ADU Builders San Diego
When you want to an accessory dwelling unit (ADU) in San Diego, partner with House to Home, the best ADU builders in San Diego. Our team is here and ready to take on your project. We have over 25 years of building experience and are looking forward to using that experience to build you the guest house that you have always wanted.
Accessory dwelling units, otherwise known as granny flats, guest houses, or casitas, are attached or detached residential dwelling units. They are increasingly growing in popularity as they are a great way to make use of extra space on your property, keep family close and even bring in an additional stream of income. House to Home specializes in building ADUs in San Diego and is ready to get started on your project right away.
Choosing an ADU design-build firm to construct your new ADU can seem like a daunting task. House to Home makes that decision easy! Our highly trained team of ADU builders in San Diego can help you complete your project to the highest standards. With House to Home as your trusted partner, you’ll be surprised at how affordable and doable your guest house addition is.
Why Build an ADU in San Diego?
It can be very beneficial to have an ADU in San Diego for many reasons.
For one, it is beneficial to live with your healthy elderly grandparents in your residential area as a multigenerational family. Your grandparents can provide exemplary child care. You will save on the costs of daycare or hiring a nanny. On the same note, young adults can take care of the elderly grandparents in your home. These solutions save your family a lot of cash that could have been spent on expenses while also preserving the family atmosphere.
Granny flats or guest houses provide both care and independence for your family members. With the arrangement of living in separate units in your house, you will have your privacy while staying together as a whole family.
A guest house is also a good source of alternative income as the unit can also be rented out. As home and rent prices continue to rise across the nation, and in particular, San Diego, the addition of a guest house makes more and more sense. It will be easy to rent out and can more than pay for itself in time before generating positive cash flow for you for the long term.
One other thing to factor in is that adding an ADU can increase the value of your property!
2 Ways to Build an ADU in San Diego
Custom Building
It entails ADU construction from scratch. The method allows for the customization of your guesthouse according to your specific requirements. In this instance, you would want to work with a professional ADU builder in San Diego for the design and build of your accessory dwelling unit. Our expert team of ADU builders knows how to utilize your space to the fullest to create a high-quality guest house. Custom building a guest house is, however, more expensive and takes much time to construct, but it offers you the freedom to build to your exact needs and specifications. So, you will need an ADU design build contractor for the custom ADU.
Converting an Existing Structure
With the help of an ADU builder, you also have the option to transform part of your house, a shed, or a garage into a guest house. Converting an existing structure is more budget-friendly than custom building since you don’t incur the cost of buying all of the materials, unlike building from scratch. ADU builders that convert an existing structure will often change the structure by doing things such as adding windows, flooring, ceiling, drywall, insulation, and a bathroom. Remodeling a guesthouse through conversion is easier and takes less time. In addition, if you are worried about the ADU cost in San Diego, it is a better alternative. It is also cheaper and potentially utilizes a smaller space. The downside here is that you may be limited with options given that you are working with an existing structure.
The Legality of Adding an ADU
New California laws, that went into effect on January 1, 2020, eased legislation around accessory dwelling units construction. This allowed more homeowners to add these additional units to their current properties. Staying on top of these new laws governing the building of ADUs is just one of the reasons why our ADU builders are the best in San Diego County.
California has more or less required all cities to allow accessory dwelling units as long as there is enough space on the property to add the structures. The new laws make it easier to obtain the necessary permits for these ADUs and are favorable to individuals who build them.
The new laws also help address the growing housing shortage in California. This legislation has opened up new investment opportunities for developers, investors, and homeowners, also making the ADU construction breezy. This is all done while simultaneously increasing the potential to generate extra recurring income.
FAQ
An ADU or Accessory Dwelling Unit is a separate structure to help with the housing crisis in California. The ADU is typically between 800-1200 sq ft. An ADU allows a single family residence or structure to maximize the use of a certain lot.
This is really hard to quantify. There are a lot of factors included in the final price including design decisions, availability of jobsite materials, etc. In the current times, an ADU can start around $400 a square foot and go up from there.
The State of California defines an ADU or “accessory dwelling unit” as a self-contained, residential unit located on the same lot as an existing single-family home. An ADU is smaller in size and must include all of the amenities found in a primary dwelling: a kitchen, bathroom, sleeping area, and storage.
The lot size has to be above 3000 sq ft. There has to be an existing single-family residence or multifamily residence structure on the lot.
Your HOA cannot stand in the way of your accessory dwelling unit. Reasonable restrictions may be placed on your ADU, but your ability to build is currently protected by California law.
Typically between $5K and $15K.
Due to the housing crisis, California now allows homeowners to convert their garages to a living space. Living in a garage in California is only legal if the garage has been converted to a habitable space through the proper channels/permit process.
Yes, an accessory dwelling unit can typically be one or two stories, with a maximum height of either 16′ or 25′ (depending on location). While California state law does not require that local jurisdictions allow two story ADUs, many cities – including San Diego, Oceanside, Chula Vista, El Cajon, Encinitas, Escondido – allow ADUs to be two stories.
Yes, it counts in the overall evaluation of the property. However, it is treated as a separate structure and different from the overall sq ft of the existing structures on the property.
This is determined during the architectural process and varies per city/county building department codes. Typically, it is around 4-5 feet.
The amount of money required to construct the ADU can be minuscule in comparison to the value added to the overall property. This will certainly add value on an appraisal.
When you partner with House to Home as your ADU builder in San Diego you will get the best possible design-build experience. From the start of the planning process to the construction of the additional dwelling unit, you are in good hands the whole way through. The team at House to Home will make sure your ADU project is executed perfectly by combining the best design, project management and ultimately building skills to ensure your project comes out even better than expected. If you are ready to get started on your new ADU in San Diego contact House to Home today!