Does your dream home sweet home include an accessory dwelling unit?
For those who need a separate home office or studio, “Granny Pod,” independent space for a young adult child or even an income producing unit where allowed, accessory dwelling units or ADUs are commanding attention in more communities and from property owners.
“We’re seeing interest and requests. In many parts of the country these types of buildings are hot, hot, hot,” said Dennis Gehman, president of Gehman Design Remodeling in Harleysville, Montgomery County.
Dwell.com offers upscale plans for additional living spaces – from detached studios and garages to custom built wings and suites.
They’re meant to provide comfort, luxury, sustainability and even offset or reduce a property’s carbon footprint while they provide housing for multiple generations of family members.
Yesteryear’s guest house, carriage house or cottage may become a suitable option for a broad range of housing needs. And 21st century buildings can take advantage of cutting-edge tech, forward thinking design ideas and sustainable resources.
Driving the demand to reconsider property use is the cost of housing, proximity to family or friends and a desire by many to simplify their living arrangements.
“I think the demand will be growing,” Gehman said.
ADUs can be custom built to specifications, carved from a basement or attic space or built as an addition to a primary home.
In cases where privacy and independence is a priority – and where local zoning permits them – a stand-alone building in a yard or on a property may be the right choice.
For those who want to keep Mom, Dad or both parents close-by – either to help out with health and medical care or for more regular and consistent contact – a Granny Pod or ADU could be the right move.
“With the creativeness of these spaces the sky is really the limit for the use,” Gehman said.
Ranging in size from 300 to 900 square feet or more most ADUs meant for aging parents are single floor living and include universal design accessibility features.
Universal design, formerly known as aging in place, takes ease of access by the widest range of people into account for fixtures, floor plans and everyday necessities – such as light switches, counter heights, cabinets, bathroom use and more.
A spike in demand and changing attitudes toward residential zoning are on the rise on the west coast.
Housing Wire.com. reported a soaring demand for ADUs in Los Angeles and Seattle that continues to heat up.
In Seattle, Housing Wire.com reported a whopping 250% increase in ADU construction from 2019 to 2022.
Across Pennsylvania and in Bucks County conversations around permitted uses, along with what is possible and practical are picking up, too.
Evan Stone, executive director of Bucks County Planning Commission in Doylestown said across the county’s 54 municipalities “there is no universal regulation on accessory dwelling units. And there is no question in our mind that accessory dwelling units have a place in reaching attainable housing,” he said.
Several generations living together – whether under a single roof or on the same property – isn’t a new concept.
From shared financial resources to child or elder care support having family close at hand are among compelling reasons to consider an ADU on your property.
Karyn Hyland, Doylestown Borough zoning director said she’s been receiving more frequent questions from residents about finding ways to create additional living spaces on their properties.
“A living space that allows some independence for multi-generational living and households is something that has come up quite a bit,” she said.
Hyland said the borough is currently revisiting its comprehensive plan, which could include discussions around how to accommodate property owners’ needs around providing for aging parents or young adult children housing.
“I’m sure it will be part of the conversation” as updates are considered, Hyland said.
Municipalities are encouraged to revisit and update their comprehensive plan at least every 10 years, according to Stone.
For seniors, the allure of living with an adult child offers security coupled with the desire to have “your own space.”
Hyland said Doylestown Borough does not currently acknowledge ADUs as self-sufficient dwellings on a parcel with a “main house” in its zoning guidance.
“We see garage conversion [requests] or a unit above the existing garage or space somehow carved out of the main house, but we don’t often see requests for brand new buildings,” Hyland explained.
At least, not yet.
An accessory dwelling unit or ADU is defined as a complete dwelling unit with independent entrance and exit points, a full kitchen and bathroom, bedroom, living space and essential utility systems.
Hyland said guest houses or suites that could be separate from a main house and include a bedroom, bathroom and coffee bar and meet zoning requirements could be considered but the property would still have to meet minimum land size requirements.
“The uptick in interest we’ve been seeing is a result of the housing market,” she explained.
Hyland said a steady volume of requests for offices, sheds, studios, patio renovations, pergolas and other outdoor kitchens and structures since the pandemic began in 2020 continue to hit her desk.
Jamie Ridge, CEO of Suburban Realtors Alliance in Malvern said across the region – and throughout Pennsylvania – properties with existing cottage or small unit accommodations are typically “grandfathered” by most municipalities and allowed to continue under the property’s current ownership.
“Traditionally ADUs were allowed before code enforcement” came into being, so an outbuilding or adding rooms to a home was an easier process, he noted.
Todd R. Hurley, a Realtor at eXp Realty The Tom Smeland Team in Doylestown is working with a buyer intersted in a property with an existing in-law suite.
The buyers are a younger couple who want more space and a larger home. They prefer to have one set of parents move in with them to help with expenses.
“So affordability is a factor,” Hurley said.
Ridge said relaxing some zoning restrictions – where applicable – to allow ADUs “can be one solution…helpful to ease housing inventory shortages.”
He said some municipalities are already talking about what kind of housing options can be created.
“ADUs are an entire missing portion of our housing stock, which is a problem, [and] ADUs can be one solution,” Ridge said.
John Gemmi owner of Gemmi Construction Inc. in Buckingham Township said ADUs offer a work space on the homeowner’s property.
“What I did was take my property shed and convert it to a home office. We insulated it and put real windows in it, and the layout made sense,” Gemmi explained.
A mini-split HVAC system, spray foam building insulation and floor insulating completed the project.
“These are a great option for people working from home to not be working in the dining room or with the kids in the kitchen,” Gemmi said.
Because sheds typically don’t have foundations if you are planning on converting a shed keep insulation in mind so the building can be used year round.
While there is some investment to converting a shed into a home office or studio, it’s far less costly than building a permanent building on a foundation from scratch.
“It keeps everything contained at your property. You don’t have to rent office space, and it uses more of your property,” he said.
Always check first with your municipal offices to determine if a shed conversion to home office or work studio is permitted, along with the process required to do so.
“Look at the structures on your property and see if one works for you,” Gemmi said.
A recent project for an artist client’s studio took advantage of natural light by orienting the building to accommodate as much sunlight as possible.
Chris Egner recommends talking to your real estate professional before considering any major changes to your property, home or outbuildings.
He is the owner of Chris Egner Design-Build-Remodel in New Berlin, Wisconsin and president of the National Association of the Remodeling Industry.
“Each municipality has different zoning codes and some limit the number of accessory buildings” and uses allowed on a property, Egner said.
That makes your municipal zoning officer the first contact to learn about what is – and is not – allowed where you live, as well as any zoning relief, permits and applications required before any construction projects can begin.
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