All Forum Posts by: Ori Skloot

Definitely install quartz over granite, it’s far more durable. Get rid of the carpet and refinish the floors. 

Related; city of Berkeley CA city council voted to eliminate single family zoning.  See this article: https://www.berkeleyside.org/2...

I’ll be watching closely to see how this develops. 

@Brian Garlington thank you!  Can’t believe it was three years ago that I did that deal. It really is a snowball effect, one you do a few creative deals it becomes easier and easier.   I’m coming back to the Bay Area in mid July and it would be great to get together in person and grab a drink.  

Hi Stephen,

Unless you want to live there I would pass.  Getting 2.5% off a market listing price is not a good investment, unless you feel that the listing price is well below market rate.  

Good buddy of mine is an excellent contractor and he is in Fremont. Feel free to DM me. 

@Calvin Kwan Oakland does have requirements for impervious surface, but if memory serves they are only concerned with the front of the property.  I don't remember the exact ratio, but some percentage of the land directly in front of the building has to be impervious.  I don't recall them saying anything about the back.

1, Do ADUs generally have separate utility meters?

A lot of jurisdictions won't allow a separate meter because then you pretty much have a duplex. Getting a new meter from PGE takes a very long time and is usually not worth the cost. So most ADUS I have seen have a combined utility meter and then a submeter on the ADU.

Does it worth the effort to have separate meters?

I don’t think so.  But having one meter makes it a little more tricky with tenant if you want to charge for utilities. 

2, Anybody has any experience building ADU with existing tenant on the property? I would imagine it will create some inconvenience to the the tenant. What are some of the steps I can take to minimize disputes/complaints from existing tenant?

Yes I have   Guess what happened?  They  got very upset about the noise (they had just had a new born baby) and they demanded to break their lease early which I let them   Make sure your tenants are on board and be very clear that there will be a lot of noise  

3, I could get HELOC from either my primary home or my rental property to finance the ADU. Which is the better approach?

I think either is fine, but consult your CPA about tax implications. 

Depending on your relationship with the tenant, An attorney may or may not be necessary. Sometimes when you involve an attorney that puts the tenant on the defense versus keeping it a very friendly personal interaction. I’ve done five cash for keys in Oakland all without using an attorney. However, I did have an attorney write up the cash for keys contract Which I think is money well spent.  If you are going to take it on yourself be very careful to read the City of Oakland rent adjustment board regulations because there are notification requirements that you must have the tenant sign before you even start a discussion. 

Hi Karla,

I’ve built several ADUs in Oakland.  Say more about your project.