BackyardStack is written for homeowners. We read the public record, state handbooks, loan guides and published cost studies, and write it up plainly. Then we list companies that can help.
How we write guides
Every number or rule in a guide links to a public source: a state agency, a city, a federal mortgage agency, a university or a public housing agency. If we cannot source something, we say so instead of guessing. We note how old the data is. Each guide ends with its full source list.
Who gets listed
A company gets listed if it is real, its website loads, and it sells something people building an ADU use. Descriptions are based on how each company describes itself on its own website. A listing is not an endorsement, and we have not inspected anyone's work.
How we order a list
Order is our judgment. We weigh how directly a company serves ADU buyers and how much it documents publicly.
Money
Paid placements, when we have them, are always labeled and never change the editorial order. Builders never pay to be mentioned in a guide.
Corrections
Found an error or a rule that changed? Email hello@backyardstack.com.