Backyard Small Home: Leeds Adapted Square

650SF, Studio ADU

This unique design features aqua countertops, live edge open shelves, and a pebble backsplash. This studio backyard small home is designed to be wheelchair accommodating in preparation for a less mobile future as the occupant ages in place.

Check out our Leeds MA: Virtual 360° Tour and Small Home Design Tutorial Event recording to see the home live and possibly get your questions answered by one of our small home experts.

Retirement, Friendship, and a Big Lot in Harwich

Annie’s Home in Harwich, MA | 783 sqft 1-bed 1-bath

A Shared Vision for Aging in Place 

Retirement often brings a big question: "Where to?" For one homeowner, the answer wasn't a crowded condo or staying in an urban center. It was about moving closer to a best friend.

Annie’s friend Katie had a large lot in Harwich, MA. Together, they hatched a plan: build an ADU. It was the perfect way to support each other as they aged, while both maintained the privacy of their own four walls.

"My best friend and her husband have a large lot... and we talked and agreed that I'd build an ADU there so we could support each other as we age." - Annie Newman

Annie’s Living Room

Annie’s Eat-In Kitchen

The Challenges

Before landing on a backyard home, Annie looked at buying a local condo. However, having lived in one, she knew she didn't want to be that close to neighbors. The ADU offered a middle ground, though it came with its own set of worries:

• Affordability: Could a custom build fit my budget?

• The "Red Tape": Would the town even allow it?

"I realized I didn't want to live in close proximity to a lot of strangers." - Annie Newman

The Process

Annie has a background in construction, so she didn't want to be just a spectator. She worked alongside Tim and the Backyard design team to make sure every detail of the layout was exactly right.

• Smart Layout: Annie prioritized placing the bedroom away from the road and specific door locations.

• Heavy Lifting: We handled the messy parts—tearing down an old building on-site, managing the new septic system, and getting the foundation poured.

• Set Day: The crane arrived, the modular "boxes" were lifted into place, and the roof system was buttoned up in what felt like a blink.

"The setup of the crane seemed to take the most time; setting the boxes was fairly quick. The roof system is very clever, and I was impressed at how quickly the team buttoned everything up." - Annie Newman

The Result

Day-to-day life has shifted in the best way possible. Annie has her own space to age in place, her best friend Katie is right next door, and Annie is officially a local in a community she loves.

Annie’s Office

What we learned for next time: No project is without its "hiccups." We’re working with Annie to fix a stubborn toe-kick heater and some mischievous drywall screws that “decided” to back out. Annie also gave us a great tip for future homeowners: ”If you’re using low-VOC paint, wait a little longer before putting plants on those windowsills!”

"Backyard ADUs did all the hard work—permitting, septic design, etc. Other than buying my appliances, it was a complete turn-key project. I couldn’t be happier." - Annie Newman

Key Takeaways

• The Goal: Support a best friend while staying independent.

• The Build: A modular home in Harwich, MA.

• The Best Part: Annie got to sit back and watch during permitting, septic design, construction, etc., and could be hands-on for the part that she wanted, design.

Family, Proximity, and a New Chapter in Weymouth

ADU 810 SQFT, 2 Bed, 1 Bath in Weymouth, MA

A Shared Vision for Aging in Place

When family needs change, the "where do we go from here?" conversation usually follows. For the Nguyens, one Weymouth, MA family with aging parents, the answer wasn't finding a separate condo or a far-away assisted living facility. It was about bringing them home.

The opportunity was simple but significant: replace an underutilized addition on their existing house with a modern, independent in-law suite. It was the perfect way to provide their parents with a brand-new, easier-to-manage home with the family support system now just a few steps away.

Back porch

"The ADU route is more economical, easier to maintain in the long run, and gives our family  the huge benefit of having my parents right here." - Tin Nguyen

The Challenges

Before deciding on a Backyard Home, the Nguyen family looked at buying a separate house or condo nearby. However, they realized that staying on the same property offered a level of connection and convenience that separate properties would never match. Still, the logistics of it all felt daunting:

• The Unknowns: How would it all work?

• The "Red Tape": Would the permits and licenses be a headache?

• Trust: Could they find a team to do the job properly and respect the family’s budget?

"Finding a trustworthy contractor to do the job properly was a big concern." - Tin Nguyen

ADU

The Process

Building a home requires a lot of communication. This family was highly involved in the "design-to-cost" cycle, ensuring the final plans met their needs without breaking the bank.

• A Solid Design: Backyard ADUs focused on delivering a fully functional, livable unit with a custom kitchen and bath.

• The Heavy Lifting: Backyard handled the red tape and site work, managing the transition from an old addition to a new foundation.

• Set Day: Despite a New England snowstorm, the Backyard team put in a massive effort to get the modular units placed and secured.

"Backyard was great to work with ... huge props to them for putting in so much effort dealing with the snow and other things that went wrong on Set Day." - Tin Nguyen

The Result

Day-to-day life has shifted in the most meaningful way possible. The parents have a beautiful, manageable space of their own, and the family has the peace of mind that comes with proximity.

What we learned for next time: Every project teaches us something. In Weymouth, the Backyard team learned we need to be even clearer about how different foundation choices (like stilts versus concrete) affect floor temperature. We’re also working on tightening up our "finish line" communication so the final weeks of construction feel as smooth as the first.

"Having my parents nearby has been life-changing." - Tin Nguyen

Key Takeaways

Bedroom

• The Goal: Create a comfortable, economical in-law suite for aging parents.

• The Build: A high-quality modular ADU in Weymouth, MA.

• The Best Part: Turning a stressful "what if" into a "life-changing" reality for the whole family.