What is included in the electrical plans for an ADU?

Our ADU electrical plans are a permit-ready drawing set — typically sheets E-0 through E-2 — that gives your city's plan reviewer everything needed to approve the electrical scope and your electrician everything needed to build it. Every set is drawn to the current California Electrical Code (the CEC, which adopts the NEC with California amendments) and coordinated with Title 24.

What's on the sheets

A complete California ADU electrical set generally contains the following, all referenced to your specific floor plan and address:

• Power plan — every receptacle (general-use, dedicated, and GFCI), switch, and junction box located on the floor plan, with mounting heights and dedicated-circuit callouts.
• Lighting plan — fixture locations, switching, and high-efficacy lighting notes coordinated with your Title 24 report for energy-code compliance.
• Panel schedule(s) — every branch circuit listed with description, breaker size, voltage, and AFCI/GFCI designation, plus spare/reserved spaces.
• Single-line / riser diagram — the service or feeder path from the main house panel to the ADU subpanel (or separate meter), showing conductor and conduit sizing, the main breaker, and grounding.
• NEC/CEC Article 220 load calculation — the engineered demand calculation that justifies the panel amperage.
• Grounding and bonding details — the four-wire subpanel connection, isolated neutral, grounding electrode system, and bonding notes for a detached structure.
• Smoke and CO alarm locations per the California Residential Code, shown on the floor plan.
• EV-ready provisions — reserved breaker space and a conduit pathway to a designated charging location.
• Solar and ESS-ready provisions where the applicable energy code requires them for newly constructed detached ADUs.
• General notes and a symbols legend citing the applicable code edition and standard installation requirements.

The code-mandated circuits we lay out

Beyond the drawings, the set specifies the branch circuits California requires for a dwelling unit, so nothing is missed in the field:

• Two 20-amp small-appliance circuits serving the kitchen countertop receptacles.
• A dedicated 20-amp laundry circuit and a dedicated 20-amp bathroom receptacle circuit.
• GFCI protection at kitchen counters, bathrooms, garages, outdoor receptacles, and anything within 6 feet of a sink.
• AFCI protection on the 120V circuits serving bedrooms and most habitable rooms.
• Dedicated circuits for the range/cooktop, water heater, HVAC, dishwasher, disposal, and washer/dryer.

How the electrical set fits the larger package

Electrical is one of three disciplines. Many cities want all three submitted together, which is why most owners bundle electrical with mechanical and plumbing in a Full MEP package so the heat pump, water heater, and panel sizing all agree. A single discipline starts at $995; Full MEP starts at $1,495, scaled by ADU square footage. Title 24 documentation, when required, is +$240. See pricing for current options.

Requirements vary by jurisdiction and utility — confirm the exact sheet and submittal requirements with your local building department and serving utility before you order.

Two revisions plus any city plan-check corrections are included with every set. See how it works or place an order to get started.