Issue 19
Q: I am a real estate agent in Everett. We don’t have a lot of people here thinking about ADUs just yet. We are seeing townhomes and more-dense housing, but ADUs aren’t on everyone’s radar. I think it is just a matter of time.
However, I have been thinking about building an ADU myself – I can see my mom needing to move in at some point, my husband and I may decide to move in there and allow my son and his family to live in the house – we just have a lot of family-related needs in the future that I want to be ready for.
I want to make sure I design it right so it can work well for all our future needs. I can also see it becoming an example to show my clients who are thinking about doing the same thing. Where do I start?
A: How exciting! Luckily, you are doing this at a great time with vendors really getting on board the “small” wagon so there are plenty of choices out there for appliances, cabinetry, vanities, etc. In fact, it is really easy to get carried away!!
The key, therefore, is to start with a realistic budget. From there, determine if you are going to go with a pre-fabricated model or if you are going to be working with a builder on a custom stick-built home. If you have many particular needs, you may find stick-built to be a more flexible option. However, many modular companies have customization options which could serve your purposes.
The challenge with modular, however, is the roofline. You need to be careful to choose a model that is most in-keeping with the design of your current home. If you have a Victorian home with a pointed roof, even if you paint the ADU a Victorian color to match your house, it is going to look out of place. Matching the roofline to your current home style is key. Denise recommends character homes go with a stick-built option with the ADU because of this.
The photo of the home below is a GREAT example of ensuring the primary residence and the primary residence work in harmony.
Another option is to see if your city has any pre-permitted options that you can license to use. Don't get caught in the trap, however, in feeling like you have to go with this solution. Although they may save some time in terms of permitting and some money in terms of paying for design and engineering, take the time make sure the design really works for your needs - and your available footprint.
Once we get past the roofline and exterior character elements, we need to think about how the primary residence relates to the ADU. How is it accessed from the parking area? Is there shared exterior space or does each house have their own separate exterior space? How about lighting? Utilities? All of the site details need to be worked out with the preferred ADU footprint.
One note about ADU size – under HB 1337, areas in which the law applies may not limit square footage to less than 1000 square feet. Since much of the expense of building a house – or an ADU – is in the structure, kitchen, bathroom, and systems (heating, cooling, water heating, etc), my advice is to max out the space. For example, it isn’t usually double the price to build a 1000 square foot ADU versus 500 square feet. Build the space that works for your needs as well as whomever else may be coming after you – that usually means including more space to be flexible for whatever the future holds.
Now that you have the roofline, character, exterior, and size taken care of, it is time to turn your attention to the inside. There are three key items that ADUs need in order to be attractive and livable – light, a floorplan that flows, and smart storage.
Let's look at each of these in a little more detail:
Want to learn more about little design tweaks that can make a big difference in terms of price for both a listing AND potential rent income?
Denise has three courses that provide great ideas and design know-how in our Middle Housing Course Design Track. A well-thought out small space can yield hundreds of dollars more in rental income every month and thousands of dollars more on the sales price of a property with an ADU.
As a listing agent, you can become the go-to resource for maximizing listing and rental dollars! The below courses will give you a great head start!
- Designing and Building an ADU
- Smart Middle Housing Design
- Design Innovations that Make a Small Space Live Large
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LEARN MORE: https://www.middlehousinghelp.com/design-track
Offer expires 10/31
LIGHT - Windows are important for providing the light needed to make an ADU live larger. When possible, having at least two windows per bedroom really helps create "lift". Skylights and solar tubes can also illuminate hallways and odd spaces if a wall is not available.
FLOWING FLOORPLAN - Long hallways and awkward spaces stand out even more in a small space and they eat up valuable square footage. When Denise is working on a floorplan, she goes to great lengths to eliminate hallways, reworking floorplans until they are just right.
Kitchens are another area that demands a good workflow. Resist the urge to add islands that dominate the space and create bottlenecks. If something looks narrow on a floorplan, it is going to be that much more amplified built out. Spend the time and money to get floorplans rendered, even with a video rendering, so you can see how it flows. It is much cheaper to change a design than to change construction plans when you are having a kitchen installed.
SMART STORAGE - When living in a small space, controlling clutter is the name of the game. Therefore, it is critical that everything has a home. Kitchen gear, laundry, outdoor recreation, and even gift wrapping needs a storage plan! Well-designed closets, laundry area, kitchens, are key and if additional storage is needed for things like bikes and camping gear, make sure it is accounted for.
Denise has dozens of other design suggestions in the ADU Design Track courses. If you are considering designing an ADU, they are a great investment. Check them out today: https://www.middlehousinghelp.com/design-track
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