How do I design my ADU?
Once you know what you’re allowed to build on your property, it’s time to think about how you want your ADU to look and feel. We strongly recommend homeowners work with a professional throughout the planning and design process, since professional help can get you through the following steps quickly and easily.
Builders/contractors will often have thoughts about costs—and opportunities to reduce them—that your designer may not have considered early on. Consider bringing your builder into the design process so you can draw upon their expertise before the plans are finalized.
Step 1: Initial design
When designing your ADU, you will consider size, use, layout, specific project needs (storage, laundry room, etc.), architectural style, and privacy. It is helpful to have a clear sense of your preferences and priorities early in the process.
Some cities have guidelines intended to help maintain the character of a place that can include guidelines on color, material, details, and style, among other things. You might be excited to think about the finishes (the type of siding, flooring, fixtures, or lighting), but these design details do not need to be decided early in the process. These elements do not affect the form and placement of the unit, which is what the design will focus on initially.
Step 2: Meet with the City
Once you have a preliminary design, it’s a good idea for you & your designer to have a pre-application meeting with the local planning (and possibly building) staff. At this point (ideally, halfway through the design plan refinement process) it is a good idea to show the design concept to city staff to make sure the plan is approvable and to identify any other regulatory considerations.
After meeting with the city, you or your designer can complete the city’s permit application and appropriate plans for that stage of the review.
Step 3: Finalize your plans and prepare for construction
Following you city meeting, you will have asked your questions and addressed any critical issues prior to submitting your permit application.
It is a good idea at this phase to talk to your neighbors about your ADU development to keep them informed of your intentions to build.
ADU state law does not require neighbors to sign off on the construction of an ADU and generally cannot stop an allowed ADU project, but you will need to live next to your neighbors for many years, and the development and construction process will be much smoother if your neighbors are kept informed throughout the process, especially in the beginning.
About Casita Coalition
Casita Coalition is the only statewide, multi-sector organization that brings together all key players to remove policy barriers, making a big impact through small homes. Working through our Board, Advisory Committee, and Working Groups, we draw on the diversity of expertise and experience of our members to make it easier to build small homes in all neighborhoods across California. Visit www.casitacoalition.org to learn more.