SMALL BUT MIGHTY: ADUs offer a cost-efficient answer to the housing crisis
Accessory dwelling units were initially spurred on in Canada by the shortage of housing and an economic crisis following World War II.
Author Sheri Koones is a recognized authority on home construction, an award-winning author, and a frequent speaker. She has written 11 books on sustainable building, including “Bigger Than Tiny,” “Smaller Than Average,” and “Prefabulous for Everyone.” These are excerpts from her latest book, “ADUs: The Perfect Housing Solution.”
What is an ADU?
An ADU is a secondary home on the property of a main house that has its own entrance and contains, minimally, a bathroom, a kitchen or kitchenette, and a sleeping area. It can be a separate unit, or it can be built in place of an existing garage, built over a garage, or attached to the primary home as an addition or basement apartment. An ADU is referred to by several names — granny-flat, detached accessory dwelling unit (DADU), in-law suite, casita, laneway house, and more. There is also a Junior ADU or JADU, which is located within the floor area of an original single-family house. An ADU is considered part of the main residence, and, in most cases, it must be sold with that residence, although some municipalities are trying to change that regulation. As of this writing, there are currently about 1.5 million ADUs in the United States, and that number is growing at a rate of about 9 percent per year.
The cost of an ADU
It is difficult to cite a universal price for an ADU because of the many factors that go into this calculation. The cost of building an ADU is dependent on its location, size, configuration, cost of materials, cost of permits, local labor costs, and the complexity of the unit. Other factors include whether it is part of the main house, a conversion from a garage, or a new detached structure. the size of the ADU will be dependent on local zoning laws as well as personal preference. On average ADUs are between 600 and 1,200 square feet, but there are exceptions to these figures, both larger and smaller. The most positive financial factor in building an ADU is that the land is free, which is often one of the costliest parts of