There are all kinds of homes out there, from primary residences to beach houses and more. However, you might not be familiar with all of them.
One type of home that you may have never heard of is the ADU home. What is an ADU home, you ask?
Great question! We’re going to answer it in detail below.
What Is an ADU Home?
ADU stands for “accessory dwelling unit.” This is, in essence, a secondary home that exists next to a primary home on the same property. The ADU home is smaller than the primary home and is generally reserved for one or two people.
You might know of ADU homes by the phrase “granny flat” or “mother-in-law suite”. This is because families sometimes put ADU homes on their property as a means of providing a separate living space for an aging parent. The aging family member remains close to the family without intruding too much into the family’s personal space.
While it’s fairly common for ADU houses to be disconnected from their corresponding primary houses, this isn’t always the case. In some cases, the ADU home exists within the primary house, either in the basement, above the garage, or in a back room.
When it comes to disconnected ADU homes, they really are homes. They contain carpet, siding, roofing, and insulation, in addition to electricity, plumbing, and all of the other necessities. These are not shacks, sheds, or playhouses.
They’re real homes, reduced in size and made to be lived in constantly.
Whether you’re looking to provide living space for an aging family member, want a place for your kids to hang out, or just need a guest room, an ADU home will accommodate you.
Benefits of ADU Houses
Many benefits come with ADU houses. These include but aren’t limited to the following.
Provide Additional Living Space
Simply put, ADU houses provide additional living space. Whether it’s for your mom or your dad or random guests, there will be space in which people outside of your immediate family can stay.
Allow for Separation
There’s a big difference between an ADU house and a spare bedroom. A spare bedroom has the occupant living amongst everyone else in the house. An ADU house allows this person to live separately from everyone else.
This can be a good thing when it comes to mothers in law, fathers in law, or other people whom you love, but whom you don’t always get along with. The separate living space allows for some breathing room from both sides, making for a much more amicable living relationship overall.
Keep the Family Together
The true draw of the ADU home is that it keeps the family together. Whether it’s a newly graduated college student who’s returning home to live with mom and dad or a retired parent who needs daily assistance, an ADU home enables that person to be near family members.
For many, this is a better alternative than, say, turning to assisted living facilities.
Make Your Property More Valuable
One day, you might decide to sell your home and your property. If so, having an ADU home on it will undoubtedly increase its value on the market.
After all, you’re not the only one who might want a family member to live near. Not to mention, some home buyers might be interested in using the unit as a rental.
An ADU home will make your property much more attractive, increasing its value substantially.
Provide All the Benefits of a Standard House
You may think of ADU homes as being lesser than standard homes. However, in actuality, they’re equals. They contain kitchens, bathrooms, plumbing, electricity, and everything else that a standard home possesses.
When you’re inside of an ADU home, you’ll just feel like you’re inside of a home. There will be plenty of room to move, and you’ll be able to kick back and relax just like you would in any other house.
Are Reasonably Affordable
As you might expect, ADUs are much cheaper than standard houses. In the state of Oregon, you can build an attached ADU home for between $40,000 and $50,000. A separate ADU home costs around $90,000.
For comparison, the average house in Oregon costs $361,970. As you can see, there’s a gulf of difference between the two.
Potential Pitfalls of ADU Homes
While ADU homes have many benefits, they do have some potential pitfalls. These include the following.
Not Always Allowed
Simply put, some municipalities don’t allow ADU homes. In other cases, they’re allowed, but with many restrictions on design and other implementation.
For this reason, if you do decide to build an ADU home, you need to make sure that it’s allowed to be there. You might also consider using a pre-approved ADU plan. This way, you’ll know that your design is acceptable.
Will Remove Usable Area on Your Property
The second pitfall of ADU homes is that they’ll remove usable areas on your property. If you have a big property, this probably isn’t a big deal. If you have a small property, this could come back to haunt you.
Sure, you could eventually tear the ADU home down. But that would be a huge waste of money.
So, in essence, make sure that you really want this home to be on your property. It could turn out to be a great help. Or, it could turn out to be a nightmare.
An ADU Home Could Enhance Your Property
Now that you have an answer to the question of, “What is an ADU home?” you might be searching for similar info. If so, you’re in the right place. Our website has tons of related information.
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