This post is all about the 5 things I wished I’d know before building an ADU garage conversion. I’m going to share my experience as a homeowner, designer and builder.

5 Things I Wish I Knew Before Diving into My ADU Garage Conversion: A Homeowner’s Tale

From Garage to ADU Conversion

My husband and I were deep into the house-hacking strategy. We were firm believers in having a tenant, thus another unit. But the small multi-family prices all over the city where soaring, so we turned our attention to an ADU garage conversion.

In August 2020, we purchased a charming three-bedroom in a Los Angeles suburb, complete with a detached garage accessible through an alley – the perfect candidate for our ADU dreams. We knew we wanted an ADU dwelling unit to help us pay our mortgage.

Right away we had plans drawn up and submitted to the city and spent a 3 months going through the approval process. We embarked on our second home-building journey, this time as “homeowner-builders” – fancy title for playing contractor!

We finally started building February 2021 and completed construction mid-June 2021 and learned a few things along the way.

I am sharing the 5 things I wished I’d know before building the ADU conversion.

Lesson 1: Hire People you TRUST and don’t always go for the Lowest Bid

This was my first experience “acting” as a contractor and I gained so much respect for contractors and builders. It’s a tough job and a full-time job. There’s a lot of timelines and budgets to be aware of and personalities at the job site to deal with, especially if you hire each trade separately.

Finding someone you trust and click with is crucial. You’re building a long-term partnership, and they hold the key to your ADU success. Plus, you’re giving them access to your home – trust matters!

I interviewed at least 3 individuals/companies for each part of the construction: framers, plumbers, electricians, finishers, painters, etc.

If they know their stuff, the bids won’t differ wildly. And speaking of bids, avoid the “lowest price wins” trap. Trust your gut, prioritize rapport, and ask for recommendations to other tradespeople – quality often speaks for itself.

Lesson 2: You will Likely go Over Budget on the ADU Conversion

Prepare for Budget Bends, Not Breaks. There’s just some things you can’t control but you can prepare for them. Have extra money saved up for contingencies and unknowns.

My 1950s garage, for example, lacked proper footings, just a slab on the ground. We forked out $8,000 for a new footing for the ADU dwelling unit, prioritizing safety and peace of mind. We also nearly re-framed the entire structure so it’s structurally sound and spent extra money in leveling the garage floor.

Remember, contingencies are your construction companions. Have wiggle room in your budget for these inevitable expenses.

Lesson 3: Visit your ADU Worksite as Often as Possible

I recommend visiting your worksite daily if possible. If you’re converting your garage into an ADU, it shouldn’t be hard to check up on the work, since you live on the property.

Plus, it keeps everyone accountable. You can inspect work, ensure adherence to specs, and catch any potential slip-ups early. Remember, it’s YOUR space, YOUR vision. Embrace the power of proactive oversight!

You get to be in the space at every stage in construction. Sometimes, you’ll notice when things don’t feel right spatially. And other times you might have inspiration to add something to make the space extra special.

Lesson 4: Don’t Forget about your Yard and ADU Landscaping

My husband and I did spent money redoing our backyard landscape a few months before starting our ADU garage conversion. We hired a landscaper to remove all of our grass and put in decomposed granite and drought tolerant plants. We wanted a low maintenance yard.

In hindsight, I realized we got ahead of ourselves in installing our drought tolerant landscape so early in the process. When construction started on our ADU conversion, the decomposed granite quickly turned into dirt and all of our drought tolerant plants did not survive the daily construction activities. It was money down the drain.

And by the time we were finished with the ADU conversion, it was a beautiful house surrounded by dirt. We ran out of money to re-do the decomposed granite with the nice drought tolerant landscape.

Prioritizing parking spaces for future tenants meant our backyard budget took a hit. We ended up with pea gravel (think concrete mix) – not glamorous, but durable and car-friendly.

It wasn’t pretty, but good enough. Over time we saved up and planted bamboo along the edge of the ADU conversion so there’s a physical separation between the ADU and the parking space.

That is why budgeting money for landscaping and doing it last is important. It really helps bring the project together and makes is a proper backyard oasis.

Lesson 5: Plan Utilities Ahead, Avoid Delays on your ADU

I learned this one the hard way, so learn from my 3-week delay!

Most ADUs get new addresses and, with them, the potential for separate utilities. Decide early if you’ll split or share – water meters can be pricey ($6,000+)!

In my case, the gas company took three weeks, and the electrical company took just as long. Call your utilities company early, even as soon as you begin your project. Check with your city, budget for utility company timelines, and avoid my headache!

For people who live in Los Angeles County here are helpful links to utility companies:

SoCalGas – to request a new meter or adjustments to your existing meter, like move lines
Southern California Edison – for new meter spots, moving lines and starting new service
LADWP – Los Angeles Department of Water and Power for all electrical and water needs for City of Los Angeles
Water – check each individual municipality

Conclusion

So there you have it!

From underutilized garage to a dream ADU dwelling unit, my ADU journey was an eye-opening, rewarding experience. It made me a better designer, builder, and I gained lots of people skills working with so many tradespeople.

To recap: the 5 things I wished I known before building an ADU garage conversion are:

1. Hire people you trust and vibe with; quality beats bargain any day.
2. You will likely go over budget, so budget for the unexpected. 10%-15% is industry standard
3. Daily construction visits keep things on track
4. consider your landscaping and
5. Plan your new utilities early. Save time, money, and sanity by getting ahead of the curve.

Now, go forth and embark on your own ADU adventure! And if you need a cheerleader (or a contractor recommendation!), don’t hesitate to reach out.

I’d love to hear your thoughts and any stage of your journey into the whole ADU garage conversion, please leave me a comment or write me an email. This post was all about 5 Things I Wish I Knew Before Diving into My ADU Garage Conversion: A Homeowner’s Tale.

If you’re in the beginning stages, check out my guide to ADU in Single Family Properties.

Ready to unlock the hidden potential of your garage? Let’s chat! Contact me for a free consultation and unlock your ADU dream.

And be sure to check out my website for before-and-after photos, expert tips, and more ADU inspiration!