Find Out All About The 6 Types Of Home Additions You Can Go In For When Planning To Increase Your Available Space
ADUs, or Accessory Dwelling Units, also called home additions, are small houses erected on the same site as the main house. Usually consisting of one or two bedrooms and their own kitchen and bathroom, these cute little abodes can be used in many ways: home office space or guest house for visiting family and guests.
In the early 20th century, ADUs or home additions were very popular, but their construction saw a steep decline after World War II. Families that had previously lived in these little houses relocated to the newly created suburbs, which were far more suitable at the time. That is no longer the case.
In the last five years, the United States has seen an increase in demand for affordable housing. This, in turn, has led to the increase in popularity of home additions.
Homeowners and investors are beginning to see the advantages of living in their own homes without the worry of approaching mortgage obligations or unforeseen utility costs.
Different types of ADUs
ADUs can come in many shapes and sizes, and there is no single approach to ADUs or home additions that is right for you!
1) Detached ADUs
Detached ADUs are backyard dwellings that are not attached to any other structure on the property. These are great for keeping tenants private or maintaining an independent lifestyle for families living together in one property.
Because these units are separate from the main house in their own open space, new construction tends to be easier, regardless of the quality or condition of the main house or garage.
2) Attached ADUs
Attached ADUs are units attached to the main house or other structure. For the most part, homeowners looking for attached ADUs do so to maximize coverage of their lot by eliminating any inconvenience between the ADU and the main house.
Please note that attached ADUs may require fire-rated partitions between the ADU and the main family home, adding cost and increasing the possibility of needing to upgrade the adjoining wall to the main home and ADU.
3) Conversion ADUs
Conversion ADUs are ADUs integrated into the existing home fabric to become an ADU. Most conversion ADUs are garage conversions, but other options could be to convert a basement, attic, or even an extra bedroom into an additional rental unit.
These are generally very cost-effective ways to add ADU space to your home: With most two-car garages, you can add an ADU with 400 square feet of floor space for 60% of the cost.
4) JADUs
JADUs are smaller ADUs that have relaxed regulations and ordinances for bathrooms and kitchens, usually with a maximum of 500 square feet.
JADUs must make use of existing space within the main structure of your home. Thus while attached garage conversions may qualify to be converted into a JADU, detached garage conversions may not.
The key distinction between a conversion ADU and a JADU is that JADUs may have more functional kitchens (hot plate/microwave versus stove/range) and may share bathrooms with the original home. We’ve seen some very creative JADUs built from converted extra rooms and guest spaces!
5)Bump Outs or room additions
A room addition or bump out is an addition that has only one purpose: to increase living space. It can be converted into another bedroom or bathroom. Sometimes it’s only to make more space in a room that already exists.
This addition may be less expensive than a standard home, but prices and quality vary based on materials, design, and features.
6) Garage conversions
One of the best resources for homeowners looking for additional income is an accessory dwelling unit (ADU) garage conversion.
A garage conversion is one of the easiest solutions for adding space to a single-family or multi-family residential property.
The strategy provides additional space for storage, housing, or even a place for recreation. However you choose to use your converted garage space, it will increase your property value.
If you’re like many homeowners, you may be usng a significant portion of your garage to store various items you use only semi-regularly while keeping your car in the driveway.
If your garage has been so overwhelmed with bulky items that you haven’t been able to get rid of them, you may have a very valuable resource right under your nose.
At Done Right Home Remodeling we specialize in providing planning and construction services to homeowners.
Single-family and multi-family homes that want to add an ADU to their lots can contact
Santa Clara contractor Done Right Home Remodeling. Call us for more information about our different services.
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