Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

The purpose of an ADU can be multiple reasons but the most frequent ones are:

1. Generate extra Income by renting the unit.
2. Provide housing for a family member.
3. Increase your property value.

Some Facts regarding ADU’s

• An Accessory Dwelling Unit can provide affordable housing options for family members, friends, students, the elderly, in-home care providers, the disabled, and others.
• They can have their own private entrance.
• They can have separate utility bills.
• They have their own kitchen, bathroom, and living area.

In 2017 was determined in California that any property zoned as a single-family residence was allowed to have an ADU; since then, many bills have passed that authorized the building of an ADU on specific multi-family properties and properties in HOA communities.

In SD Casitas, we have two options:

Our pre-approved ADU’s models and our Custom Design ADU’s

will generally take about 6 to 12 months from start to finish.

In both options, it includes permits, designs, and construction. We give you a turnkey project.

For an attached ADU is 50% of the main dwelling’s square footage, up to 1,200 sq ft.  For a detached ADU unit, the California State allows up to 1,200 sq ft

It’s essential you consider four things when determining an ADU cost, and depending on the complexity of your ADU, the cost can run between the following ranges.

1. Design:

SD Casitas will take care of the elaboration of all construction documents and permit processing, including HOA submission paperwork so you don’t have to worry about dealing with permitting agencies.

For custom ADUs, the design and engineering can range from $6,000 to $15,000.

For our pre-approved models, there is no cost for design, although construction drawings tailored to your property will need to be prepared and this cost can range from $2,500 -$5,000.

2. Permits:

It depends on each property individually to determine permits cost, but it ranges from $5,000 to $15,000.

Everything depends on your ADU’s purpose, if you have existing structures or dwellings in your yard, and the amount of space you have in your lot.

When you talk about a Site-Developed, you refer to construction made on-site from the ground up; this type of ADU gives you more options to customize it to your specific needs and adapt it to your property specifications. If you talk about the pros and cons, a Site-Developed is more adaptable, and if you talk about cost, cost is practically the same.

These are some of the new laws passed for ADU’s in 2020

• Published in 2020 “the no owner occupancy clause”, which allows homeowners who build an ADU by 2025 are eligible and qualify in this clause, which means that homeowners are not required to live on the property if they have an ADU allowing them to rent both their primary property and their ADU.
• Multifamily zones:  You may add an ADU to certain multifamily zoned properties

Since 2020, San Diego’s city has completely waived the Development Impact  Fees for ADU’s regardless of the ADU’s size.

SD Casitas  has teamed up with the top lenders in San Diego to give you access to the best loan programs available in the market; with years of experience working with them, we are sure we can offer you the best solutions for your financial needs.

We currently provide 6 pre-designed and pre-engineered options for Additional Dwelling Units that would fit your needs. Selecting one of these 6 options will expedite the construction and reduce cost because no additional engineering will be required. If you have a specific idea, we can also custom-design-engineer.