ADU Mobile Home

It’s no secret that home prices in California are constantly rising. To avoid this and save money and space, many homeowners choose the option of accessory dwelling units or ADUs. An ADU is an additional housing construction situated on the same lot as the primary residence. There are different types of accessory dwelling units on the market: attached, detached, converted, and so on. Also, they can be prefab (prefabricated in a factory) or stick-built (constructed in a traditional way). ADUs can have different sizes — from super tiny to rather large-that are comparable with the already-existing home.

In our article, we’ll tell you what a mobile home and an ADU are and the main pros and cons of manufactured homes as accessory dwelling units. If you’re a homeowner interested in getting a mobile ADU, this article definitely will be useful for you!

What is a Mobile Home

The main distinctive characteristic of a mobile home is its construction method. Basically, it’s a prefab ADU that is completely factory-built. Workers deliver it to the property of the homeowner on a special chassis, so it requires minimal site prep. Obviously, it’s not suitable for large customization, but in most cases, it costs significantly less than a stick-built accessory dwelling unit or even a prefab ADU that needs to be assembled on-site. That’s why the popularity of mobile tiny homes is growing rapidly — and the high demand drives the manufacturers to increase their quality.

If you want additional affordable housing without any special customization possibilities, a mobile ADU may be a perfect variant for you. Also, such a house is ideal for those who want to downsize and rent their primary dwelling unit out, or for distance workers who need to avoid distractions in order to finish work faster.

Let’s name the main characteristics of a mobile single-family home:

• Such a dwelling unit is movable. Even if you place it on a permanent foundation, you can transport it to another location when necessary;
• A mobile home has a standardized, prefabricated structure built in a factory. So, its
• labor costs are significantly lower;
• Manufactured ADUs have all the same utilities as traditional, stick-built ones: an electricity system, water, and sewage pipes;
• The land ownership. A classic ADU should necessarily stand on your own property site, while in the case of a mobile dwelling unit, you can rent a place in a special park for such houses;
• Local rules. If you construct a traditional ADU, you’ll have to follow various building codes and zoning regulations. For a manufactured home, there are also several requirements, both federal and local – although there are much less of them.

What is an ADU

An ADU (accessory dwelling unit) is a secondary living space that shares a property lot with the primary residence. Nowadays, the ADU development process is going very fast in California, creating major new infrastructure.

An ADU construction process requires different regulations depending on the city or county. So, all homeowners who want to build it need to know the local requirements that are necessary to obtain the real property permits.

There are several options for ADUs. The most popular ones among the clients are the following:

1. Attached — shares a wall or even a foundation with the primary dwelling;
2. Detached — a completely separate building;
3. Converted — an already-existing structure on the property lot (for example, a detached or an attached garage) turned into an ADU. Also, an owner can convert a place inside the main home, such as the attic or the basement. The costs of a converted ADU are also lower since there’s no building process from scratch.

To be an ADU, a house must meet several requirements. What exactly makes a building an ADU?

• An accessory dwelling unit has to be smaller than the main house;
• It needs to have its own kitchen, bedroom, bathroom, and door. If an ADU belongs to the attached type, it can have an entrance to the main home, but a separate door should also exist.

As for an ADU kitchen, it has to include the following things:

• A countertop;
• Kitchen cabinets;
• A sink and a faucet that provides running water;
• A stove (traditional or hookup). A microwave, a hotplate, or a toaster can’t be its substitutes.

Mobile Home ADUs. Pros and Cons

Now, let’s look at the main advantages and disadvantages of mobile manufactured homes as accessory dwelling units.

Let’s start with the pros:

• A manufactured home is great for renting out. It’s a fully functional single-family dwelling unit equipped with everything necessary for a comfortable life. A modular ADU can be a stable passive income source. Also, as we’ve already mentioned, it’s possible to move into the ADU and rent out your main house;
• Just as with any other accessory dwelling unit, a manufactured ADU is very versatile. You can use it for lots of different purposes — as a granny flat for your aging relatives, a guest house, a workplace for a distance job, etc.;
• A modular ADU is very convenient. It doesn’t require a building process – workers will just deliver it to your property land, and that’s all! It’s much faster and with much less noise than traditional construction work;
• Oftentimes, modular accessory dwelling units are also cheaper than stick-built ones. However, in some cases, the price can be almost similar;
• Energy-efficiency. The majority of modular homes produced after 1976 have special energy-efficient improvements. In 1976, the HUD (Housing and Urban Development) Code that required those improvements came into action.

The ADU flip-side

However, manufactured homes also have several downsides. Let’s look at them more closely:

• The need for maintenance. Like any other house, a modular ADU construction requires constant upkeep. If you use it for additional income, the maintenance should be even higher. So, you’ll definitely need to include this in your plans;
• Lack of customization possibilities. The building of a modular home occurs in the controlled environment of a factory, so you won’t be able to introduce any changes to its plan;
• These ADUs can possibly require paying lots of additional money. Things like various loans, repairs, renovation, insurance, and other costs can significantly increase the house’s overall price. So, homeowners need to consider all potential expenses, no matter whether they’re up-front or not so obvious. However, it’s important to mention that it’s true for stick-built ADUs, too. To understand better what you need to expect, talk to specialists or other homeowners with such houses.

What’s our takeaway? If you’re interested in getting a second living space on your property site, a mobile ADU can be a great variant. You’ll only need to consider all the pros and cons, measure potential costs, and study the permits’ nuances so that it really will be faster and cheaper.

Frequently Asked Questions — FAQ

What is the difference between a mobile home and an ADU?

ADUs (also known as granny flats, in-law units, tiny homes, and backyard cottages, are secondary units) situated on the same lot as the primary home. Mobile homes (aka modular, manufactured, or kit homes) are factory-built houses transported to the homeowner’s property and installed there with almost no site work. Now, more and more people in California use manufactured houses such as ADUs because they are a very affordable type of housing.

Can a manufactured home have an ADU Freddie Mac?

Yes, it can. If a manufactured ADU construction suits the Guide regulations for both accessory dwelling units and manufactured houses, Freddie Mac can provide financing to a mortgage secured by a 1-3 unit property.

What are the main differences between a travel trailer and an ADU?

Travel trailer is a type of manufactured housing that has wheels and can move from one location to another. ADUs, in most cases, don’t have wheels and are just tiny homes standing nearby the primary dwelling unit: no matter whether they’re site-built or manufactured homes.