By Gordon Lee
If you’ve been exploring different home options to choose to add to your property, chances are you might’ve come across the term ADU. Otherwise known as Accessory Dwelling Units, these small buildings offer a unique advantage of independent residence while still being located on the same property as the main house.
ADUs are highly compact and convenient living spaces that offer a variety of benefits such as rental income, temporary lodgings, and the aforementioned independent living. ADUs are no small investment, and they aren’t small projects that you can quickly start and finish. Before you get yourself an ADU, it is essential to consider several things carefully before you start making plans on building yourself an ADU. We have here some of the most crucial things that you have to go over before owning an ADU properly.
Local Fire Regulations
One of the first things you should consider and look into before getting started on getting an ADU is your local fire safety and regulations. It is essential to go over this aspect because of the strict requirement that many authorities have with buildings on a property. Additionally, it will also be in your best interest to follow these laws as it helps you avoid unintended accidents and damages that might become more costly in the end.
Be sure to know the sufficient distance between your main house and ADU as there is a need to have enough space for fire safety. Additionally, things such as sprinklers might be mandatory for ADUs, and having them as part of the design can help you in the long run and avoid any trouble with the authorities.
Level of Privacy
It is common to think that the size of ADUs might make them seem like temporary residences; however, ADUs are far from that as they aren’t temporary structures that can be taken down anytime. ADUs are instead permanent residences as they have their own set of utility connections and a solid foundation.
Privacy is essential to have when it comes to permanent residences as it determines how comfortable we feel in an area. When deciding on your ADU, it is vital to know the level of privacy you want to have between the ADU and the main house. It is necessary to see the degree of privacy you will have as it will come into play when you want to interact with one another.
Utility Connections
The last important thing you want to consider when building an ADU is how utility connections will go about in your ADU. A common mistake that many ADU owners might commit is forgetting about their utility connections and the costs of getting them to work in your ADU.
It is essential to know if you can use existing connections to your home rather than adding new lines and meters, which will cost you more with connection fees and capacity charge calculations. Taking this into consideration will help you save up a lot of money and avoid any unnecessary paperwork and documents you might need to complete.
