Working With Us
Hiring an ADU builder in Orleans
Lower Cape ADU is a licensed accessory dwelling unit builder serving Orleans and the seven other Lower Cape towns. Our office is in North Eastham, at Unit #7, 4250 State Highway, about ten minutes up Route 6 from the Orleans rotary. Orleans is effectively our neighboring town.
Orleans mixes sewered village property with septic-served outlying lots, plus historic district review along 6A. Which of those apply to your parcel changes the project substantially, and it is worth knowing on day one.
We handle Orleans ADU projects end to end — site assessment, design, permitting, and construction supervision — so you are working with one accountable party from the first conversation through to occupancy, rather than coordinating a designer, an expediter, and a contractor yourself.
- Vern Hatt, owner
- MA Construction Supervisor License #CS62739
- MA Home Improvement Contractor License #177590
- Office in North Eastham
What an Orleans ADU project looks like
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Free consultation
We sit down with you — no charge, no obligation — and talk about what you are actually trying to solve on your Orleans property: rental income, room for family, a place to downsize into, or staying put as you age.
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Property assessment
We walk the property and look at the things that decide the project: lot area, setbacks, septic or sewer, grade, access, and what the existing house can support.
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Legal and physical limits
We establish what Orleans and the Massachusetts Affordable Homes Act actually allow on your parcel, so the design starts from a real envelope rather than a hopeful one.
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Preliminary design and estimate
We produce a preliminary design and a good-faith estimate as part of the bidding process, so you can see the project and its cost before committing to anything.
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Permitting
We prepare and submit the permit package and represent the project before the Orleans Building Department, the Board of Health on septic or sewer connection questions, and the Old King’s Highway Regional Historic District Committee for properties in the Route 6A district as required.
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Construction supervision
We supervise construction through to occupancy, as a licensed Massachusetts Construction Supervisor working on your Orleans property.
What We Build
Types of ADUs we build in Orleans
Which of these fits depends on your lot, your septic or sewer situation, and what you are trying to accomplish. We work through that with you before recommending one.
Standalone Cottages in Orleans
A detached cottage on your own lot — the most flexible option when land and septic allow it.
Garage Conversions in Orleans
Converting an existing garage, or building above one, often on an already-approved footprint.
Basement Conversions in Orleans
A lower-level unit using space you already have, where ceiling height and egress work out.
Attic Conversions in Orleans
Overhead space turned into a compact unit without expanding the building footprint.
Modular & Prefab in Orleans
Factory-built units that shorten on-site construction time and tighten the schedule.
The Local Picture
Orleans is where the Lower Cape comes together
Orleans is the Lower Cape's hub — the town where Route 6 and Route 6A meet, where residents from Eastham to Brewster come to shop, bank, and see the doctor. It straddles two coasts, from Rock Harbor on the bay to Nauset Beach on the Atlantic, and supports a larger year-round community than its Outer Cape neighbors. That combination of services and steady population makes Orleans a natural place for an ADU: there's real, year-round rental demand and the everyday infrastructure that makes a second home practical.
Why an ADU Fits Here
Orleans character, Orleans opportunity
What makes Orleans Orleans—and how a well-designed accessory dwelling unit fits naturally into it.
Nauset Beach & Rock Harbor
Orleans reaches from the Atlantic surf at Nauset Beach to the sunset fishing fleet at Rock Harbor. That dual-coast appeal sustains demand from both seasonal and year-round renters.
The Lower Cape's Service Hub
With its shops, restaurants, and medical offices, Orleans supports a substantial year-round workforce — and a corresponding need for year-round housing that an ADU can help meet.
Pleasant Bay & the Estuary
Orleans fronts Pleasant Bay, one of the Cape's great estuaries. Waterfront and near-water lots carry conservation considerations that thoughtful ADU design accounts for from the start.
Aging in Place, Close to Care
Because Orleans concentrates the Lower Cape's medical and everyday services, it's an especially strong place to age in place. A single-level ADU keeps an owner near the care and conveniences they rely on.
The Rules, In Brief
Orleans ADU rules at a glance
How the statewide ADU law applies in Orleans — and what still gets decided locally.
By-Right, Statewide
Since February 2025, a first ADU is permitted by right in single-family zoning under the Affordable Homes Act, with no owner-occupancy requirement.
Size Limits
By-right ADUs are capped at 900 square feet or half the primary dwelling's floor area, whichever is smaller.
Septic & Watershed
Much of Orleans drains to Pleasant Bay and other sensitive waters, so Title 5 septic capacity and watershed nitrogen rules can shape ADU design.
Local Dimensional Rules
Setbacks, height, and lot-coverage limits remain town-set. Orleans has been aligning its bylaw with state law, so current local details are worth confirming.
Local Knowledge
What to think about for an Orleans ADU
Orleans offers something its Outer Cape neighbors can't always match: a steady year-round economy and the services that make a second unit genuinely useful, from groceries to healthcare. The main technical questions are environmental — septic capacity and the nitrogen-sensitive watersheds that feed Pleasant Bay can influence how many bedrooms a lot supports and where a unit can go. For owners thinking about aging in place, Orleans is one of the strongest choices on the Lower Cape precisely because everything is close at hand. We assess your lot's septic and setback picture first, then design an ADU that fits both the regulations and your long-term plans.
Permitting an ADU in Orleans typically involves the Orleans Building Department, the Board of Health on septic or sewer connection questions, and the Old King’s Highway Regional Historic District Committee for properties in the Route 6A district. We prepare the package and represent the project through that process as part of every job.
Common Questions
Orleans ADU questions we get asked
Do I need a special permit to build an ADU in Orleans?
Under the Massachusetts Affordable Homes Act, a first accessory dwelling unit is allowed by right in single-family zoning, which means a special permit is generally not required for that first unit. You still need a building permit, and Orleans still applies its own setback, height, and lot coverage rules. Second units, oversized units, or properties in overlay districts may require additional local review. We confirm the current requirements with the town as part of every project.
How big can an ADU be in Orleans?
The by-right cap is 900 square feet or 50% of the primary dwelling’s floor area, whichever is smaller. On a modest Orleans home, the 50% figure is often the binding number rather than the 900 square feet — which is why we measure the existing house early instead of assuming.
Will septic or sewer limit an ADU on my Orleans property?
Orleans has a municipal sewer system serving the downtown and village area, while much of the rest of town remains on private septic. Which side of that line your property falls on materially changes an ADU’s feasibility and cost, so we confirm sewer availability at your address early.
How long does an ADU project take in Orleans?
Design and permitting typically run a few months, and construction depends on the type of unit and the season. Garage, basement, and attic conversions generally move faster than new detached construction. We give you a realistic schedule for your specific Orleans property at the consultation rather than a generic range.
Can I rent out an ADU in Orleans?
Long-term rental of an accessory dwelling unit is generally permitted. Short-term rental rules are set locally and vary meaningfully from town to town on the Lower Cape, so if short-term rental income is part of your plan, confirm current Orleans rules before you build. We raise this early because it can change which design makes sense.
Let's Talk
Thinking about an ADU in Orleans?
The first conversation is free. Tell us about your Orleans property and what you are trying to solve — rental income, family space, or downsizing in place — and we will walk you through whether it makes sense, with a preliminary design before any estimate.
Start with a Free ConsultationVern Hatt · Licensed Construction Supervisor #CS62739 · Home Improvement Contractor #177590