LA Times Article: Get inspiration for your ADU
Author: Renée J. Schomp, Director
We here at the Napa Sonoma ADU Center loved this recent spread in the LA Times that shares the story of a build in Southern California complete with gorgeous, inspiring photos and thoughtful design choices.
The article tells the story of an LA-based family that didn’t want to move out of their neighborhood, but knew they needed to create more space to house older family members. Notably, while the article calls the space an ADU in reality it is a detached recreation room complete with a food-prep area including a sink and space for a future cooktop that can evolve into an ADU with the addition of a new permit for a small kitchen as needed in the future. That is the beauty of the ADU journey -- small living spaces can grow and change over time as needed for your family (with the proper permits in place).
Below is an excerpt from the recent article written by Lisa Boone titled, They turned a one-car garage into a stunning ADU to house their parents. You can too.:
“We wanted to be close to our Hispanic and Asian cultures,” says Pastor, [the homeowner] who was born in Panama and grew up in South Texas. “We love that we have easy access to pork buns in Chinatown and pupusas at El Amoroso [in Atwater Village].”
The resulting small living space is one that allows Pastor Alvarado’s family including his two small children to stay in their LA neighborhood and still expand to accommodate their growing family.
“With grandparents in mind — the architects say they have been getting many inquiries about adding ADUs, or accessory dwelling units, specifically for aging parents — the floor plan of the ADU was laid out to mirror the living spaces of the main house. To address concerns about aging in place, the ADU is built with one small step to the deck, which can be easily ramped in the future. The bathroom is large and open, with no level changes, allowing for easy access for older guests.
‘We wanted to give them a sense of privacy while being connected to their family,’ Johnson says. ‘The families can peek across the yard and see if they are eating outside, but it also allows them some visual privacy. There is clear space for mobility. We wanted to make it flexible for them, easy for them to get around, but still feel like a beautiful, wonderful, independent-feeling space. It’s nice to connect generations rather than isolate families.’”
The 465-square foot living space began with a budget of $175,000 when it started in 2017 and came out to about $200,000 by the time it was completed in 2019. A similar high-quality design and custom build today in Northern California would likely cost at least $750/square foot depending on the particular project, site, and interior and exterior finishing choices.
To learn more about an estimated budget for your ADU project in Napa or Sonoma County, check out our ADU Calculator tool where you can also learn more about your return on investment.
For guidance on how to use the ADU Calculator tool, check out our recent webinar, The Financial Case for Building an ADU Now & Not Later, where we walk you through case studies and demo the tool for you in a simple, easy-to-understand way.
And for customized advice and support, sign up today for an ADU Feasibility Consult with our ADU Expert!