600 Square Feet House: What Fits

A 600 sq ft ADU in California: models you can see in augmented reality, floor plans you can see in 3D, 1-bedroom and 2-bedroom layouts.

  • 750 sq ftADU impact-fee line, California
  • 1,000 sq ftMax size for new 2-bed ADU (CA)
  • 20 × 30 ftOne 600 sq ft footprint

BEFORE YOU PLAN

600 Sq Ft: ADU or New House?

In California, an ADU provides complete independent living facilities on a lot with a proposed or existing primary residence. A new main house gets none of these rules, and its cost and return math shifts completely and needs serious analysis.

  • CA ADU: ministerial review, no hearing
  • CA ADU: no impact fee at 750 sq ft or less
  • CA ADU: lot coverage can't block 800 sq ft, 4-ft side/rear
  • CA ADU: no local cap under 1,000 sq ft with 2+ beds
  • New main house: the ADU rules above don't apply
  • CA, over 500 sq ft either way: a school fee may apply

OUR PLANS

600 Square Feet ADU Floor Plans

The best part of a 600 sq ft design is flexibility. It can work as a starter home, rental, guest house, retirement cottage, or compact urban dwelling.

600 sq ft ADU floor plan

600 sq ft ADU floor plan

The T-shaped layout at 600.

1 bd 1 bath ADU floor plan

586 sq ft, 1 bed / 1 bath

A garage conversion project - 14 sq ft under 600.

ADU floor plan 1 bd 1 bath

632 sq ft, 1 bed / 1 bath

Bedroom with a walk-in closet, 32 sq ft over the 600.

ADU floor plan 2 bd 2 bath

714 sq ft, 2 bed / 2 bath

Elongated unit - 114 sq ft over 600.

3D walkthrough model of an ADU floor plan

VISUALIZED

See the Plan in 3D and AR

A 2D floor plan requires knowledge of blueprint symbols and imagination. Our floor plan library shows a layout in 3D, while our ADU Viewer iPhone app shows it in your backyard in AR. Try the ADU planner with 500 designs, or compare 500 sq ft ADU floor plans and a 750 sq ft house plan.

BEDROOM COUNT

600 Square Feet House Plans: 2 Bedroom

Two bedrooms fit in 600 sq ft.

  • 2 bed / 1 bath

    About 110 sq ft per bedroom; each needs at least 70 sq ft and 7 ft across under the California Residential Code.

  • 2 bed / 2 bath

    A 600 sq ft plan may squeeze in a tiny en-suite bathroom, at the cost of living space.

  • 2 bed/1.5 bath

    Strike a compromise to accommodate guest with the help of a powder room, while keeping the full bathroom private.

DESIGN

600 Square Feet House Design

The key to making a small house work is an efficient floor plan. In just 600 sq ft, every foot matters. A smart layout may include one bedroom, an open kitchen, a bathroom, stacked laundry, storage, and a great room with glass sliding doors, skylights, ceiling fans and lights to create an airy feel.

Top-view floor plans of several ADU layouts arranged on a lot in warm orange and yellow tones, with a compact accessory dwelling unit plan highlighted in teal among neighboring properties and trees.

You do not want to waste space in small homes. A hallway is floor you only walk through, so kitchen and living share one room.

DIMENSIONS

600 Square Feet Is How Big?

FOOTPRINT

20 × 30 ft

One shape.

ALSO FITS

15 × 40 ft

Narrow-lot version.

IN METRIC

55.7 m²

Or 66.67 sq yd.

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Picture a 24 × 24 ft two-car garage: 576 sq ft, so 600 is that garage plus a 1 ft strip down one side. Check which garage you mean, though. A 20 × 20 ft garage is only 400 sq ft.

Black-and-white top-view floor plans of several ADU layouts arranged on a lot, with a compact accessory dwelling unit plan highlighted among neighboring properties and trees.

What Does Your Lot Allow?

NEXT STEP

Fill in the address, and try several plans from our library. The service is free and available 24/7.