As I am writing this blog, I’m listening to the sound of hammers pounding, music blairing and four guys moving and tearing stuff down. How did we get to this point? A lot of hard work, countless meetings with architects, drawers, engineers, contractors etc., visits to city hall to get permits, patience and persistence!
It has been almost a year since Ian and I started this journey to get the Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) construction to even begin. From what we have heard from other friends who have gone through something similar, construction is probably the most grueling part of the whole project, but this is also one of the final steps before everything is complete. We wanted to take you on this journey with us, whether it be because we would love to share this journey with our family and friends or if you are looking to start building your own ADU! We have also had clients and people ask us about the ADU process , so we thought this blog was a great medium to use.
Ian and I have always intended to build an ADU on our property. The home that we lived in (and still own) in Los Angeles is a duplex so we are no strangers to being landlords. It ain’t easy at times but to us, it is definitely worth it. When we purchased this home in February 2018, one of the reasons we chose this home is because it had a 2-car garage that we felt could easily be converted into an ADU. Why would someone build or seek out a property with an ADU? You can rent it out to a full time tenant, rent out the ADU as a short term unit (if your city allows for this, please check local laws and regulations before deciding to rent out the unit short term!) or use the ADU as a granny flat, having your in-laws or relatives live close by, but still have your own privacy.
I should also mention that, of course, every city has different rules and regulations for building an ADU so please do check for local laws, rules and restrictions. This blog is merely just a little glimpse into what it took for us to get this ADU started and I hope it helps and maybe even inspires you, too!
Can’t wait for you to join us on this journey!
x Jamie
