You have probably heard of a mother-in-law suite or garage conversion – the techincal term is accessory dwelling unit (ADU). They have been growing in popularity in the Portland Metro area and there’s no surprise why. According to the City of Portland, “an accessory dwelling unit (ADU) is a second dwelling unit created on a lot with a house, attached house or manufactured home. The second unit is created auxiliary to, and is smaller than, the main dwelling”. They can be created in many different ways – from an addition to your home, a conversion of a basement or garage or building a brand new structure in your backyard.
Not sure an ADU is for you? Here are some examples of how you could utilize your new addition:
- Building a distraction-free office or workspace that would make working from home even better
- Adding an additional source of income to help pay for mortgage. Countless Portlanders renting out their ADU, whether for short-term vacation rentals or long-term tenants.
- Expanding living space for family to live in. Exactly the reason they are commonly refered to as a ‘mother-in-law suite’.
- Some brave homeowners will even move into an ADU addition and rent out their main house, so they can downsize without giving up their property rights!
Additional ADU InformationBuilding Fees
The System Development Charges (SDC) that are required for all ADUs being waived by the City of Portland until July 31st, 2018. As long as the application is in by July 31st and the final inspection is done before June 30th, 2018 – you could save over $10,000 on your ADU project.
Location and Coverage
The combined building coverage for all detached accessory structures may not exceed 15% of the total site area. Deatached ADUs must be set back 40 feet from a front lot line or behind the rear wall of the house.
Appearance
Your ADU cannot be more than 75% of the living area of the house or 800 square feet, whichever is smaller. The maxium height allowed for ADUs is 20 feet. If it is above 15 feet tall the exterior of the home but be the same or visually match the existing home.
For more information please refer to the City of Portland ADU Program Guide.
Beisa’s Legacy Construction has over 20 years of experience building additions in the Portland Metro area. We can help you with all aspects of the build – from the design, best location, financing and of course the build itself.
We work with some of the best architects in the Portland Metro area. You can have the peace of mind that your ADU plans and final product are more beautiful than you could have imagined!
We work with some of the best architects in the Portland Metro area. You can have the peace of mind that your ADU plans and final product are more beautiful than you could have imagined!
Beisa’s Legacy is always prepared to go the extra mile and do our best to ensure your happiness and confidence with your accessory dwelling unit.
