With your decision to embark on your ADU or tiny house project, you most likely will have a few questions. How does the permit process work? Who do I contact first, the city, contractor, my financial advisor? How much will this project cost and what are my financing options? By committing to learning the rules of the ADU process, you’ll be breaking ground on your project in no time.

DIY – Self Managed PreFab Homes Project Overview

Permitting

Homeowners will need to run plans for the project by their local department of building and safety. For ground-up construction, that means diagrams and exact measurements will need to be included. If a project is especially complex, homeowners may want to seek assistance from a licensed architect.

Once the project is built, homeowners will need to obtain a certificate of occupancy before anyone moves in. That means the structure will need to be inspected, and that its electricity, plumbing, and heating system will all need to be in working order.

A backyard trailer is not an ADU.

While loose in the definition of “accessory dwelling unit”, it doesn’t include recreational vehicles like campers and RVs. In most cities, new ADU standards being reviewed by city officials would allow for a new category of dwelling called “moveable tiny houses.”

These are units that can be hitched to a vehicle and moved around while providing all the features of an ADU when stationary (a bathroom, kitchen, and living space). For now, though, these residences on wheels cannot be permitted as ADUs.

Listing ADUs as a vacation rental

State rules leave it up to local governments to decide whether ADUs can be listed on short-term rental sites like Airbnb. Some cities choose to ban ADUs from short-term rental use in order to encourage owners to lease them out for longer periods of time.

Homeowners aiming to build a rental unit for vacationers should definitely check local rules in their area before starting on the project.

ADUs for extra income or not

ADUs might be a solution to the California housing crisis, but don’t have to be used to house a person. Some homeowners may just want some extra space for an office or studio that can also be used as a guest room.

Owners who are just looking for extra room probably don’t need to bother getting all the necessary permits to build an ADU—most photo labs and fitness rooms don’t need a separate kitchen.

A standard addition permit may be an easier way to add that flex space.