Despite accessory dwelling units (ADU) being a type of affordable housing, building them is not easy. To do it, you’ll need to fulfill a lot of tasks — make a plan, prepare your territory for building, order good materials, and make sure that your project suits all the regulations. All of it can be much easier if you find a reliable general contractor such as A+ Construction & Remodeling. In our article, we’ll talk about how such a company can help you with your ADU construction.

ADU Contractor, Sacramento, California

What is the initial stage of an ADU project? First of all, you’ll need to choose its type. There are different types of accessory dwelling units that have their own distinctive characteristics. Let’s look at them more closely.

Detached ADU

A detached ADU is a backyard cottage that stands separately from the primary residence. Usually, detached ADUs are bigger, and provide a more private living space than other types. People often select this type of ADUs when they need a house for their elderly relatives. Typically, all the amenities (electricity, plumbing, water supply, etc) in a detached ADU are also independent of the main home.

Attached ADU

In most cases, attached ADUs are smaller than detached ones. Such accessory dwelling units have one or more common walls with the primary house. Sometimes, they also share utilities and/or a door. In some cases, an attached granny flat and the main residence even have one roof. Often, people select this ADU type for relatives who need intensive care. Another common purpose of attached ADUs is entertainment — for example, people use them as mini-cinemas or art studios.

Internal ADU

An internal ADU is a room in the main house that serves the purpose of an ADU. For example, it may be an attic or a basement. If you’ve got unused free space in your house, this variant might be for you.

Converted ADU

This ADU option is suitable for those who have an unused structure, such as a garage. Its main advantage is that it’s faster and cheaper to create because you don’t need to build it from scratch. As with the previous type, you convert an already existing space into an ADU. Because of this, a garage conversion is also a very popular secondary dwelling unit.

Junior ADU

A junior ADU (JADU) is a smaller ADU, whose maximum size can be 500 sq.ft. It’s much easier to get permission for a JADU than for a classic ADU. Also, if you already have an ADU on your property, you can also build a JADU.

Accessory Dwelling Unit Builders, Sacramento, CA

Constructing an ADU is almost similar to constructing a regular house. It’s a long and complicated process with thorough preliminary planning. For it, you’ll need to learn many different things and strictly follow safety rules, quality norms, and legal regulations. Also, you’ll need to avoid expanding the building process for many years.

If you hire professional ADU contractors, the entire process will be much shorter, and the quality of the results will be way higher. The best variant is if you trust the company and know it’s reliable. Then, the risk of any mistakes will be minimal — and so you’ll avoid unnecessary expenses and safety concerns. Only an ADU built by skilled professionals can be durable and long-lasting.

ADU Construction Advantages

An ADU in Sacramento can significantly increase your property value and provide many other benefits.

The main ones are the following:

• More living space. If your family has expanded and your main residence has become too small, a Sacramento ADU can be a great solution. Also, it can be useful when your children have grown up and started needing their own personal space;
• A home for elderly relatives. It can be very convenient if your aging parents or in-laws live close to you — especially if they need care. It’s one of the most common purposes of ADUs — many people even call them “granny flats” or “in-law suites”;
• The possibility of additional income. Lots of homeowners rent their ADUs out and get passive rental income from them. It’s also a very widespread purpose of accessory dwelling units — especially detached ADUs because a completely separate building is more comfortable to rent out than an attached one;
• Increased property value. As we’ve already said, a property lot with an ADU costs much more than without it. So, if you plan to sell your house someday, you’ll be able to make it way more expensive;
• Space for various activities. Your ADU should match all of your needs. For example, if you like watching films, why not turn it into a mini-cinema? Or, in case you’re a fitness fan, you can repurpose your ADU as a personal gym;
• A guest house. Some people like to throw parties or simply invite their friends to stay for a night. However, giving them a place in the main house can be uncomfortable for both the property owner and guests, since everyone needs privacy. And, of course, an ADU can provide it;
• A workplace. If you work online, an ADU can serve as your personal mini-office. There, you can work in a calm, quiet atmosphere, and your family members won’t distract you.