BuildX · ADU Projects · Bourne, Massachusetts
A 725 Square Foot Bourne ADU in Sagamore Beach, Built for Charlene
A real accessory dwelling unit BuildX designed and built in the Flaherty family's Sagamore Beach backyard in Bourne: one bedroom, one bath, nine foot ceilings, a covered breezeway from the garage to her door, a private deck for morning coffee, and every finish chosen by the woman who lives there.
“We all have a family, but we all need our quiet time.”
Buz Artiano, on the deck off Charlene's bedroomWhy did the Flahertys build an ADU in Sagamore Beach?
Charlene's daughter and her family live in the main house. Charlene wanted her own place on the same property, close enough to walk over in two steps and across the yard, separate enough to have a morning to herself. Buz's rule of thumb is that detached is the right answer whenever it makes sense, because privacy is the thing customers ask for most. This one is detached, with one exception she asked for: a covered walkway from the garage.
How does the breezeway work?
The garage already stood behind the house. BuildX moved the garage door so it centers on the breezeway, added a back door out of the garage, and built an overhead roof from that door to the ADU's entrance. No walls on either side, by Charlene's choice. She parks inside, walks under cover, and is home. The steps up are minimal so a ramp could replace them later without rebuilding anything.
How was the interior customized?
Charlene wanted an open floor plan, so the kitchen has no island, which BuildX normally builds with seating for two. Walk in from the breezeway and the kitchen, living room and everything else flow together. She chose the cabinet color and the counters, the flooring, the wall colors, the pulls and the doorknobs, and she bought the appliances she wanted. Three foot doorways run from the entrance all the way through, so there is room to get around with anything.
The bathroom is oversized on purpose. A full-size stackable laundry center sits behind a pair of double doors, because a single door on a laundry closet gets banged into forever. The shower is a one-piece acrylic unit by Best Bath, heavy duty, with a barrier about three eighths of an inch high and a floor pitched away from the door. Two pocket doors let Charlene walk from bathroom to bedroom without going around through the kitchen, and the walk-through closet between them holds a lot of clothes.
What is under the house?
A crawl space, fully conditioned. Three-pound closed-cell spray foam covers the floor and runs up the walls, acting as both a moisture barrier and a radon barrier. The ducted heat pump equipment lives down there too, which keeps the space warmer still. The hybrid electric water heater is in a closet upstairs because there is no basement to put it in, with room left for a couple of coats.
“That space is going to stay by itself between 55 and 65 degrees year-round.”
Buz Artiano, on the conditioned crawl spaceThe electric panel is a 200 amp service, and it is inside the house, not in a basement. Buz's reason is practical: new breakers trip easily, and nobody living alone should have to go outside and down a bulkhead to reset one after running a blender.
Does 725 square feet feel small?
Michael's word on the tour is that it feels big. Nine foot ceilings and a lot of glass do most of it. The bedroom takes a queen or a king, or two twins, and opens through a slider onto a private six by ten deck where Charlene can have her coffee and look at the landscaping without seeing the family she loves. The living room fits a big sectional, a table and a wall-mounted TV, already set up. Chris, who filmed the second tour, calls the bathroom one of the best BuildX has done on a unit this size.
Who managed the Sagamore Beach build?
Michael Fleck was the project manager, and Buz's on-camera verdict was a great job on this one. Michael's own favorite detail is that the house was customized for the client down to the doorknobs, and that BuildX will make any alteration the client wants, whether the crew likes it or not. The home tour ran two weekends here before the open houses moved on, because Charlene was moving in.
Can an ADU be built for a parent who wants privacy and closeness at once?
Yes, and this is the build that shows the shape of it. Detached for the quiet, a covered walk for the practical, a deck facing away from the house for the mornings, and a bathroom, doorways and steps planned for the years ahead. If the person moving in wants to be close but not underfoot, describe it exactly that way on the first call. This plan already answers it.
More from the family
Thinking about an ADU in Bourne?
This home went from first shovel to finished in the town where you are thinking of building yours. Start with Bourne ADU rules, costs and permits, then see what an ADU really costs in Massachusetts.
Read the full Flaherty family story for the long-form version, in the family's own words.
Every project starts the way this one did: a conversation about what you actually need. No pressure, either way.
Meet the builder
Buz Artiano
"My name is Buz Artiano, owner of BuildX. At BuildX we're more than a home builder. While building is what we do, the relationships that are created in the process are what drives our passion to transform your dream into a reality. That is why we strive to give a first-class experience to our clients by listening to their vision and then building their trust with a custom home design that matches their taste and lifestyle."