Looking to Convert a Detached Garage/Backyard Storage into an ADU

[Jawei Kuo]

The property is a residential property situated on a 1 acre lot in Sacramento County, California. It includes a primary residence, as well as a detached garage/storage area in the backyard that I am looking to convert into an ADU (Accessory Dwelling Unit). The building itself contains a bathroom with fully functioning plumbing, electrical, and an HVAC system in place already. In terms of the building requirements and ordinances, the property is located in Sacramento County, in an unincorporated area of the county and to the best of my knowledge under the jurisdiction of Sacramento County. If someone could confirm this that would be greatly appreciated. I have several question regarding this situation, mainly just looking for a rough roadmap of where to proceed from here and to learn some more information to get a better understanding of the process. Any and all advice/input is welcome I'd love to hear what this community has to offer.

Questions:
1. How would I go about the process of converting this detached garage/storage area into a legal and permitted ADU?

2. As far as I'm aware, there are no permits for the initial construction of this structure, where can I look to verify this and if there are indeed none, how much of an impact would this have on converting the property into an ADU?

3. Is an address required for this ADU? The City of Sacramento requires an address for an ADU as does the surrounding cities around me, however I was unable to find information regarding Sacramento County. Who would I contact for this information?

4. To what extent will California Title 24 affect the construction/conversion of the ADU?

[Noah Laker]

Hey Jawei,

I'm a real estate broker and investor here in Sacramento. I manage over 100 STR and MTR properties (STR is not allowed currently for ADU's, but MTR is, and great way to maximize the income, unless you're using it for family or office purposes.)

I recently constructed an ADU in the backyard of a property within the city from a detached garage. Relatively simple, not terribly expensive. Expect to pay $120-170 per square foot since it's an existing structure. Much less complicated / expensive than building from the ground up.

Yes, you're correct about the unincorporated County area, so the County is the authority, not the City. 

I know a couple of great ADU specialists in the area if you need any recommendations. Best to work with an expert if you want to do everything legit. You'll pay a little more up front, and avoid headaches down the line.

Hope this helps :)