A 900 Square Foot Plymouth ADU, Built for Billy

Why did the Myettes build an ADU in Plymouth?

Pam and John Myette's son Billy is in his mid twenties and autistic, and the question every parent in their position lives with is what happens later. The option on the table was a group home. John says Billy would never adapt to one. Pam says it was not something they wanted to explore. They wanted Billy to live as independently as he can, in the least restrictive setting there is, and they wanted it settled while they could still make it happen.

When Plymouth moved to allow ADUs, the Myettes called Buz, whom Pam had known for decades. They wanted to be the first in town, and they were. The house gives Billy his own home for the rest of his life, with a second bedroom for a caregiver, and it lets Pam and John plan a retirement instead of a worry. Their oldest son will move to the property eventually and look after his brother from next door.

How was the plan designed around Billy's needs?

The state cap is 900 square feet, so Buz laid out several footprints that fit it and the Myettes shaped one around what they needed. Two bedrooms were the requirement: one for Billy, one for whoever will stay overnight to watch over him. Big windows and nine foot ceilings were Buz's call, because a small house reads as a big space when the light gets in. The bathroom is oversized with a big shower and a lot of storage, and Pam says it is the room she would most like to have in her own house.

Pam's description of the process is that Buz keeps it manageable for the homeowner, and that everything is one step above what everyone else is getting. If they were unhappy with anything, they called Buz or Kevin and it was changed. When decisions were hard, they trusted the answer would be right, because half done is not in him.

What was construction like for the Myette family?

Kevin, the project manager, was on site every day and gave John a rundown each morning of what would happen. The trades flowed one in, one out, and each crew introduced themselves, said what they were doing, and asked where to park. John has friends who build houses, and they could not believe a house went up in three months. Pam is at the ADU constantly. She says she loves that house more than her own.

How long did the Plymouth ADU take to build?

The first ground broken in September was only to take the trees down. Real construction started the first week of October, and the family was in before Christmas, which was the target Buz set. John puts the actual build at eight to ten weeks. It was an aggressive schedule and they hit it.

Does 900 square feet feel small?

Pam loves every room and cannot name one she dislikes. The king-size bedroom, the big windows and the nine foot ceilings are the things she and John mention first. John's favorite is the bathroom, big enough that visitors comment on it. What looks small on paper does not feel it inside, and that was the point of the design.

What changed once the ADU was finished?

The constant worry is gone. Pam says it is a peace she never thought she could have. John says they no longer carry the question of what the future brings, because they built it. The house also became the first BuildX home tour: more than 300 families came through over five weekends, and the stories Buz heard on those weekends are what turned ADUs from one favor for a friend into the company's whole focus.

Can an ADU be a forever home for a child with special needs?

Yes, and this is the house that proved it for Plymouth. Pam's message to every parent of a special needs child is to figure out a way to make it happen, because the peace it brings is not something a group home or a waiting list can give you. She adds that there is grant money available to families in this situation and that Buz handled the paperwork. If this is your family's question, ask it on the first call.

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