ADU
Accessory dwelling units: detached, attached, or converted from space you already have.
Three quite different projects
An ADU can be a converted garage, an addition attached to the house, or a new detached building in the back yard. They share a name and very little else. The cost, the timeline and the permitting differ substantially between them.
A conversion reuses an existing slab and walls, which saves money until the moment the existing structure turns out not to meet the code a dwelling has to. A detached unit is a small house: its own foundation, its own utility runs, its own everything.
What tends to catch people out
The site costs. Running sewer, water and power to a new structure at the back of a lot, upgrading a panel that cannot take the extra load, and getting machinery down a side yard are the line items that rarely appear in an online estimate.
We look at all three on the first visit, because they are usually what separates two otherwise identical quotes.
What this covers
- Feasibility against your lot and zoning
- Detached, attached and garage conversions
- Utility runs and panel upgrades
- Foundation and framing
- Kitchen and bathroom fit-out
- Permits, inspections and final sign-off
Questions
About adu.
Further reading
From the journal
What an ADU Really Costs in Los Angeles County, and What Drives the Number
What an ADU costs to build in Los Angeles County, which decisions move the number most, and the site costs that rarely appear in an online estimate.
Rebuild or Remodel? How to Tell Which One Your House Actually Needs
The structural, financial and code questions that decide whether to remodel or rebuild, and where remodeling stops being the cheaper option.
Where we do this work
Start with a site visit.
We come out, walk it with you, and tell you what we think it takes. Free, and no decision is needed on the day.