XBuild ADU
AI-Powered ADU Decision Engine
PROBLEM
More homeowers want to build an ADU.
Most never start.
The tools exist, The decision path doesn't.
Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) have become a critical housing solution in the United States, driven by housing shortages and evolving family structures. Many states have expanded ADU-friendly policies, yet most homeowners never move beyond early interest.
The challenge is not architectural design — it is navigating uncertainty across regulation, finance, and risk. XBuild reframes ADUs as a deployable, decision-driven product system.
Where homeowners get stuck
DESIGN FRAMEWORK
Mapping ADU Decision Journey
Five structured decision stages - each designed to remove exactly one type of uncertainty.
The confidence curve shows how anxiety resolves as homeowners move towards commitment.
Insights synthesized from industry research on ADU adoption and homeowner decision behavior.
01 DISCOVERY
One input.
Instant signal.
The landing page acts as the first decision surface.
A single address input turns curiosity into eligibility feedback.
Before validation, users can explore models and understand how the system works
02 ELIGIBILITY
Your result,
in a second.
Most eligibility flows end in a form.
This one ends in an answer, before the user committed to anything.
Three very different outcomes.
All designed to keep the user moving forward, never to a dead end.
DESIGN & FEASIBILITY VALIDATION
03 CONFIGURATOR
Choose your style.
Watch it land.
The configurator shifts the user's mental model
from "choosing a product" to "placing a home on my land."
Seeing the unit on their actual lot makes the decision spatial and contextual.
EXTERIOR & INTERIOR DESIGN STUDIO
Switch between exterior massing and interior axon. The same unit, seen from outside and inside. Visualize before your build.
REAL-TIME CONFIGURATION
Homeowners can customize both exterior finishes and interior rooms, with photorealistic previews and real-time cost tracking updating at every step.
04 FINANCIAL
See the numbers.
Own the decision.
The Financial Terms view consolidates upfront cost, revenue projections,
incentive programs and exit timing into a single scrollable canvas,
replacing an overwhelming spreadsheet with a structured, legible flow.
Financial Snapshot
Costs and returns are often fragmented. We bring them together into a single view, so users can quickly decide if the model works for them.
Pick your year. Lock your return.
Exit timing is the highest-anxiety variable for homeowners. Making it interactive, select a buyback year to see exactly what you walk away with.
Programs surfaced, not buried
Eligibility is complex and often unclear. We surface requirements in context, so users know what they qualify for and what to do next.
Final Commitment
The final step is the hardest. We keep status visible and human support one tap away.
05 PROJECT EXECUTION
Nothing hidden.
Every phase tracked.
Once underway, the user's biggest anxiety is "what's happening right now?"
The execution dashboard turns a black box into a transparent, trackable system,
with named humans accountable for each phase.
Timeline Interactivity
Progress, schedule, and responsibility on the same row. Users don't have to chase updates, the timeline tells them exactly where things stand and who's accountable.
Human-in-the-loop
Users always know who they are working with, turning execution from a black box into a collaborative process.
DESIGN SYSTEM
UI Kit
REFLECTION
What I learned building from zero
User Flow
End-to-end homeowner journey from address input through eligibility,
model selection, path decision, and shared execution pipeline.
PROCESS
Project Timeline
Team Role
