Mather Junior Additional Dwelling Unit Contractor
Up to 500 sqft of independent living built inside your existing Mather home: converted basement, bedroom suite, attic, or attached garage. Faster permits, lower cost, no impact fees under California state law.
JADUs Carved Out of Existing Mather Homes
The Junior Additional Dwelling Unit is the fastest, cheapest path to adding a second residence on your Mather property. Where a standard ADU is a new structure built on the lot, a JADU is carved out of the home you already own: up to 500 square feet of independent living converted from an existing bedroom suite, basement, attic, or attached garage. Same kitchen privacy, separate entrance, no detached construction required.
California state law (Government Code 65852.22) requires every city, Mather included, to permit one JADU on every single-family residential lot. The conversion must include an efficiency kitchen (sink, refrigerator, and at least one cooking appliance), can share a bathroom with the primary residence or have its own, and requires a separate exterior entrance.
What makes JADUs especially compelling for Mather homeowners: no impact fees, no separate utility meters required, and no setback requirements because the unit is inside the existing building envelope. The permit path is faster than a standard ADU, the construction is shorter, and the budget is a fraction of what a detached ADU costs.
ADC Construction handles the full scope: zoning verification, architectural design, structural modifications, kitchen and bathroom installation, electrical and plumbing rough-in, finish carpentry, and Mather permits start to finish. The owner-occupancy requirement (one of the units must be owner-occupied) is the only meaningful constraint, and Adam walks you through the deed restriction process with the city as part of the contract.
Common JADU configurations we build in Mather: converted master bedroom suite (existing bedroom + private bath becomes a JADU with kitchenette added), basement conversion (finished basement with separate entrance carved out as a JADU), attached garage conversion (single-bay garage attached to the house converted to a livable JADU), and second-story attic conversion (where structural and headroom conditions allow).
Adam earned his General B contractor’s license after serving in the US Army, and built ADC Construction in 2022 on one principle: treat every property like it’s your own home. Call (209) 200-5302 or request a free on-site quote. See finished work in our project gallery, including JADU conversions, basement remodels, and bedroom-suite carve-outs across the Mather region. We serve Mather, Sacramento, Folsom, Lodi, Stockton, and 29 more cities within 30 miles of our Lodi office.
Mather grew up around the old Air Force base, and today it is a mix of newer master-planned neighborhoods off Mather Field Road and pockets of converted former base housing. That range is useful to know before designing a JADU, because a newer Mather home and an older base-era home carry different bones. The newer tracts usually have modern wiring and clean floor plans that give up 500 square feet of conversion space easily, while an older base house may need electrical or plumbing updates before a garage or bedroom suite becomes a proper second residence. We read the specific home first and scope the conversion to what it actually is rather than assuming.
Mather sits on Sacramento County sewer and city utilities, so the utility side of a conversion is straightforward and the permit path stays clean, no well or septic capacity questions to work through here. Sacramento Valley summers get hot, so we insulate the conversion properly and put in a right-sized mini-split so the JADU is comfortable through the long warm season. Many of these newer Mather neighborhoods have an HOA, and where the conversion changes the exterior we prepare the architectural submittal alongside the county permit so both approvals move together. We carry the ministerial JADU permit through Sacramento County from plan check to final inspection so you are not chasing the paperwork.
Six Reasons Mather Homeowners Pick a JADU Over a Full ADU
Lower Cost
A JADU carries a fraction of the budget of a detached ADU because you are working inside walls that already exist. Same rental potential, far less structure to build.
Faster Permits
State law gives JADU applications a 60-day approval ministerial path with the Mather. No discretionary review.
No Impact Fees
California exempts JADUs from utility connection fees, school impact fees, and most development impact fees.
Shared Utilities
No separate water, electrical, or sewer meters required. Utility tap costs drop dramatically.
Shorter Build
JADUs typically complete in 8-16 weeks of construction versus 4-8 months for a detached ADU. Less disruption.
Stack With an ADU
State law allows one JADU AND one ADU on the same Mather lot. Doubles your rental footprint on the same property.
JADU Construction Across the Mather Region
Same craft standard on every JADU within 30 miles of Lodi.
Mather JADU Questions
How much does a JADU cost in Mather, CA?
What a Mather JADU costs comes down to which space you are converting and how much has to change. A bedroom suite with a kitchenette and a shared bathroom is the simplest version, since the room, walls, and roof are already there. A basement conversion with a private bathroom costs more because you are adding plumbing, egress, and often ceiling height or moisture work. An attached garage conversion sits highest, since that space needs insulation, a floor system, and windows before it reads as living space. Adam walks the actual room, and ADC sends an itemized written quote within 48 hours so you can see every line before deciding. ADC provides itemized quotes within 48 hours of the on-site walk.
What’s the difference between a JADU and an ADU in Mather?
An ADU is a new dwelling, detached or attached, up to 1,200 sqft, with its own kitchen, bathroom, and full utility connections. A JADU is carved out of your existing home, capped at 500 sqft, can share a bathroom with the main house, and requires no separate utility meters. JADUs are cheaper, faster, and have no impact fees. ADUs add more rentable space and more equity value. Many Mather homeowners build both on the same lot.
Do you handle the Mather JADU permits?
Yes. JADUs follow a ministerial 60-day approval path through the the local Planning Department. We submit plans, manage plan check, pull the building permit, coordinate plumbing/electrical/mechanical inspections, and walk through final sign-off. We also prepare the owner-occupancy deed restriction the city requires.
Can I rent out a JADU in Mather?
Yes, but with one caveat: California law requires the owner to live in either the main residence or the JADU. You cannot rent out both. Most Mather JADU clients continue living in the main home and rent the JADU as an in-law suite, separate apartment for an adult child, or long-term tenant rental. Short-term rentals (Airbnb) are restricted under local ordinance.
How long does an Mather JADU build take?
Plan on 4-6 weeks for permits and plans, then 8-16 weeks of construction depending on scope. A bedroom-to-JADU conversion is the fastest (8-10 weeks building). A basement or garage conversion runs longer (12-16 weeks building). We provide a realistic schedule with your quote and hold to it.
Does it matter whether my Mather home is newer or older base housing?
It matters mostly for how much prep the conversion needs, and we check it first. The newer Mather tracts off Mather Field Road usually have modern wiring and clean floor plans that give up 500 square feet of JADU space easily. An older base-era home may need electrical or plumbing updates before a garage or bedroom suite becomes a comfortable, code-compliant second residence. We read your specific home before designing, and if the wiring or plumbing needs work to carry a second kitchen we scope it up front so there are no mid-build surprises.
Is my Mather property on city utilities or well and septic?
Mather sits on Sacramento County sewer and city utilities, so you do not have the well and septic capacity questions that rural parcels deal with. That keeps the utility side of a JADU conversion straightforward and the permit path clean, we tie the second kitchen and bathroom into the existing service without needing a septic upgrade or a well capacity check. If your neighborhood has an HOA and the conversion changes the exterior, we handle the architectural submittal alongside the county permit so both approvals move together.
Mather JADU Built to Last. Answered After Move-In.
Ready to start your Mather JADU project? Call Adam directly or request a free on-site quote. We walk the property, talk through conversion options, and quote it transparently.