An ADU is a major project, often the largest single home investment a homeowner will make after buying the house itself. The builder you choose matters more than almost any other decision in the process. Here's what to actually check.
Ask for the license number directly and look it up yourself through the Utah Division of Professional Licensing (DOPL). A legitimate builder will give you this without hesitation. For reference, ours is Utah GC License #14296577-5501.
General liability insurance protects you if something goes wrong on your property during construction. Ask for a certificate of insurance, not just a verbal assurance.
Renderings and stock photos are easy to produce. Ask specifically for photos of projects the builder has personally completed in Utah, ideally ones you can drive by. Our gallery shows completed work, not just concept renderings.
Some companies sell the job, then hand it off entirely to subcontractors you never meet. Ask directly: who will be on-site managing this day to day, and how much of the actual construction work is subcontracted out? Neither answer is automatically wrong, but you deserve to know it upfront.
Understand exactly what you're signing. A fixed-price (lump sum) contract gives you cost certainty upfront. A cost-plus contract can offer more flexibility on selections but requires more trust and clearer reporting on actual costs. Neither is a red flag by itself — a vague contract that doesn't specify which one you have, is.
Confirm in writing that permit applications, plan revisions, and every required inspection are handled by the builder as part of the scope, not passed back to you or billed piecemeal later.
Be skeptical of a builder who promises a custom stickbuilt ADU in 6 weeks. Realistic ranges in Utah run 2-3 months for a garage conversion, 3-5 months for modular, and 5-8 months for custom stickbuilt, and that's after permitting is complete. See our full cost and timeline breakdown.
Ask to speak with two or three past clients directly, not just read testimonials on a website. A builder confident in their work will connect you without hesitation.
How a builder communicates during the sales process is usually a preview of how they'll communicate during construction. Slow replies and vague answers now rarely improve once you've signed.
Payment draw schedules, how change orders get priced and approved, and what's included vs. considered an upgrade should all be explicit in writing before you sign anything.
If you want a second opinion or just want to compare notes against a specific proposal you've already received, we're happy to talk through it during a free, no-obligation site visit.