What You Need to Know When Adding an ADU to Your Property

by towusradn588

A new ADU ordinance has been adopted by the state in 2020. California is now set to experience an increased number of granny flats. Due to the housing crisis that hit the county of Los Angeles in the past years, it’s no surprise why savvy homeowners and investors have already been building additional ADUs in their property. Whether they built to maximize their property value, earn extra rental income from tenants, use as housing for in-laws or just want an extra storage area; the secondary residence or simply Accessory Dwelling unit is set to become a hot topic. However, before you begin putting up that granny flat, there are important tips worthy of consideration. Let us look at the tips quickly.

  1. Think About Why You are Putting up the ADU

I cannot stress this tip enough! Before you start identifying the site, you need to come up with a clear definition of what you are chasing. There are various reasons to put up an ADU. Examples include:

  • A place for your elderly in-laws / parents
  • To list on Airbnb
  • Create a backyard apartment
  • Primary residence in the case of downsizing

And much more…

Whatever your reason is for putting up the ADU, by ensuring you clearly understand this, you can come up with a design idea that works appropriately.

  1. What is Your Budget?

How much are you planning to spend on the construction of that attached unit? It is obvious that for a project to be successful, you have to put in substantial amount. The amount will be guided by the overall objective. If you are planning to use the ADU as a primary residence, you need to ensure all amenities are budgeted for. Designing your ADU is crucial when it comes to considering your budget. This is important because the designing process has a big effect on the construction costs as the plans will be used as the guide towards the construction.

  1. Educate Yourself on Different Ways to Put up a Granny Unit

An educated consumer can make better decisions. Same, when it comes to putting up the secondary residence or mother-in-law-quarter as you may like, make sure you have done proper research. Research the different ways to build an ADU, and determine your most suitable designs. The different options include:

  • Garage Conversion

You can put up an ADU by simply converting your backyard Garage into a living unit. With garage conversion, you can build up to 1200 SQ feet without changing the existing setbacks.

  • Attached Unit as a house addition

This is a common approach for people who are putting up the ADUs. The new ADU can be  built up to 50% of the existing house with a maximum of 1200 SQ feet. Attached ADUs should have the side and the rear setbacks.

  • Detached Unit

For a detached ADU, you can build up to 1200 Square Feet with Five Feet Minimum from side and the rear property lines.

With this information and having determined the reason for building an ADU, you are in a position to make a wise decision.

  1. Choose a reliable contractor

Your ADU contractor is better than your best friend is. Therefore, you have to make sure you hire an experienced and reliable ADU construction contractor. This is a company with necessary licenses and meets all the regulatory requirements. Therefore, talk to an architect soon.

For ADU construction and consultation in Los Angeles, contact us at CCS Inc. We provide qualified architects to help our customers put up the best ADUs.