Design for an unfinished ADU

[Shannon Jones]

I have an unfinished ADU (space above garage) that I plan to finish into a studio apartment. It's almost a blank slate. There is a wall framed for the bathroom, one light fixture and one or two power outlets. I have some ideas about how I would like to finish it out, but I'm also open to working with someone who can help me make the best use of the small space. I'd like to have someone draw up a design that includes all the details from lighting and power locations to furniture placement. What type of resource should I be looking for? I'm not planning to hire a general contractor because once we are past plumbing and electrical my husband can do most of the work. Am I looking for some soft or designer role?

[Wesley Davis]

As an Architect, both Henry and Jared are correct. While a drafter may be cheaper, they may not have the experience required to come up with creative solutions that meet the building code requirements. In your situation it sounds fairly straight forward but I would double check your local jurisdiction requirements, you may need a licensed professional to sign off. While a drafter is happy to take your money, they are working at your direction. The permitting process isn’t cut and dry. There can be several rounds of comments from the city/county and guess what you are paying the drafter for each revision on an hourly basis. While working with an architect that is familiar with the local codes and requirements may be able to pass permitting the first round with no comments.

I say this because I have had plenty of clients come to me stating they hired a drafter, and they cannot get past the permitting process. So, they hired me. If they would have gone straight to the architect, they would have saved time and money.

So, the simple answer is as it always is, it depends. your comfort level, your budget, your time frame, your jurisdiction, and many more.

I am currently permitting 4 ADU's (and several other residences) in Tampa Fl and recently started a YouTube channel to provide some good tips for people building anything. Check out my channel on my BP profile page.