If you ask a contractor for an estimate, you’ll most likely get a quote that’s just plain wrong. We’re talking a +/- 30% difference (or worse). 30% too high, and you won’t get the best value for your money. 30% too low, and you may be left with a hole in the ground while you scramble for financing.

Erin’s new attached ADU can be used as a guest suite, additional space for the homeowner, a home for family, or a rental unit. This kind of ADU rents for $2,500 or more per month, which will be enough to pay for the project and additional expenses such as helping with the mortgage on the main home, travel, education, leisure activities, or retirement.

Steve, a homeowner in Berkeley, wanted to add more space to his one-bedroom, one-bathroom home. He hired New Avenue to design and build a second story with an additional bedroom and an additional bathroom. Here are the plans and costs.

When adding an addition or building an accessory dwelling, your property taxes will go up. In general, we expect an increase of one-half of one percent of the total cost of the project. In this case, the family will see a tax increase of $2,625 per year. The total cost of a project like this is $525,000. That includes everything: design, permitting, engineering, all the red tape, site work, and construction.

When Lori decided to add an attached apartment to her Berkeley home, she contacted New Avenue. Lori needed a nice home for her mother that could be rented out later. A New Avenue design professional created an attached ADU with a kitchen, a dining/living area, a bedroom, and a bathroom. The designer also designed a deck with a trellis and a new driveway for the property.

New Avenue created a plan that would fit their property, meet the city permitting requirements, and be a comfortable guest suite for anyone who stayed there. The detached guest suite features a living area, a closet, a bathroom with a shower, a refrigerator, and a sink. The design makes use of natural light to keep the space bright and reduce electricity costs. Here are the rendering and floor plan.

A great place to start is an addition or ADU that gives you the space you need. We designed an addition to a home in Sunnyvale, giving the homeowners an expanded living area, a new covered front porch, and a mudroom to enhance their already active lifestyle. There’s also space for an additional bedroom/bathroom expansion in the future if the homeowners decide to add even more living space. Here are the floorplans.