How Did a First-Time Home Buyer Build an ADU for His Parents?

By Buz Artiano, BuildX | March 2026

Watch: How One Kingston Family Used an ADU to Keep Generations Together

If you're a first-time home buyer who also needs to figure out housing for aging parents, you already know that the cost makes it all seem impossible. You're trying to qualify for a mortgage, save for a down payment, and also figure out where your parents will live as they are getting older. Most people just start to really feel stuck choosing between helping their parents and planning for their own future. The idea that you could do both at the same time sounds too good to be true.

My name is Buz Artiano, and I am the founder of BuildX. We've built dozens of ADU projects across Massachusetts, mostly around the South Shore and Plymouth County areas. We are the only team you need, we handle design, permitting, and construction. So we see every phase of a project from the first site visit up until you move in. We deal with septic constraints, zoning issues, and the state's new ADU laws. We've seen lots of families in similar situations find a good option that accomplishes everything they need, and the project I'm about to share with you is one of the most creative solutions we have ever helped a family build.

Bernard May is a BuildX client. We are building Bernard and his wife a 900-square-foot detached ADU in Kingston, Massachusetts, designed for his parents to downsize into as they are getting older and will be enjoying their retirement. What makes Bernard's story different from most ADU projects is how it started. Bernard and his wife are first-time home buyers who actually bought his parents' home, and then hired us to build an ADU on the property so his parents could stay right there close to him. One investment solved two housing problems.

Of course we want to share stories from families who had a great experience with us, but there's a reason we want to share Bernard's story specifically. His situation was quite unique. He was going through the steps of becoming a first-time homeowner and creating a housing solution for his parents all at the same time. So we think that his story and his perspective will be a lot more useful for you to hear than us bragging about ourselves.

How Did Bernard Pull Off First-Time Homeownership and an ADU at the Same Time?

Bernard and his wife were first-time home buyers, while his parents were retiring and wanting to downsize. So they saw an opportunity that most people wouldn't have thought of. Bernard could just buy his parents' home, and then the parents could move into a new ADU on the same property. Bernard gets to own his own home and his parents get to downsize and also move into a brand-new home on the same property. One solution for two housing problems.

That idea didn't come from some financial advisor or a real estate guide. Bernard came up with the idea because he had to watch his own mother deal with an aging parent and he saw the stress that comes with figuring out where a parent will live as their needs change. So he decided to do something about that before his family got to that point. Bernard told us "Maybe we can delay the nursing home process. Maybe we can have them nearby to not only help them as they get older but help us as we start our family."

That thinking, solving for both generations at once, is the reason for every decision we made after that.

What Made BuildX the Right Fit for This Project?

Bernard and his wife talked to several contractors before calling BuildX, but none of them gave them the same level of confidence. Bernard said he had three main priorities: transparency, knowledge, and cost. Those were his "big three," and BuildX was the only team that delivered on all of them from the first time we spoke to him.

Bernard said that the level of professionalism is what really stood out to him the most. From the very first meeting, Buz pulled up the Kingston town map, reviewed the property lines, and recommended they do a property survey to make sure the lot could support an ADU. That all had to happen before any discussion about design or pricing. Bernard noted that Buz and the team had the process outlined from day one. He said they told him "This is where you are, this is where you need to be, this is how we are going to get you there."

We do an evaluation to determine whether an ADU is even possible on every project before we quote a price or start a design. On a Kingston lot, we're looking at property line setbacks, available septic capacity, and whether the existing site conditions support the foundation type the ADU requires. We do all that work upfront because we've seen families fall in love with a design and then find out that their property can't support it. Doing that evaluation first means we never waste a family's time or money on a plan that will never work. We know this because we have built enough of these to know where projects fail, and it is almost always in the details nobody checks early enough.

Bernard also went to see the 44 Bartlett unit, an ADU that was almost completed and we were finishing at the time. When he walked through the real completed unit, it was the turning point. As Bernard said: "We walked in and were blown away." After his visit, we used design software to show Bernard's family how they could take the Bartlett floor plan and make it their own. They made changes to the layout and added a half bath. Bernard said: "We knew that this is exactly the layout we are looking for."

Is This Something Your Family Could Do?

If you are in a situation where your parents are getting close to retirement while you are trying to figure out your own housing, Bernard's story shows that both problems can be solved at the same time. The "buy the parents' house and build them an ADU" idea isn't one you will see in a textbook but it is one that can happen when a family looks at their own situation and asks: what works for all of us?

Bernard's parents get a brand-new, traditionally built house on their own property and Bernard and his wife get their first home with the benefit of having their family close by. Since Bernard is planning to start his own family, having his parents just a few feet away from the main house will give everyone a support system that benefits both generations.

Bernard described the emotional effect like this: "This has brought us kind of closer together. It has given us something to rally around." The ADU was not just a construction project, it became a shared family goal that gave everyone something to look forward to.

What Does the Build Process Actually Look Like for a First-Time Buyer?

Once the family signed the contract, construction went quickly. The estimated building time for Bernard's 900-square-foot ADU is 100 days. Bernard said the building time was surprising: "We cannot believe that the overall turnaround time is 100 days."

All during the build, the family's project manager, Tom, has kept communication clear and consistent. Bernard's parents, who are the main occupants, have been involved in every finish choice. Bernard said that his mother changed her mind about the cabinet handles three or four times during the process. Tom was patient with each change, listened to her concerns and guided her toward the right decision without any pressure. That kind of patience is important when the people choosing finishes are the ones who will live with those choices every day.

Bernard highlighted one of the things that made the process manageable: "There are a lot of decisions. BuildX has been good about having those laid out clearly." For a first-time buyer dealing with a construction project for the first time, that clearness is not a luxury. It is the difference between confidence and anxiety. At the time of Bernard's testimonial, the family had broken ground and could see the footprint taking shape. As Bernard put it: "Now that we have broken ground we are feeling great. We are glad we are underway. We are excited."

Is This Approach Right for Every Family?

No. Bernard's situation worked because certain things all lined up. His parents owned the property, they were willing to sell to him, the lot supported an ADU, and the family's finances were enough to be able to manage the purchase of the house and build the ADU. This might not be the case with every family however.

If your parents don't own property, or if the lot can't support a second structure due to septic, setback, or lot coverage constraints, then we have to do things a little differently. If the financing structure doesn't work for your situation, it might not be possible. We encourage anybody who is thinking about building an ADU to start with a site evaluation before making any assumptions about what's possible on your property. We would rather tell you early that a project isn't going to work than let you find out after you've committed time and money.

We also want to be honest, Bernard's project is not finished, his ADU is still under construction, it isn't finished yet. We're sharing his story early because the decision-making process, the builder evaluation, and the family dynamics are all real and documented. When the project is finished, we'll also share the outcome.

What If Your Family Has the Same Opportunity?

Bernard May bought his parents' home, hired BuildX, and is building them a 900-square-foot ADU in Kingston so they can retire on the same property where they raised him. That decision solved two housing problems with one project and brought his family closer together in the process. If your family is weighing a similar scenario, the first step is finding out whether your property can support it.