Pioneer Valley ADU Accelerator
Making it easier to build all-electric ADUs in Western Massachusetts
About the Accelerator
The Pioneer Valley ADU Accelerator is a regional initiative designed to reduce the early barriers that keep homeowners from moving forward with an Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU), especially around rules, cost, and who to call first. The program focuses on all-electric, energy-efficient ADUs, with an emphasis on detached modular and panelized ADU cottages, and connects homeowners to a clearer step-by-step path from exploration to next steps.
Early Clarity
on feasibility, costs, first steps, and timing
Faster Path
to build with fewer false starts
Easier comparisons
with repeatable designs and transparent pricing
Practical Guidance
with tools, checklists, and technical support
Questions? Need to contact us? Email program-manager@mymassadu.org
Program Details
What's Included
The Pioneer Valley ADU Accelerator Program includes three core pieces:
Faster Feasibility Support
Eligible homeowners who fill out the interest form in the ADU Wizard can schedule a call with or email the Program Manager to discuss their property and goals for early screening before deciding whether to move forward with a full feasibility study.
Homeowner Grants
Eligible homeowners may receive a $500 grant toward a $1,000 full feasibility study, funded through Massachusetts Housing Partnership (MHP) or through the Pioneer Valley ADU Accelerator Program depending on qualifications.
Technical assistance
For homeowners that decide to pursue an ADU on their property, the Program Manager will track their progress and help them overcome any barriers that may come up.
Program Eligibility
To be considered for the program, homeowners must meet all of the following conditions:
You own a home in the Pioneer Valley—Hampden, Hampshire, or Franklin County—and are exploring an ADU on your property. See the full list of eligible communities in the FAQs, below.
You are interested in a detached ADU that is all-electric, energy-efficient, and delivered through modular or panelized construction.
You are willing to fill out a form or talk on the phone to the Program Manager roughly monthly during the duration of your project to share updates on milestones or roadbumps.
How to Enroll
1
Look up your property
Use the ADU Wizard to look up your address and get an initial sense of what may be possible on your lot.
2
Explore designs that fit your site
In the ADU Wizard, select one or more floor plans to view on your property so you can compare options and see what you like. You can also scroll down to browse all the designs in the program and see more details.
3
Explore affordability and financing scenarios
Use the Financial Feasibility Tool (look for the Can I Afford It? button within the ADU Wizard) tool to estimate what may be possible based on your home, finances, and goals; it’s meant to guide your thinking—not replace advice from a lender or other professional.
4
Submit the interest form
When you’re ready, select the Get Started button in the ADU Wizard and complete the interest form so the Program Manager can understand your goals and basic site conditions.
5
Schedule your call
If you qualify for the Pioneer Valley program, the Program Manager will follow up to schedule a call and walk through your questions and next steps.
6
Decide on a full feasibility study
After reviewing the early screening information together, you’ll be able to decide whether to move forward with a paid, full feasibility study to confirm scope, constraints, and cost drivers.
Available Designs
Browse and filter the designs below to find the right fit for you. All of the designs below are available on the ADU Wizard. On each design page, clicking the Try on Your Lot button will take you to the ADU Wizard to search for your property and pick the floorplan from the designs.
Filter & Sort
Professionals List
Building an ADU usually involves a team—manufacturers, local builders, feasibility study providers, and other specialists who help move a project from early planning to permitting and construction. The professionals listed here are a starting group working with the Pioneer Valley ADU Accelerator to help make the process clearer and easier for homeowners, however this is not an exhaustive list of professionals serving in the Pioneer Valley. You’re welcome to use this list as a starting point, and we encourage you to do your own research when selecting the right provider for your project.
Feasibility Study Providers
Feasibility providers help answer: “Can I build this here—and what will it take?” through a site visit and written summary of key constraints and cost drivers.
Backyard ADUs (Statewide)
Home & Hearth Remodeling (Hampden & Hampshire)
Integbuild (Berkshire, Franklin, Hampden, Hampshire, Worcester)
KBS Builders (Statewide)
Rare Forms, Inc. (Berkshire, Franklin, Hampden, Hampshire)
Financial
Lenders help homeowners understand financing paths for ADUs, such as home equity loans/HELOCs, construction loans, or applicable statewide programs.
- MassHousing’s Accessory Dwelling Unit Loan Program offers income-eligible borrowers a financing path for adding an additional unit to their single-family property. The program helps homeowners build ADUs by offering a fixed-rate second mortgage product at a lower interest rate and higher combined loan to value limits than are currently available through a home equity line of credit.
For more details on ADU budgets and financing options in general, see the Budgeting page.
Builders / General Contractors
Builders and General Contractors assemble and complete ADUs on site—often coordinating trades, managing construction sequencing, and completing field work needed beyond the factory scope (especially for panelized projects).
Backyard ADUs (Statewide)
East Branch Studios (Berkshire, Franklin, Hampden, Hampshire)
Home & Hearth Remodeling (Hampden & Hampshire)
Integbuild (Berkshire, Franklin, Hampden, Hampshire, Worcester)
Rare Forms, Inc. (Berkshire, Franklin, Hampden, Hampshire)
The Home Store (Statewide)
Manufacturers
Manufacturers produce the ADU “unit” (the cottage itself) using modular or panelized construction and typically provide repeatable designs, spec levels, and baseline pricing.
KBS Builders (Statewide)
Rare Forms, Inc. (Berkshire, Franklin, Hampden, Hampshire)
Reframe Systems (Statewide)
Simplex Industries, Inc. (Statewide)
Designers
Designers support plan selection and customization, permit-ready drawings, and coordination with engineering when needed.
Backyard ADUs (Statewide)
East Branch Studios (Berkshire, Franklin, Hampden, Hampshire)
BrightBuilt Home (Statewide)
Rare Forms, Inc. (Berkshire, Franklin, Hampden, Hampshire)
The Home Store (Statewide)
We’ve included a number of manufacturers, builders, designers, feasibility study providers, and lenders that serve the Pioneer Valley with high quality, all electric, modular and panelized ADUs. If you’d like to be added to the list, please Email program-manager@mymassadu.org for more information.
Accelerator FAQs
Which municipalities are included?
Hampden County (23)
- Agawam
- Blandford
- Brimfield
- Chester
- Chicopee
- East Longmeadow
- Granville
- Hampden
- Holland
- Holyoke
- Longmeadow
- Ludlow
- Monson
- Montgomery
- Palmer
- Russell
- Southwick
- Springfield
- Tolland
- Wales
- West Springfield
- Westfield
- Wilbraham
Hampshire County (23)
- Amherst
- Belchertown
- Chesterfield
- Cummington
- Easthampton
- Goshen
- Granby
- Hadley
- Hatfield
- Huntington
- Middlefield
- Northampton
- Pelham
- Plainfield
- South Hadley
- Southampton
- Ware
- Westhampton
- Williamsburg
- Worthington
Franklin County (26)
- Ashfield
- Bernardston
- Buckland
- Charlemont
- Colrain
- Conway
- Deerfield
- Erving
- Gill
- Greenfield
- Hawley
- Heath
- Leverett
- Leyden
- Monroe
- Montague
- New Salem
- Northfield
- Orange
- Rowe
- Shelburne
- Shutesbury
- Sunderland
- Warwick
- Wendell
- Whately
What is the Pioneer Valley ADU Accelerator?
The Pioneer Valley ADU Accelerator is a regional initiative that helps homeowners overcome early barriers to building an Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU), including confusion around rules, costs, and who to call first. The program focuses on all-electric, energy-efficient ADUs, especially detached modular and panelized cottages, and guides homeowners through a clear, step-by-step process from initial interest to next steps.
The program is a collaboration led by Massachusetts Clean Energy Center with program coordination by Backyard ADUs, and key partners Community Planning Collaborative and FutureLot.
How do you determine what I can build on my property?
Feasibility is the early work that determines whether an ADU can be built on a specific site and what it’s likely to cost – looking at zoning, site constraints, utilities, and access.
This program has three levels of feasibility check:
- The online tools for homeowners to look up their address to see if their site has room and to put in their financials to see if they can afford their desired project.
- A phone or video call with a program manager to take a deeper look through the futurelot Pro tool and ask any questions
- A paid feasibility study including a site visit from an eligible Feasibility Study Provider (see below)
The program does not guarantee that a property is eligible for an ADU, guarantee permitting approval, guarantee final project costs, or act as the contracting party for design or construction, or get involved with financing. Final decisions about permitting, pricing, and project delivery remain with the homeowner, the municipality, and the selected provider team.
Will there be financial help?
Yes. Eligible homeowners may receive a $500 grant toward a $1,000 full feasibility study, funded through Massachusetts Housing Partnership (MHP) or through the Pioneer Valley ADU Accelerator Program to help offset Feasibility Study costs, increasing the likelihood that early exploration turns into real projects.
What kinds of ADUs are eligible?
The program is focused on detached, all-electric modular and panelized ADU cottages with high energy performance and replicable designs.
Does "all-electric" mean my project will need an electrical service upgrade?
Not always, but sometimes. One goal of the program is to help identify electrical readiness early so homeowners have a better sense of whether panel upgrades, service changes, or related work may be needed before they move too far into the process.
Will the program connect me with a builder or manufacturer?
Yes. The Pioneer Valley ADU Accelerator Program is intended to connect homeowners with participating manufacturers, builders, and feasibility providers – all involved in the program are also visible on the website. The program does not recommend one provider over another – homeowners can review available options and choose the team or path that best fits their goals, site, and budget.
Why do the designs have a price range? What's included?
ADU costs depend heavily on site conditions, utility needs, and the amount of work outside the factory-built unit. The program is structured to give homeowners useful early price ranges and next-step guidance, not false precision.
Pricing shown on the website is intended for early comparison and education. Each design listing reflects the ADU unit itself, a baseline site-cost assumption of $40,000, and related finishing costs. Each listing explains what is included and what is excluded.
Pioneer Valley ADU Accelerator
Making it easier to build all-electric ADUs in Western Massachusetts