BERKELEY — An accessory dwelling unit (ADU) is a detached residential structure built on the same lot as a single-family home. Often referred to as a “granny unit,” an ADU can take a variety of forms, such as a converted garage, room addition or detached backyard structure. In 2020, new laws went into effect that made it easier for California homeowners to build ADUs on their properties.
One of the great things about an ADU is its versatility of application. Here are some common uses for an ADU:
<ul>
<li>Multi-generational compound</li>
<li>Rental property</li>
<li>Office/workout room</li>
<li>Guest house for visitors</li>
</ul>
Not only is there are a variety of ways to use an ADU, it’s easy to adapt your use of it as your family changes. For example, you may start out by renting out your ADU to pay off the mortgage. Later in life, if you decide you want to age in place at your current residence, you can move into the ADU and rent out your main house. That way, you get an ADA-friendly living situation (no stairs) and, since you’ve already paid off your mortgage, you’ll also generate some nice retirement income.

Versatility of an Accessory Dwelling Unit

Discover how accessory dwelling units (ADUs) offer versatile solutions for extra living space and boost home value and functionality.

Versatility of an Accessory Dwelling Unit by Rolf Bell

By Rolf Bell of {BR} Green Living Builders LLC

Cutting-Edge Glass Technologies

New Laws for Accessory Dwelling Units

Video: Accessory Dwelling Units



As of 2020, new laws have gone into effect that make it easier for California homeowners to build accessory dwelling units on their properties. Today, we're in Berkeley with Diamond's certified expert contributor, Ralph Bell, of Green Living Builders, to learn more.

Most of us have heard the phrase accessory dwelling units or ADUs. As of January 1, here in the state of California, every homeowner has the right to build an ADU on their property and also a JADU, which is known as a junior ADU. But we'll talk about that property probably later. An accessory dwelling unit, we often refer to as a granny unit or an in-law unit, and they can actually be a detached structure. They can be in the attic, they can be in the basement, they can be a carve out of your existing house if you live in a large house. So, there's many different ways that an accessory dwelling unit can fit into your existing property.

You also have the ability to convert a garage, even build on top of an existing garage, and/or if you have a legal accessory structure in your backyard that may have been a greenhouse or an art studio, that can also be converted into an ADU. And if those buildings, the garage or the structure, are within the 4-foot setback, you do not have to change the setback location of that ADU. You can put it right on the property line, a foot back or two feet back if it's in fact where your garage or accessory dwelling unit is located. You can build up to 800 square feet by right, and cities are only allowed to take 60 days for the approval process to get you moving forward if your application is complete when you submitted that. You are not required to have separate utility hookups for an ADU, although it's often quite advisory to have a separate electrical meter, and we'll talk about that in a little bit. But it's the more flexible form of housing we have now in the state of California. Many families are considering this option to create a multi-generational compound. Others are considering aging in place because we can make these ADUs accessible if they live in a house that has stairs or other difficult issues for us as we age. We can use these for rental income and in many other ways to benefit the changing landscape of our families over the course of a decade or two.

With that said, let's go take a look at an ADU that's nearly complete to help us understand the new rules and issues with net zero energy construction. Let's go.

As of January 1, throughout California, any new construction requires net zero energy construction. This ADU also serves as a perfect example of that. We use two by six walls, thicker mineral wall insulation in the walls and in the ceiling. We use a closed-cell foam that gives us a remarkable waterproof seal, air seal, and insulation. But this is also an all-electric house. And as I mentioned earlier, you don't need a new electric connection per requirement of the city, but it's advised to do that to get to an all-electric construction ADU. This ADU has a 200-amp service that seems like a lot, but because we're running our stove, our heat, our hot water, and eventually even an electric car off of this, that makes perfect sense in this new non-gas world.

So, behind me is an induction stove that cooks far more efficient and more temperature-sensitive than a traditional gas stove. There's a mini-split cooling system that uses 1/3 of the amount of energy as a traditional heating source. There's an electric dryer and a hybrid hot water heat pump that uses also 1/3 the amount of energy as a standard electric hot water heater. So, all those things get us to a Net Zero construction. And then what ultimately seals the deal is adding solar to this house. And in some cases, people are also adding solar battery storage backup in case they live in a high wind area. But this is how we get to Net Zero construction in a very creative way and in a way that really supports very comfortable living.

To learn more from local top-rated companies, visit our Diamond Certified expert reports at experts.diamondcertified.org.



Video: ADU Financial Benefits


some basic economics for adus
if you choose to rent your adu
for every 650 of rental income you
receive it buys down your mortgage
by a hundred thousand dollars so that
means if you get an uh rental income of
twenty six hundred dollars you can pay
for a four hundred thousand dollar
uh adu just on the rental income itself
and many times we can even get far more
than twenty six hundred dollars
especially for a two bedroom adu
i'm going to leave with you a chart that
kind of helps you
analyze
edu
loan rates and and payback times that
can give you a little bit of uh more
information to think if if this is right
for you and you're ready to move forward
to expand uh your family's
residence
good luck to you and
be well


Video: Innovations in Glass Technology


if you're thinking about replacing the
windows in your home make sure you're
aware of imminent innovations in glass
technology today we're in Berkeley with
diamond certified expert contributor
Rolf's Bell of green living builders to
learn more what would be valuable for
most clients to know at this point in
time as we're at the beginning of 2017
is to if you're considering a installing
replacement glass in some parts of your
house or all parts of your house I would
recommend putting that off and the
reason is we're at a revolution with
glass technology and there's smart glass
active glass and photovoltaic laughs
that will be available for the
residential markets summit very
affordable prices in 2018 some with
remarkable energy producing capabilities
others with unusual heat and cooling
properties so pay attention to what's
coming out on the glass market because
it's going to be a whole new world 2008
to learn more from local top rated
companies visit our diamond certified
expert reports at experts Diamond
Certified org


Video: Versatility of an ADU

 

I'd like to share with you how flexible an adu is, in terms of what it gives your family over the course of a decade or two, to evolve its various uses as your family changes. You can use an adu for a multi-generational compound, you can use it for rental income, you can use it for an office or workout area, as well as a guest house. Many of our clients use it to age in place as they choose to live in a more ADA-friendly environment, with no stairs, and rent out their main house for their retirement income. So, there's lots of great ways that you can benefit with building an adu. Good luck. 

Rolf Bell: A Charitable Builder

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