Michael’s ADU Garage Conversion in Berkeley

Turnkey Project Cost Today = $367,000
Size = 370 square feet

Michael, a recent Berkeley graduate and management consultant who travelled all the time, recognized the high value of his home and a friend’s need for a place to live.

Michael asked New Avenue to convert the existing garage on his property into an ADU.

This is a much sought-after and convenient neighborhood with easy access to San Francisco via the BART station that is a few minutes’ walk away, and the famous Berkeley Bowl is even closer. Our clients with similar projects collect $3,000+ in rental income per month, which nets almost $2,000 per month after the mortgage payment and pays off the entire project in eight or nine years.

Every project is unique and comes with its own challenges. In this case, two of the walls of the garage were on the property line. Fortunately, the city allows the conversion of an existing structure if it stays within the same footprint after the conversion is complete. Although the wood in the existing structure needed to be replaced, Michael’s design/build team was able to complete the conversion with new materials in the existing footprint. At the time of this project, we had to build a scaffold to save part of the old walls. Now, new laws such as SB 1069 allow you to demolish a garage like this and rebuild it, entirely new, in the same place.

This new ADU has an open kitchen, a washer/dryer tucked in one closet, custom tile shower in the bathroom, a bedroom nook that is open but could be a separate bedroom with its own closet, and a living area. The large double doors, windows, skylight, and solar tube provide plenty of natural light, making the home feel spacious and bright and allowing the residents to save energy.