Accessory Dwelling Units (ADU)

Accessory dwelling units are increasing in popularity as the need for more housing in urban areas skyrockets. But what exactly is an ADU (accessory dwelling unit)? More commonly referred to as “granny flats”, “carriage house” or “backyard cottages”, ADUs are smaller, independent dwellings that share a lot with a single family home. ADUs come in all types of arrangements and Associated Designs collection of pre-designed ADUs focuses on one or two story floor plans for detached, stand-alone structures. While the floor plan arrangement may vary common features of accessory dwelling units are: at least one bedroom or sleeping area, a full kitchen with stove, dishwasher, and sink, one full bathroom outfitted with a shower (or tub/shower), a toilet, and sink, and the square footage tends to be 800 square feet or smaller. Due to their small footprint, ADUs can even offer studio-style living where there is no formal bedroom. Each building jurisdiction has different requirements for what can be constructed as an accessory dwelling so make sure to check with a city building official for requirements.