All Forum Posts by: David Maldonado

Tanner in my neighborhood practically no one parks their car in their garage; they mostly just store-like us-a bunch of unnecessary "stuff".

David my plan check fees are $850 and building permit fees are $2,650 for a total of $3,500. This includes a $1,500 recycling deposit which is refunded when I present the recycling receipts, leaving the permit/plan cost at $2,000. I hope the city or some other entity won't come up with any surprises.

I am going to do this conversion as cheaply as possible as I have other plans and not renting it out, at least in the foreseeable future. Hoping to beat your $37k cost. Living close to Cal State Long Beach I envision down the road renting to a student so nothing fancy needed, but I could still produce a very clean and nice bright unit.  

A guy in the neighborhood converted his garage last year for $57k, with him and his father doing a lot of the finish work. He added on to his garage and did a lot more than I'm going to do, and his developer fee (then only school district assessment) not counting building/planning fees was $2,100. My architect converted his mother's garage in Lakewood 10 years ago for $16k with no kitchen. A friend just built an ADU in their yard for her father and spent $180,000 but they were completely undisciplined and somewhat frivolous

David what did the county assessor assess your ADU at? I have heard that some assessors multiply the monthly rent times 100 and that is the value they apply. Did you save all your $37k of receipts? Could come in handy but I have no knowledge of the appeal process if they jam it to you.

Maby someone who adds an ADU AND a JADU should just keep the JADU on the QT from the city. Installing an efficiency kitchen can be done very simply; really renting out a room as a JADU is not very different than just renting out a room except having more privacy if you make it that way.

Awesome point Chris Mason. 

Luckily for OP, I can't imagine too many people wanting to add 2 ADU's.

There is definitely a market for ADU's. Enough to make it a full time business?

Maybe send out some mailers or get some FB ads and gauge the response in your area.

This is all great news, we need more housing units in our markets and the local level politics seems so hung up by NIMBY'ism that local leaders won't make decisions for fear of retribution. But.. the state knows the and is helping by clearing things on a statewide level. Bravo. 

I am planning two ADU's at two separate properties, I'll trade a large yard for additional income all day long. A really nice outdoor patio area seems to be much more desirable than a large space to waste water on if you have grass or landscaping if you're trying to be drought tolerant.

Pretty much the stuff that has been discussed in this thread. Along with personal reasons IE living with tenant. The fact that a dwelling with an ADU wouldn't be eligible for traditional financing is huge. Just a new area that I haven't fully explored and broken down. Like everything else... if the numbers work and all the other factors at play are good in your opinion.... go for it!

Not saying there isn’t money to be made because their definitely is. Personally, I just don’t know if it’s worth it.  

I'm not quite sold on the ADU in existing space of SFHs. Conventional buyers of SFHs are usually looking for two things.... a garage and a yard. After financing the build of the ADU, dealing with tenants and everything that comes along with that, sacrificing your own space if you occupy the home and the decreased value of your property due to the fact that there is no longer a garage or a good portion of outdoor space is taken up by this ADU.... I don't know if the juice is worth the squeeze.

Due to SB 13 I will be saving $4,600 in impact fees for my 380 sf garage conversion (not yet permitted but close to being ready to submit).

The other big thing going into effect on 1/1/20 is the new California Title 24 2019 energy standards; specifically the solar requirement. While I was considering solar anyways soon it will be mandatory. Additionally, my house and detached garage(future ADU) both need new roofing, so do I put the solar panels on the house only to supply both units, or just panels on the ADU-to supply the ADU only-for now? Wherever the panels go I will need to reroof below them.

I don't want to have a separate main panel for the ADU so like David M. I will submeter the electric and water (no gas) to the ADU.

Or do I see if I could get a discount on the impact fees(prob fat chance) and get permitted in 2019? I bet the city would squeeze it in this year to get some $. Realistically I will get permitted in 2020 and be subject to the 2019 energy standards(solar).

One door opens and one door closes. Decisions decisions.