How Much Does an ADU Cost in Utah? The 2026 Fixed-Price Breakdown
Ask three Utah contractors what an ADU costs and you'll get three shrugs and a "well, it depends." Here's the answer with actual numbers — because Arena publishes its pricing: a fixed $175 per square foot, turn-key.
The short answer: $128,625 to $385,875, fixed
Every Arena ADU is priced at $175 per square foot, and that number is locked before the first shovel hits dirt — design, permits, site work, and the full steel-built Arena Standard included. No allowances, no change-order roulette. Across the seven plans:
The Compact — $128,625
735 sq ft · 2 bed · 1.5 bath · the lowest-cost complete backyard home.
The Super Garage — $147,000
840 sq ft apartment over a 3-car garage.
The Loft — $167,125
955 sq ft · 3 bed · 3 bath across a main + loft level.
The Entertainer / The Apartment Upgrade — $210,000
Both 1,200 sq ft two-story plans — one trades a bedroom for a roof deck.
The American Dream — $257,250
1,470 sq ft · 5 bed · 4 bath · a complete family home.
The Investor Triplex — $385,875
2,205 sq ft · three self-contained units on one foundation.
Why "it depends" is usually true — and why it isn't here
Traditional ADU quotes float because stick-built construction passes every surprise through to you: lumber repricing mid-build, subcontractor overruns, weather damage to exposed framing, and the classic 10–20% "contingency" that always gets spent. Since 2020, construction materials have run roughly 40% more expensive and borrowed money costs about twice as much — which is exactly why open-ended quotes have gotten scarier.
Arena's homes are panelized cold-formed steel, cut to the millimeter in a factory and assembled on site in weeks. Factory precision is what makes a locked price possible: when the parts can't warp, rot, or get re-cut on site, the labor doesn't balloon — so the quote doesn't either.
What "turn-key" actually includes
The $175/sq ft covers design, engineering, permits, foundation and site work, the steel structure with mineral-board sheathing, continuous insulation and triple-pane windows, all-electric mechanicals with instant hot water at every bath, finishes, and final inspections. The number on your contract is the number you pay.
The other half of the math: what it pays back
Wasatch Front comparables put Arena plans between $1,400 and $2,850 a month in long-term rent. On the Compact, that's roughly $16,800 a year against a $128,625 build. For the full rent-vs-payment math, read the Utah house-hacking playbook — or skip the reading and run your own lot through the 3-minute estimator.
Get your number
An Arena advisor runs your address, your goal, and your budget — and calls back with a fixed price and a floorplan that fits.
Have an advisor call me →Keep reading
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