials

With annual visits during the coverage period.

One company, one contract

Design, structure, permitting, and construction handled by the same team, which matters more on a project with this much regulatory surface.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the actual difference between an ADU and a JADU?

An ADU is a complete, independent dwelling with its own kitchen and bathroom, and it can be detached, attached, or converted. A JADU is much smaller, generally capped around 500 square feet, created inside the existing walls of the house including an attached garage, and it needs only an efficiency kitchen. A JADU may share a bathroom with the main house, and it requires its own exterior entrance.

Is a JADU a legal category in Wisconsin?

Not at the state level. The term comes from California statute and has been adopted by a handful of Wisconsin municipalities, Appleton among them. In most Wisconsin communities you will be discussing an accessory dwelling unit, and the size and configuration rules will come from the local code.

Can I rent it out?

That depends entirely on your municipality. Some allow long-term rental freely, some require the owner to occupy one of the two units, and some restrict short-term rental specifically. We confirm the rules for your parcel during the zoning review.

Does the unit need its own utilities?

Often, and sometimes it is required. Some ordinances mandate separate water and sewer connections for detached units. Separate electrical service and metering is common. We design for what your municipality requires and what makes sense for how you intend to use the space.

Will a bank finance it?

Financing an accessory unit is more established than it used to be, and some loan products now count projected rental income toward qualifying, within limits. Talk to your lender early, because the answer shapes your scope.

How small can it be and still work?

Smaller than most people expect, if it is designed carefully. Under 500 square feet you are designing a very efficient one-bedroom or studio, and details like the door swing, the appliance sizes, and where the storage goes decide whether it feels comfortable or cramped. That is a design problem worth spending real time on.

A Complete Second Home on the Lot You Already Own

Justin Pagel

Give us the address and the idea, and the zoning research happens before anything else does. You can see the full range on our home additions page in the meantime. Call us at (715) 551-7328 or fill out the form and Justin will get back to you personally.