Aldo

Free preliminary boundary — no account needed. New York parcels.

Bedford · ADU cost

What it costs to build an ADU in Bedford, NY

800 sq ft ≈ $235k–310k $296–388/sq ft 18 districts Con Edison

An 800 sq ft accessory dwelling unit in Bedford runs roughly $235k–310k, or about $296–388/sq ft, and that per-square-foot figure sits deliberately above the $242–318/sq ft a full house costs here. An ADU still needs one whole kitchen, one whole bath, its own service panel and its own heating plant no matter how small you draw it, and those costs do not shrink with the floor plan, so they land on half the square footage and push the rate up. Whether the town will let you build one is a separate question from what it costs, and it gets answered parcel by parcel rather than townwide, since the Town of Bedford maps 18 districts that treat accessory units differently from one another, so read the table below as a starting point rather than a verdict.

Check a specific parcel for an ADU in Aldo, free →

ADU cost by size in Bedford

Standard finish, slab on grade, on a flat and clear part of the lot, general-contractor margin included. These are structure costs at Westchester County pricing, before the service and septic work a second dwelling can trigger.

SizeType$ / sq ftEstimated total
400 sq ft Studio $392–$514 $155k–205k
600 sq ft One bedroom $328–$430 $195k–260k
800 sq ft One bedroom, larger $296–$388 $235k–310k
1,000 sq ft Two bedroom $277–$362 $275k–360k

400 sq ft — One room plus a bath. Garage conversions and small backyard cottages land here.

600 sq ft — The most common detached build - a real bedroom, full kitchen, one bath.

800 sq ft — Room for a proper living area. Still a single bath and one kitchen.

1,000 sq ft — About as large as most codes allow an accessory unit to go.

Why the rate is higher than a house

The systems below are priced for an 800 sq ft unit. The middle column is what each system would cost if it simply shrank with the floor plan; the left column is what it actually costs once you account for the equipment a dwelling needs one of regardless of size. The gap between the two columns is the whole reason small builds price the way they do.

System$ / sq ft in an ADUIf it scaled with floor areaFixed per unit
Site work $9–$13 $9 —
Foundation $19–$27 $19 —
Framing $30–$38 $30 —
Envelope - roof, siding, windows $38–$49 $38 —
Plumbing $33–$40 $19 55%
Electrical $22–$28 $15 35%
HVAC $27–$34 $17 45%
Insulation $9–$11 $9 —
Interior finishes $38–$51 $32 15%
Millwork & cabinetry $22–$33 $13 55%

The fixed-per-unit share is a modeling assumption, not a figure from the code: it is our estimate of how much of each system's budget buys equipment a dwelling needs exactly one of - a kitchen rough-in, a bath group, a service panel, a heating plant - and therefore does not shrink when the unit does. Site work, foundation, framing, envelope and insulation are treated as scaling straight with floor area, which understates the premium slightly, because a small building carries more envelope per square foot of floor than a large one.

What the Bedford code says about accessory units

Whether you can build one, and how large, is decided by the district your parcel sits in rather than by the town as a whole. The table shows how each mapped district treats ADUs alongside the lot and setback standards a second unit still has to fit inside. District boundaries and conditions vary, so treat it as a starting point and confirm the district that applies to your parcel.

District Min lot Setbacks F / S / R Max height ADU
Residence Two-Acre District 2 ac 50 / 40 / 50 ft 35 ft Occupancy restricted
Residence Four-Acre District 4 ac 75 / 50 / 50 ft 35 ft Occupancy restricted
Residence One-Half-Acre District 0.46 ac 35 / 20 / 50 ft 35 ft Occupancy restricted
Residence One-Acre District 0.92 ac 35 / 30 / 50 ft 35 ft Occupancy restricted
Residence One-Quarter-Acre District 0.23 ac 35 / 15 / 40 ft 35 ft Occupancy restricted
Housing for Elderly District 5 ac 50 / 50 / 50 ft — Occupancy restricted
Residence Two-Family District 0.23 ac 35 / 15 / 40 ft 35 ft Occupancy restricted
Diversified Housing District 5 ac 20 / - / 20 ft — Occupancy restricted
Residence Village Apartment District — 50 / 50 / 50 ft 35 ft Occupancy restricted
Central Business District — 10 / - / 30 ft 45 ft No
Neighborhood Business District — - / 10 / 30 ft 35 ft No
Planned Business - Office District 1 ac 35 / 20 / 30 ft 35 ft No
Planned Business - Office District (Katonah) 0.46 ac 35 / 20 / 50 ft 35 ft No
Planned Business - Retail District 1 ac 35 / 20 / 30 ft 35 ft No
Light Industrial District 0.46 ac 15 / 15 / 30 ft 45 ft No
Residence Multifamily District 2 ac 50 / 50 / 50 ft 35 ft —
Research Office District 25 ac 200 / 100 / 100 ft 45 ft —
Roadside Business District — 10 / - / 30 ft 45 ft —

Residence Two-Acre District - Meeting the two acre minimum is not enough on its own: the lot must also contain a square 200 ft on a side lying wholly inside its boundaries, and no more than 25% of the required minimum lot area may be land under water or mapped as a wetland.

  • A conservation development needs Town Board approval and a parcel with no house on it of at least 10 acres or five times the district minimum, whichever is greater (§ 125-53).
  • In a conservation development the yards to interior lot lines are 35 ft front, 15 ft on one side, 35 ft combined and 40 ft rear; the district's own yards apply along the outside boundary.
  • Attached houses are allowed only in a conservation development, at 35 ft side and rear to interior lot lines and, on the outside boundary, twice a detached house's yard and never less than 50 feet.
  • The number of dwellings may not exceed what a conventional subdivision of the same land would yield, with an absolute ceiling of four dwelling units per acre (§ 125-54D).
  • In a subdivision of five or more lots an affordable unit may stand on a lot of 75% of the district minimum, but in this district such a lot must be at least one acre.
  • A new lot needs at least 25 ft of frontage, and an access strip serving one must be at least 25 ft wide (§ 125-13B).

Residence Four-Acre District - Meeting the four acre minimum is not enough on its own: the lot must also contain a square 250 ft on a side lying wholly inside its boundaries, and up to half of the required minimum lot area may be land under water or mapped as a wetland.

  • A country inn needs a special permit and a single lot of at least 10 acres with frontage on and practical access to a state road (§ 125-85.3).
  • A conservation development needs Town Board approval and a parcel with no house on it of at least 10 acres or five times the district minimum, whichever is greater (§ 125-53).
  • In a conservation development the yards to interior lot lines are 35 ft front, 15 ft on one side, 35 ft combined and 40 ft rear; the district's own yards apply along the outside boundary.
  • Attached houses are allowed only in a conservation development, at 35 ft side and rear to interior lot lines and, on the outside boundary, twice a detached house's yard and never less than 50 feet.
  • The number of dwellings may not exceed what a conventional subdivision of the same land would yield, with an absolute ceiling of four dwelling units per acre (§ 125-54D).
  • In a subdivision of five or more lots an affordable unit may stand on a lot of 75% of the district minimum, but in this district such a lot must be at least one acre.

Residence One-Half-Acre District - Besides meeting the lot area, the lot must contain a square 100 ft on a side lying wholly inside its boundaries, and no more than 25% of the required minimum lot area may be land under water or mapped as a wetland.

  • A conservation development needs Town Board approval and a parcel with no house on it of at least 10 acres or five times the district minimum, whichever is greater (§ 125-53).
  • In a conservation development the yards to interior lot lines are 35 ft front, 15 ft on one side, 35 ft combined and 40 ft rear; the district's own yards apply along the outside boundary.
  • Attached houses are allowed only in a conservation development, at 35 ft side and rear to interior lot lines and, on the outside boundary, twice a detached house's yard and never less than 50 feet.
  • The number of dwellings may not exceed what a conventional subdivision of the same land would yield, with an absolute ceiling of four dwelling units per acre (§ 125-54D).
  • In a subdivision of five or more lots an affordable unit may stand on a lot of 75% of the district minimum, and none of that may raise the number of lots the land would otherwise yield.
  • A new lot needs at least 25 ft of frontage, and an access strip serving one must be at least 25 ft wide (§ 125-13B).

Residence One-Acre District - Besides meeting the lot area, the lot must contain a square 150 ft on a side lying wholly inside its boundaries, and no more than 25% of the required minimum lot area may be land under water or mapped as a wetland.

  • A conservation development needs Town Board approval and a parcel with no house on it of at least 10 acres or five times the district minimum, whichever is greater (§ 125-53).
  • In a conservation development the yards to interior lot lines are 35 ft front, 15 ft on one side, 35 ft combined and 40 ft rear; the district's own yards apply along the outside boundary.
  • Attached houses are allowed only in a conservation development, at 35 ft side and rear to interior lot lines and, on the outside boundary, twice a detached house's yard and never less than 50 feet.
  • The number of dwellings may not exceed what a conventional subdivision of the same land would yield, with an absolute ceiling of four dwelling units per acre (§ 125-54D).
  • In a subdivision of five or more lots an affordable unit may stand on a lot of 75% of the district minimum, and none of that may raise the number of lots the land would otherwise yield.
  • A new lot needs at least 25 ft of frontage, and an access strip serving one must be at least 25 ft wide (§ 125-13B).

Residence One-Quarter-Acre District - Besides meeting the lot area, the lot must contain a square 75 ft on a side lying wholly inside its boundaries, and no more than 25% of the required minimum lot area may be land under water or mapped as a wetland.

  • Attached houses are allowed only in a conservation development, at 35 ft side and rear to interior lot lines and, on the outside boundary, twice a detached house's yard and never less than 50 feet.
  • A conservation development of detached houses carries the same front, side and rear yards this district already requires (§ 125-54F(1) and F(3)).
  • A conservation development needs Town Board approval and a parcel with no house on it of at least 10 acres or five times the district minimum, whichever is greater (§ 125-53).
  • A new lot needs at least 25 ft of frontage, and an access strip serving one must be at least 25 ft wide (§ 125-13B).
  • In every residence district the maximum exposed building elevation is 40 ft.
  • On a corner lot the yard on the side street must equal the required front yard, and the owner elects which of the remaining yards is the rear (§ 125-18).

Housing for Elderly District - At least 20% of the dwelling units built here must be middle-income units meeting § 125-56 (§ 125-29.3B). The schedule caps height at 2 1/2 stories and prints no limit in feet for this district.

  • Besides meeting the lot area, the lot must contain a square 250 ft on a side lying wholly inside its boundaries (§ 125-12B).
  • Two buildings must stand at least as far apart as the taller of them is high, and no building may run more than 200 ft along its longest axis.
  • A new lot needs at least 25 ft of frontage, and an access strip serving one must be at least 25 ft wide (§ 125-13B).
  • In every residence district the maximum exposed building elevation is 40 ft.

Residence Two-Family District - One row of the schedule covers both a one-family and a two-family house: the lot minimum is 10,000 sq ft either way, and each dwelling unit needs 5,000 sq ft of lot area of its own.

  • Townhouses and multifamily dwellings are permitted here only where the development is approved as a conservation subdivision under Town Law § 281 or as a conservation development.
  • Besides meeting the lot area, the lot must contain a square 75 ft on a side lying wholly inside its boundaries (§ 125-12B).
  • No building may run more than 125 ft along its longest axis.
  • A new lot needs at least 25 ft of frontage, and an access strip serving one must be at least 25 ft wide (§ 125-13B).
  • In every residence district the maximum exposed building elevation is 40 ft.

Diversified Housing District - Side yards are set by the Planning Board at site plan review: at least 10 ft each and 20 ft combined, and the Board may require up to 50 ft each and 100 ft combined.

  • Land per dwelling unit goes by unit size against the gross parcel area: 3,500 sq ft for an efficiency and 4,000 sq ft for a one-bedroom.
  • Larger units need more: 4,750 sq ft for a two-bedroom, 7,000 sq ft for a three-bedroom and 8,500 sq ft for a four-bedroom.
  • At least 20% of the dwelling units built here must be middle-income units meeting § 125-56 (§ 125-29.2B).
  • The schedule caps height at 2 1/2 stories and prints no limit in feet for this district.
  • The lot must also contain a square 250 ft on a side lying wholly inside its boundaries, and no building may run more than 200 ft along its longest axis.
  • A new lot needs at least 25 ft of frontage, and an access strip serving one must be at least 25 ft wide (§ 125-13B).

Residence Village Apartment District - The schedule publishes no minimum lot area here; what it sets instead is 3,500 sq ft of lot area for each dwelling unit. No building may run more than 150 ft along its longest axis.

  • A new lot needs at least 25 ft of frontage, and an access strip serving one must be at least 25 ft wide (§ 125-13B).
  • In every residence district the maximum exposed building elevation is 40 ft.
  • On a corner lot the yard on the side street must equal the required front yard, and the owner elects which of the remaining yards is the rear (§ 125-18).

Central Business District - No single permitted use other than an emergency service provider may occupy more than 4,000 sq ft on the first floor of a building, and the schedule publishes no minimum lot area and no side yard for this district (§ 125-29.7).

  • A hotel or motel needs a special permit from the Board of Appeals and a site of at least seven acres with at least 300 ft of frontage on a state or county road (§ 125-72B).
  • The two coverage figures are read separately: the first caps buildings and the second caps buildings and parking area together.
  • No principal nonresidential use other than an emergency service provider, a medical or veterinary office or a restaurant may operate between 1:00 a.m. and 6:00 a.m.
  • A buffer screening area at least 10 ft wide, planted with evergreens or replaced by an approved wall or fence, is required along a lot line that abuts or faces a residence district (§ 125-24).
  • A new lot needs at least 25 ft of frontage, and an access strip serving one must be at least 25 ft wide (§ 125-13B).

Neighborhood Business District - No single permitted use other than an emergency service provider may occupy more than 4,000 sq ft on the first floor of a building, and the schedule publishes no minimum lot area and no front yard for this district (§ 125-29.7).

  • The schedule prints one side yard of 10 ft and no total for both sides combined.
  • A hotel or motel needs a special permit from the Board of Appeals and a site of at least seven acres with at least 300 ft of frontage on a state or county road (§ 125-72B).
  • The two coverage figures are read separately: the first caps buildings and the second caps buildings and parking area together.
  • No principal nonresidential use other than an emergency service provider, a medical or veterinary office or a restaurant may operate between 1:00 a.m. and 6:00 a.m.
  • A buffer screening area at least 10 ft wide, planted with evergreens or replaced by an approved wall or fence, is required along a lot line that abuts or faces a residence district (§ 125-24).
  • A new lot needs at least 25 ft of frontage, and an access strip serving one must be at least 25 ft wide (§ 125-13B).

Planned Business - Office District - Besides meeting the one acre minimum, the lot must contain a square 150 ft on a side lying wholly inside its boundaries. The narrower side yard may be held to 20 ft only where the two yards together reach 45 ft.

  • The two coverage figures are read separately: the first caps buildings and the second caps buildings and parking area together.
  • A buffer screening area at least 10 ft wide, planted with evergreens or replaced by an approved wall or fence, is required along a lot line that abuts or faces a residence district (§ 125-24).
  • A new lot needs at least 25 ft of frontage, and an access strip serving one must be at least 25 ft wide (§ 125-13B).
  • On a corner lot the yard on the side street must equal the required front yard, and the owner elects which of the remaining yards is the rear (§ 125-18).

Planned Business - Office District (Katonah) - Besides meeting the lot area, the lot must contain a square 100 ft on a side lying wholly inside its boundaries. The narrower side yard may be held to 20 ft only where the two yards together reach 45 ft.

  • A residential structure already standing on a lot of less than 20,000 sq ft may be converted to office or two-family use as long as it is not enlarged and the lot is not reduced (§ 125-85.1C).
  • No driveway, parking, loading or storage area with a paved or gravelled surface may be within 25 ft of a residence district boundary (§ 125-85.1D).
  • Planting is required where a side or rear yard abuts a residence district boundary, Sunrise Avenue, Orchard Street or Congdon Lane (§ 125-85.1D).
  • The two coverage figures are read separately: the first caps buildings and the second caps buildings and parking area together.
  • A buffer screening area at least 10 ft wide, planted with evergreens or replaced by an approved wall or fence, is required along a lot line that abuts or faces a residence district (§ 125-24).
  • A new lot needs at least 25 ft of frontage, and an access strip serving one must be at least 25 ft wide (§ 125-13B).

Planned Business - Retail District - Besides meeting the one acre minimum, the lot must contain a square 150 ft on a side lying wholly inside its boundaries. The narrower side yard may be held to 20 ft only where the two yards together reach 45 ft.

  • The schedule publishes no floor area ratio for this district.
  • The two coverage figures are read separately: the first caps buildings and the second caps buildings and parking area together.
  • A buffer screening area at least 10 ft wide, planted with evergreens or replaced by an approved wall or fence, is required along a lot line that abuts or faces a residence district (§ 125-24).
  • A new lot needs at least 25 ft of frontage, and an access strip serving one must be at least 25 ft wide (§ 125-13B).
  • On a corner lot the yard on the side street must equal the required front yard, and the owner elects which of the remaining yards is the rear (§ 125-18).

Residence Multifamily District - Land per dwelling unit is set by unit size rather than by one figure, starting at 3,500 sq ft for an efficiency and 4,000 sq ft for a one-bedroom.

  • Larger units need more: 5,500 sq ft for a two-bedroom, 7,000 sq ft for a three-bedroom and 8,500 sq ft for a four-bedroom.
  • Besides meeting the two acre minimum, the lot must contain a square 250 ft on a side lying wholly inside its boundaries (§ 125-12B).
  • No building may run more than 150 ft along its longest axis.
  • A new lot needs at least 25 ft of frontage, and an access strip serving one must be at least 25 ft wide (§ 125-13B).
  • In every residence district the maximum exposed building elevation is 40 ft.

Research Office District - The side and rear yards shown are for a one-storey building. They rise to 150 ft for two storeys and 200 ft for three storeys, and to 250 ft where the yard adjoins a residential district.

  • Besides meeting the 25 acre minimum, the lot must contain a square 500 ft on a side lying wholly inside its boundaries (§ 125-12B).
  • No use may be established unless the Planning Board finds it will not send dust, smoke, visible gas or fumes, odour, vibration, light or noise beyond the site.
  • The Board must also find the use will not create a fire, explosion, fume or radiation hazard, discharge harmful waste, disturb electrical equipment beyond the site or cause unusual traffic congestion.
  • The two coverage figures are read separately: the first caps buildings and the second caps buildings and parking area together.
  • A buffer screening area at least 10 ft wide, planted with evergreens or replaced by an approved wall or fence, is required along a lot line that abuts or faces a residence district (§ 125-24).
  • A new lot needs at least 25 ft of frontage, and an access strip serving one must be at least 25 ft wide (§ 125-13B).

Roadside Business District - The schedule publishes no minimum lot area and no side yard for this district, and the two coverage figures are read separately: the first caps buildings, the second buildings and parking area together.

  • A buffer screening area at least 10 ft wide, planted with evergreens or replaced by an approved wall or fence, is required along a lot line that abuts or faces a residence district (§ 125-24).
  • A new lot needs at least 25 ft of frontage, and an access strip serving one must be at least 25 ft wide (§ 125-13B).
  • On a corner lot the yard on the side street must equal the required front yard, and the owner elects which of the remaining yards is the rear (§ 125-18).
Check my address for ADU feasibility → Free · no account needed to start

Size limits on record in Bedford

Where the code states a size cap, it decides which row of the cost table above actually applies to you. These are the caps recorded for Bedford:

Costs an ADU adds that a house does not

Sizing up a specific parcel in Bedford?

Aldo pulls the exact zoning district, setbacks, and build feasibility for any parcel — before you buy. Enter your email to open Aldo and run your free report.

Building a full house instead?

A standard-finish house in Bedford runs $242–318/sq ft, about $435k–570k at 1,800 sq ft , plus roughly $15,326 for a conforming lot. See what it costs to build a house in Bedford.

ADU cost in nearby towns

Mount Vernon (City)
800 sq ft ≈ $235k–310k
New Rochelle (City)
800 sq ft ≈ $235k–310k
Peekskill (City)
800 sq ft ≈ $235k–310k
Rye (City)
800 sq ft ≈ $235k–310k
White Plains (City)
800 sq ft ≈ $235k–310k
Yonkers (City)
800 sq ft ≈ $235k–310k

All Westchester County towns: Mount Vernon (City) · New Rochelle (City) · Peekskill (City) · Rye (City) · White Plains (City) · Yonkers (City) · Cortlandt · Eastchester · Greenburgh · Lewisboro · Mamaroneck · Mount Pleasant · New Castle · North Castle · North Salem · Ossining · Pound Ridge · Somers · Yorktown · Harrison (Village) · Ardsley (Village) · Briarcliff Manor (Village) · Bronxville (Village) · Buchanan (Village) · Croton-on-Hudson (Village) · Dobbs Ferry (Village) · Elmsford (Village) · Hastings-on-Hudson (Village) · Irvington (Village) · Larchmont (Village) · Mamaroneck (Village) · Mount Kisco (Village) · Ossining (Village) · Pelham (Village) · Pelham Manor (Village) · Pleasantville (Village) · Port Chester (Village) · Rye Brook (Village) · Scarsdale (Village) · Sleepy Hollow (Village) · Tarrytown (Village) · Tuckahoe (Village)

More on Bedford: Can you build an ADU here? · Zoning for new construction · Westchester County build cost

ADU cost in Bedford: common questions

How much does it cost to build an ADU in Bedford, NY?

An 800 sq ft accessory dwelling unit in Town of Bedford runs roughly $235k–310k at a standard finish, general-contractor margin included. A 400 sq ft studio runs about $155k–205k. Those are structure costs on an easy site and do not include the septic, water or electrical service work a second unit often triggers.

Why does an ADU cost more per square foot than a house in Bedford?

Because a lot of a dwelling's cost is per dwelling, not per square foot. One kitchen, one bath group, one service panel and one heating plant cost about the same in an 800 sq ft cottage as in a 1,800 sq ft house, so on the smaller unit they get spread over less than half the floor area. That is why an ADU here prices at $296–388/sq ft against $242–318/sq ft for a full house, even though it is the same trades doing the same work.

Are ADUs allowed in Bedford?

Town of Bedford has 18 districts. 9 districts allow ADUs with occupancy restrictions, 6 do not. 3 districts have incomplete data - verify with the building department at (914) 666-8040. Check the specific address with the free ADU checker before you spend money on design.

Can I rent an ADU in Bedford short term?

No local short-term-rental law on record - which is not the same as permission for Town of Bedford. ADU rules and short-term-rental rules are set separately, so a unit you are allowed to build is not automatically one you are allowed to rent nightly. Confirm both before you underwrite the build on short-term-rental income.

ADU costs are modeled estimates in current 2026 dollars at the Westchester County regional index, general-contractor margin included, derived from Offsite's cost engine with a stated adjustment for the equipment a dwelling needs one of regardless of size. They are planning numbers for decision-support only - not a bid, quote, or guarantee, and not legal, architectural or engineering advice. They cover the structure and exclude septic expansion, utility service runs, site work beyond a flat and clear pad, and permit fees. ADU eligibility, size, owner-occupancy and permit conditions in the Town of Bedford vary by district and often carry exceptions this page does not show; zoning last reviewed 2026-09-27; verify with the building department at (914) 666-8040 before relying on any answer. Sources: the Offsite / Aldo cost engine and zoning dataset.

Building outside these counties?

Aldo covers 15 New York counties today. Tell us your market and we'll build the zoning + feasibility data for it.