There is always a diversity of topics and speakers at the Tuesday AR Zoom meetings. I came to today's meeting wanting to know what an ADU was. I didn't have a clue. Although I know about factory built housing. We had a contractor in our BNI group that specialized in modular housing.
Today John DL Arendsen provided us with a wealth of knowledge. There was so much information that I am still trying to absorb it. He has a wealth of experience and spoke with authority.
I learned the possibilities of having an ADU on a developed property. Although it is not as easy as it sounds and local regulations create many obstacles to getting one approved.
There are a number of reasons for building an ADU. The one that came to mind for me was the increasing popularity of mult generational living. Rather than a large home having a home with a smaller home on the property might appeal to those who want privacy.
John has had almost every kind of request and really has to turn some down. Some have unrealistic price expectations. In San Diego County you are talking about at least opening with low 6 figures.
I took some notes and what I think I heard was that you really can't do this job with septic systems. Furthermore, you need to be "on grid. In many cases you will need to upgrade the electrical amp service if not enough.
John mentioned that business has been very busy during these Covid times but it may take somewhat longer to get work down because social distancing means working with interfacing with crews. There needs to be scheduling and alternating of crews which makes the project longer and more complex.
People are also creating ADUs for rental possibilities. Here again, some people have unrealistic expectations for a cluster of ADU's that will not get approved in many localities. This is not for high density. Then there are challenges in some areas with appraisals and banks.
Hybrid units (part modular and part stick construction) are being built and John can work with his son in this area. John's son is also a contractor.
So you would like to have an ADU on your property. How do you get started? There are companies out there advertising their services but who can you trust? John suggests fully vetting your contractor. Of course, you should check for all licensing, but you should also go deeper than that. Get the details including insurance and any insurance claims and look into any public records.
There is so much information here and John has agreed to come at a later date to give some more details.
I was wondering what Debb Janes EcoBroker and Bernie Stea JD think about ADU's in multi-generational housing and have they sold any.
This presention today really got me thinking although my level of background knowledge is much less than most others who were on the call.
I encourge everyone to experience the Zoom sessions which happen every Tuesday at 2pm Eastern Time. I will continue to reach out for new participants.
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