Every piece of content on The Dwelling Index follows a rigorous editorial process designed to ensure accuracy, transparency, and usefulness for homeowners making real decisions about accessory dwelling units.
Our guides are built from primary sources including state legislation, municipal planning department records, contractor pricing surveys, and published academic research. We do not rely on secondhand reporting or unverified claims.
Cost figures come from verified project data, contractor estimates, and public records. Where ranges are given, we cite the data source and specify the market, timeframe, and project type.
Every article is reviewed by at least one subject-matter expert before publication. We display a “last reviewed” date on every guide, and we re-review content at least every six months — sooner when relevant laws or market conditions change.
When regulations change (such as new state ADU legislation), we update affected guides within 30 days and note the update at the top of the article.
If we publish something inaccurate, we correct it promptly and transparently. Material corrections are noted at the top of the article with the date of the correction. Minor fixes (typos, formatting) are made without notation.
Some links on The Dwelling Index may be affiliate links, meaning we earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase. These links are always clearly marked with rel="sponsored" attributes. Affiliate relationships never influence our editorial content, recommendations, or rankings.
We do not accept payment for editorial coverage. Companies and products are included in guides based solely on editorial merit and relevance to homeowners.
Questions about our editorial process? Spot an error? hello@thedwellingindex.com.