Are you looking to build a second home on your property, but aren’t quite sure how to get started?
Building a backyard home (also known as an accessory dwelling unit or ADU) offers plenty of benefits. You can rent this home out to make some extra income, turn it into space for out of town guests to stay, or turn it into an additional workspace.
But, before you get started on building your backyard home, there are some things you need to know.
Read on to discover everything you need to know about building backyard homes.
Check Local Laws
Before you begin designing your backyard home, you first need to look into the local ordinances. Here are some things you’ll need to consider in regard to local laws:
Height: Your city or county may limit the height of new buildings in your area. In order to receive a building permit, your backyard home must meet these height limits.
Density: This refers to the number of dwelling units that are allowed on a property.
Setbacks: This refers to the minimum distance you need to have between your backyard home and other property lines for fire safety reasons.
Utility Easements: You need to make sure your backyard home doesn’t get in the way of any public utility lines.
Decide Why You Want to Build Your Backyard Home
In order to figure out the layout and design of your backyard home, you first need to figure out why you want to build it.
For example, if you’re building the backyard home for your elderly parents to live in, then you need to make sure the space is senior-friendly. This means you may want to add guardrails, replace stairs with ramps, or add motion-sensor lights.
Here are some other reasons to build a backyard home:
- You can rent the space out for extra income
- Create extra space for visiting guests and family members
- House a returning college student who needs some extra space
- Serve as a studio space or a workspace
- Downsize and move into the backyard home and then rent out your larger family home
As you can see, there are many great reasons to build a backyard home.
Understand the Site Conditions
Before you begin construction on this new home, you also need to understand the conditions in your backyard.
For example, is your backyard on a slope, or is it flat? Does rainwater pool in parts of your yard? Is the soil in your backyard undisturbed or has it been filled in the past?
Understanding these elements will make it easier for you to construct your backyard home. If you want to learn more about figuring out the site conditions in your backyard, you can check out Actonadu.com.
Backyard Homes: Are You Ready to Build?
Now that you have this information about backyard homes, it’s time to start building. Before you know it, your second home will be up and running.
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