
Find some answers to popular questions
about ADUs.

Costs of getting a building permit for your ADU
How much does it cost to get a permit for an accessory dwelling unit?It does not matter if you are building your accessory dwelling unit with a modular company, or a custom backyard cottage with a traditional stick-built builder, you will need to get the building permit from your city. There is no escaping this cost.

Convert a detached garage into an ADU
A garage conversion might be the least expensive option for adding living space if one can confirm the structural integrity of the foundation and walls.

Green Building and ADUs
How do CalGreen Building Code requirements relate to ADUs? CalGreen Mandatory Measures are a requirement of the California Green Building Standards Code. These mandatory measures are required on all new homes and residences. Furthermore, they also apply to additions and alterations which increase the building’s conditioned area, interior volume, or size. But be careful, notContinue reading “Green Building and ADUs”

Estimating change orders
There are two extreme points of view in construction – one side thinks change orders are evil, the other calls them a blessing. Why? The first group is worried about being efficient. And about how adding to scope of work delays the job’s completion and makes the schedule go South. The second group takes advantageContinue reading “Estimating change orders”

The best start of ADU project
Home inspection is a good start of any construction project, ADU included.

ADUs and insurance policies.
If you have recently added an ADU – make sure you do not forget to include it in your insurance coverage – it might go under “other structures”. Actually, updating insurance is one of the most often forgotten things at the end of the project. Learn more about the technicalities of wild fire insurance policiesContinue reading “ADUs and insurance policies.”

Keeping our homes from burning
We love revealing myths. Let’s reveal some myths about causes of fire. If you are thinking of building, spend 8 minutes on this video. Early December we had an event, where the guest speaker was Richard Halsey, a writer, photographer, and the director of the California Chaparral Institute, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, educational organization dedicated toContinue reading “Keeping our homes from burning”

Ways to finance your ADU
If you are wondering what is the best way to finance your ADU, here is a chart from an experienced mortgage broker that should help you out. There is no simple way to finance an ADU, most people use several solutions to get to the finish line. And it is always a variable between yourContinue reading “Ways to finance your ADU”

Questions for contractor’s reference
What are the right question to ask your contractor’s previous client (reference)? If you think that it is not necessary to talk to previous clients, think again. If you think that you are making the contractor uncomfortable, don’t. Most of the time you can get away with one question – would you hire this contractorContinue reading “Questions for contractor’s reference”

Your contract to build an ADU
What should be in your contract, when you are planning to build an ADU?
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Our posts and articles are for information purpose only, and they are not meant to be investment or legal advice.