An accessory dwelling unit, also called an ADU, is an ancillary dwelling unit on a single-family residential lot. The phrase “accessory dwelling unit” may sound businesslike, but it's a term used commonly across the country to depict this type of housing. Because the full name is a mouthful, people have shortened it to “ADU” instead.

ADUs are characterized by the fact that they fall under a category of housing units, that is not a standardized structural form. When familiarizing yourself with a new building design concept like an ADU, it's obvious to want to understand exactly what that concept looks like in the flesh.  Nevertheless, ADUs differ in their physical form quite a lot. You can consider the ADU design concept as a tangible object that can be mentally referenced.

This blog post tries to elaborate on that mental model by exploring and deciphering the range of common ADU types that residential construction services construct as secondary living units.

The Main Types Of ADUS?

ADUs come in an array of types: detached new construction, garage conversion, bump-out, basement conversion, and more. This list below describes the most prevalent structural forms of accessory dwelling units as well as a few additional terms you may hear to describe them.

1)  Detached new construction ADUs, also dubbed backyard cottages, granny flats, laneway houses, or DADUs in accordance with the jurisdiction. This ADU is constructed on the lot of a single-family home, normally in the back or side yard.

2) Garage conversion ADUs: These units convert your garage into a home.

3) ADUs on top of a garage or workshop, or as an attachment unit: In certain areas, these may be called garage apartments or carriage houses.

4) Addition ADUs or “bump-out ADUs”: These are an added construction in a house, that benefits from shared walls and provides easier access to utilities.

5) Basement conversion ADUs: Also called by the name of basement apartments, mother-in-law units, in-law units, secondary suites, English basements, accessory apartments, and an array of other names.

6) Internal ADUs: This involves converting a part of the primary house other than the basement to an accessory dwelling unit by taking the help of a professional residential construction service.

Common Traits of ADUs

Although the structural forms of ADUs vary, they have some common traits and cope with similar design and development challenges. The fact that they are ancillary housing units on single-family residentially zoned lots puts ADUs into a distinct category. ADUs also have some other distinctive traits that help further define, distinguish, and separate them from other types of dwellings.

  • ADUs are an accessory and adjoin a main housing unit.
  • ADUs are much smaller than the standard US house.
  • ADUs are generally one of two units that are the property of one owner on a single-family residential lot.
  • ADUs are mostly constructed asynchronously from the main house by an adu builder.
  • A full range of municipal land use and zoning regulations distinguish ADU types and styles and notably affect their permitted uses.
  • A large number of informal ADUs exist in contrast to permitted ADUs.

These distinguishing attributes make ADUs a distinctive type of housing. Lately, there has been an absence of a basic understanding of the language and best practices of ADU development.

Economic Benefits of ADUs

ADUs offer flexible dwelling choices in central city neighborhoods and use existing governmental infrastructure like roads, sewers, and schools. Plus, reduces the demand for expanding infrastructure in the expansive areas of a developed metropolitan area.

Environmental Benefits of ADUs

ADUs offer housing with a comparatively small environmental footprint. New, detached ADUs offer rental dwellings that are 44% smaller per capita than a new single-family rental unit. On the whole, new ADUs offer housing that is 33% smaller per capita than new single-family units. In a building's allotted span, smaller dwellings consume less energy in construction, deconstruction, and habitation.

Social Benefits of ADUs

Accessory dwelling units are a more affordable housing option in residential communities without notably changing a neighborhood's character. Especially when in contrast with other new housing types.

The Bottomline

Even if they will probably not solve all a city's problems, ADUs may allow homeowners to solve some of their personal problems. The most common incentive for ADU development through accessory dwelling unit builders is rental income potential for the owner. In addition to the prospect of flexible living space for multigenerational households. ADUs have several synonyms. The accessory unit is one of the synonyms. An accessory unit is an ancillary and a mini-unit on a lot that already has a primary residential unit. A kitchen is a must in ADUs. The fact is a kitchen is the defining feature of an ADU that separates it from other additional habitable dwellings. You require a permit from your local jurisdiction to construct a habitable living space on your lot.