Design it
Pick one of five sizes, the exterior, the interior, a deck, a canopy, and solar in the 3D builder. It takes about five minutes.
Homes and ADUs
A backyard ADU,
bolted together in days.
Five sizes from 420 to 950 sq ft at $400 per square foot, from $168,000. Permit-ready engineering included. No welding, no rot, no termites.
Non-combustibleASTM E136 tested
PE-stamped engineeringPermit-ready packages
US patent grantedBolted Master Lock joint
6061-T6 aluminumNo rot, no termites, 100% recyclable
The frame
Watch it come together.
Six stages from the first column to a closed frame. Then look at the patented joint that lets it happen without a welder.
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How it works
Four steps.
One conversation.
You never hand the project to a stranger. Khurshid takes the first call and stays on it.
Engineer and permit
Every kit ships with a PE-stamped, permit-ready structural package. We work with your city through review.
Ship in 6 to 10 weeks
The frame is extruded to your drawings and ships flat-packed on a standard truck, not a crane-set box.
Bolt it together in days
A crew of two to four with hand tools puts the frame up. Our team assembles it, or yours does.
Pricing
$400 per square foot.
From $168,000.
The price covers the engineered aluminum frame kit, the PE-stamped permit package, and the exterior and interior selections you make in the builder.
Quoted for your lot are installation, foundation, site work, utility connections, permit fees, and delivery. You get that number on the call, in writing, before anything is ordered.
420 sq ft
Studio
Open studio, one bath
From $168,000Design this size →540 sq ftOne Bedroom
One bedroom, one bath
From $216,000Design this size →690 sq ftTwo Bedroom
Two bedrooms, one bath
From $276,000Design this size →800 sq ftTwo Bedroom, Two Bath
Two bedrooms, two baths
From $320,000Design this size →950 sq ftTwo Bedroom Plus
Two bedrooms, two baths, larger living area
From $380,000Design this size →A good fit
- A backyard ADU, studio, or guest house on a California or Mountain West lot.
- A mapped wildfire zone where insurance is the problem, not the mortgage.
- A hillside or narrow lot a concrete truck and crane cannot reach.
- A remote or off-grid parcel where you are doing some of the work yourself.
- Anyone who wants the frame to be the last thing they ever think about.
Probably not
- A flat lot on a county road with a good stick framer in the next town. Wood is cheaper there.
- The look of stacked logs. No aluminum frame gives you that.
- A crane-accessible lot and a six-month deadline. A modular box is a fine product for that.
Honest answers in both directions. Read the ADU cost breakdown, the wildfire post, or the off-grid post for the numbers behind each line.
Questions
The six we get most.
Do I need a permit?
Yes. Every kit includes a PE-stamped structural package written for the permit path, and we work with your building department through review. California requires cities to act on a complete ADU application within 60 days.
How long does the whole thing take?
The frame kit ships 6 to 10 weeks after your drawings are approved, and the frame goes up in days. The permit and your site work set the rest of the calendar. A typical backyard ADU is months, not the 8 to 12 a site-built unit takes.
I am in a wildfire zone. Does this help?
Aluminum is non-combustible under ASTM E136 and qualifies as a noncombustible material in the California WUI products handbook. Wood ignites at 570°F and feeds the fire. Aluminum at 1,220°F has not contributed any fuel. Insurers have offered credits of up to 16% for non-combustible framing.
What maintenance does the frame need?
None. Aluminum forms its own oxide layer, so it never needs recoating, and nothing eats it. Over 30 years that is $15,000 to $25,000 you do not spend on a wood frame.
Can I put it up myself?
In most jurisdictions, yes. Core X Frame structures have been erected by crews of two to four people with no specialized training and no welding. Our team assembles most projects in California, and we support owner-builders elsewhere.
What about a remote or off-grid lot?
That is where the system is strongest. The kit fits in a pickup, sits on screw piles with no concrete truck, and carries the solar array on the frame. We wrote a long piece on it. Read it here.
Next step
Thirty minutes with Khurshid.
The founder takes the call. Bring your lot, your ZIP code, and what you want to build, and leave with a realistic installed range and a straight answer on fit.
Rather talk now? Call or text (650) 450-1455.