I’m writing to you from my Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) which I designed and had built in 2015. California has given us a great opportunity to build additional housing on our current properties and we should all take advantage of it. Since the rules have now been consolidated by the state, it’s even easier and faster to build. As a professional architect, I’ve been building ADUs for years and have already completed many projects.
The best part about designing and building an ADU for you is that I’ve been through it for myself. I know about the budget you need, what it will cost in property tax and what value it will add to your home. I work with a structural engineer and energy consultant, so the included calculations take into account the Zero Net Energy requirement. And I have proven designs that can also be customized for an expedited process especially in San Jose where I’m a pre-approved vendor on their website.
Many of my clients are taking advantage of this opportunity to build ADUs. Here’s why:
My ADU is a private workspace.
I designed and built my ADU to meet all my family's needs. It’s an office for my myself during the day and a quiet space for my children to do their homework in the evening. Since COVID-19, we are all looking for a place to escape to be alone, whether it’s for work or for studying. Our ADU is an ideal solution.
With a constant stream of Zoom meetings, working in a house surrounded by young children can be impossible. Mine know that if I’m out in the ADU — Mommy is not to be disturbed (unless it’s an emergency of course). I’m near enough to help if needed, but far enough away to be productive. And in the evening, it’s easier for my children to concentrate on their schoolwork without the noise of cooking and running laundry.
A long-term solution for aging parents in their golden years.
As your parents get older and plan their golden years, it’s harder for them to take care of the family home. It’s too large for just two people and the cleaning and gardening has become difficult. Your parents may not want to move to a retirement village. With the ongoing pandemic and any future ones, you may not want to send your loved ones to a nursing home. It’s possible that your parents don’t want to sell their primary house but decide it’s great for their children and grandchildren. So they may want to build the ADU for themselves on their current property.
The family home is perfect for newlyweds or a young family to take over; an ADU on the property is a great solution for Mom and Dad. Your parents will now be right next door in a separate unit allowing for privacy for everyone. They are close enough to play with their grandchildren daily. And if your parents need medical assistance, you can get in-home care to the ADU.
College students are learning online.
The pandemic has forced many universities and colleges to move exclusively to online classes. This means that your college-aged student is back at home doing long distance learning. An ADU can provide these young adults privacy from their parents allowing them to study quietly or blast their music without it disturbing you.
And how about when they graduate from college and are just beginning their careers with student loan debt? Well, and ADU on your property can help them have a place to stay while they build up savings for their own home or apartment.
Looking for additional income?
Your ADU can also be used as a rental property bringing in additional income. You may have been renting space in your house and this will get the tenant into a private dwelling and give you back your privacy. Even space above a detached garage can be used as ADU. As a professional architect, I can design the solution to meet your needs for renting the space and increasing your cash flow. We would all like a little extra money, right?
Whatever your reasons, COVID-19 has made us stop and think about our current needs. And California has provided us with an opportunity to have our loved ones nearby while allowing for everyone’s privacy. I’m really glad that I designed and built my ADU. Let me do the same for you.
P.S. If you are a general building contractor a house flipper/developer or just want your ADU as fast as possible, I have ready to build plans that comply to 2019 CRC and are preapproved with the City of San Jose. These plans can be used at any City in California and are ready to go. Check out our new website for that, getADU.com
P.P.S. I want to thank May Construction, Inc. for the construction of my ADU. their website
