Plus: How Our Flora 900 Prefabricated ADU Kit Makes It Easier Than Ever

Vermont has made meaningful strides to encourage the development of Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs)—secondary housing units on single-family lots—through streamlined regulations that make it easier and more affordable for homeowners to add space for rental income, family, or aging in place.

Thanks to updates to Vermont’s ADU laws codified in 24 V.S.A. § 4412, any single-family home in the state can add one ADU by right, meaning no conditional use approval is required, provided the ADU is:

No more than 30% the size of the primary dwelling or 900 square feet (whichever is larger)
Located on the same lot as the primary residence
Compliant with applicable setbacks, height, and lot coverage standards

In 2020, Act 179 further reduced regulatory barriers by prohibiting municipalities from requiring more parking for ADUs than for primary residences and making it easier to build detached units.Act 179, enacted in Vermont in 2020, aimed to promote affordable housing by reducing regulatory barriers for Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs). While the act doesn't explicitly address parking requirements, it amends 24 V.S.A. § 4412 to ensure that municipalities cannot impose more restrictive standards on ADUs than those applied to single-family dwellings. This provision effectively limits the ability of municipalities to enforce additional parking requirements for ADUs beyond what is required for single-family homes.

At New Frameworks, we’re excited to support homeowners across Vermont in taking advantage of these opportunities with our line of high-performance, prefabricated ADU kits, including our Flora 900—a 900-square-foot unit designed to meet Vermont’s regulations with style, comfort, and sustainability built in.

Meet the Flora 900: Vermont-Ready, Future-Ready

The Flora 900 ADU kit was designed for healthy, resilient living in our Northern climate. Whether you’re looking to add a backyard rental, a home for aging parents, or an independent space for multigenerational living, this kit meets Vermont’s regulatory thresholds and exceeds expectations for performance, durability, and indoor health.

Key Features:

900 square feet of finished, conditioned living space
First-floor bedroom for accessibility
Loft space for a second bedroom or home office
Open-concept living and kitchen area
Built with compressed straw panel walls—fire-, pest-, and moisture-resistant
Designed for net-zero-ready performance with an all-electric energy system

Because it stays under the 900 SF threshold and is designed to comply with Vermont’s statewide zoning requirements for ADUs, the Flora 900 ADU kit helps many homeowners move through the permitting process more smoothly—without needing a special or conditional use permit in most cases. Standard permits are still required, but this umbrella law makes approval more straightforward and accessible.

Cost-Effective, High-Performance Living

We know that one of the biggest challenges for Vermonters building sustainably is affordability. Custom high-performance homes in the region can run $550–$650 (and up!) per square foot. Our prefabricated ADU kits flip that equation:

Flora kit price: $138,000 or $153/SF
Typical project cost (including the kit cost, excluding site work): $398/SF

This makes the Flora 900 a rare combination of financial accessibility, sustainability, and quality, especially for homeowners seeking to reduce operating costs through all-electric design and high-efficiency building envelopes. And for those looking for other models, we also have predesigned ADU kits in various sizes: Cabañita 300 SF, Agua 400 SF, Terra 600 SF, and Árbol 1200 SF.

Faster Construction, Local Support

We’ve designed our prefabricated kits for speed and predictability. Unlike site-framed construction which can take months—or even years—our prefab ADU kits are fabricated off-site and can the building enclosures can be assembled in just weeks, with a total project timeline of 2-6 months. Additionally, our prefab ADU kits have:

immediate availability for fabrication
pre-permitted design that cuts down on zoning delays
Local Vermont-based manufacturing and technical support

Whether you’re working with your own builder or looking for recommendations, we’re here to guide you through the process.

Built for Vermont’s Climate—and for Generations

The Flora 900 ADU kit is more than code-compliant: it’s built for comfort, health, and long-term resilience. Our wall system is airtight and vapor-open, meaning it allows vapor to pass through while keeping air and moisture out—critical for mold prevention, thermal comfort, and exceptional indoor air quality.

Materials include:

Vermont sourced, dense-packed, organic straw insulation
Vermont sourced maple finish flooring and hemlock beams
0-VOC finishes like Vermont Natural Coatings, Earthaus Plaster, and ECOS Paints

You’ll breathe easier knowing your ADU is safer and healthier—for you and the planet.

A Smart Investment for Your Home, Family & Future

Adding an ADU in Vermont is a powerful way to:

Generate rental income
Support aging in place for family members
Provide independent living for young adults or caregivers
Increase property value and resale flexibility
Increase available housing stock for fellow Vermonters

With state-level backing for ADUs, programs like the VHIP ADU Program (which offers up to $50,000 in grants for creating long-term rental ADUs), and easy compliance with Vermont’s by-right rules, and Efficiency Vermont’s new Residential New Construction incentives that compensate homeowners for using low-carbon insulation materials, there’s never been a better time to build smart.

Ready to Build Your Vermont ADU?

Whether you’re still exploring your options or ready to break ground this summer, the Flora 900 ADU kit is a streamlined, cost-effective, and beautiful way to build more housing—naturally.

Contact us today to learn more or get a quote—we’re proud to support Vermont homeowners in creating spaces that serve people, planet, and place.

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