I just spent $1.4M on a home renovation in Fallbrook, CA. $250K was spent on just the deck. This was not a hugely complicated renovation and I did a ton of material procurement, design, subcontracting myself. Spending less than $300K on an entire ADU including all fees? You should be dancing in the street right now. Well done.
This price per square foot is really really good for California! You did a great job… no way you could have done this for less than 350k in the bay! My utility hookups where 30k school impact fees 22k and permit fees 12k… cheaper at quote I got after searching for months was $320 per sqft.
Good for California because all the greedy politicians hands in everything. Lumber tax, title 24...permit and school fees, All making costs much higher than other places in the country....WTF is with the fire sprinkler laws too? Not just because it is in sunny CA.....it is very political....In the early 2000s I could have a contractor build a house for 90k now over 400...that is not just inflation. same house....it is all about the cost of Liberalism. is it worth it .....ask a homeless person.
My wife is an architect. You can get blueprints done cheaper with a drafter but will likely be spending much more time going back and forth with the city for permits so it's going to be a tradeoff of time spent waiting. Seems costs vary wildly with contractors so it's good to get quotes from a couple and hopefully go with one who seems reputable. The good ones tend to be busy so it's not a easy process.
Thank you for this video! Very detailed and broke down your timeline in a very easy to understand way. And the costs, thanks for including it, hope it's still that cheap when I build one
Thanks for making this video. It really helped me get a better understanding of the CA ADU process/timeline. We have 3.5 acres in Nor Cal and the property is sloped. We wanted to have a manufactured home delivered to speed things up but the slopes and powerlines prevented that. We need to build the ADU onsite like you did. Because we're out in the country, we also have to have a new septic system installed. I haven't been able to get a straight answer on actual timelines and costs so this helped a lot. In our County they offer some free pre-approved plans but not sure I like them. I wish your contractor was local because it sounds like your project went pretty smoothly. Thanks again for putting this info together.
Congrats on owning 3.5 acres!! that's amazing. My understanding talking to contractors and homeowners (no actual personal experience) is that the foundation work + earth work (site prep) is a huge cost for building on a slope. The architect/designer and engineer will have a big part in the success of your project because of those foundation calculations too. Best of luck with your project!
Congrats!! That sounds like a great price for a project of that size but I also don’t know what the rates are in SAC. Are a lot of people building ADUs up there??
@@DarrenTsai_ The rates are much higher depending on the contractor. I think ADU are being built in Sacramento from what I am hearing and the work that is being pickup from plan designer and other contractors. It would have been cheaper if I didn't spend $24K on cement walkway last week. The original bid was $158K. It grew to $175K. And finally settled right below $200K after I cemented the area, along with a walkway to the front of the house..
Hell ya Darren... excellent video. trying to DIY an ADU project in long beach and basically using friends to do as much as possible since this is a friend doing his 1st ADU on his 1st house trying to make the property an income property in the future. WE hired people for foundation and framing and roofing. So a couple of his FRIENDS are handling everything else. Which we had to correct a few mistakes along the way. like you an eye opening experience of reality and time and the over all real cost of an ADU project. we regret not filming and noting everything that it takes to complete a project like this for the 1st time like we said we were going to do. Shot out to you for making this video..." THERE WILL ALWAYS BE THAT LEARNING CURVE FOR THE VERY 1ST TIME" always keep that in mind... THANX!!!!.... OH YA... total cost projected as of now is around $170,000 for a 750 square ft. unit in the Wrigley district in Long Beach, CA
Wrigley is up and coming!! great spot for an ADU. I appreciate your comment and the feedback. Did you like your contractors? There are so many hidden costs building an ADU for the first time. $170k for 750sqft is a great cost!
Who was your contractor? I am considering a 1200 ADU too on a 10K lot in LA. $285K is considerably affordable when you compare it to homes going up for sale for $800K!
Super helpful! Was thinking of building ADU unit as well! Curious why you didn’t do one of those already built ADU? Also how did you decide 3/2 bedroom is the right size/clientele you were renting out?
We designed with family in mind first. We did a 3 bed 3 bath with a tub downstairs for families kids. And then upstairs two primary suites with their own bathrooms for convenience. I read too many vendor issues with already built and cost was going to be more per sqft for the modular & prebuilt ADU. Still need to hire contractor for site prep & install. I think They would have had to crane the unit in too.
Good info. Definitely should be water tight before electrical starts. Even in California, if you get rain, inspector might have you redo everything. Also, better to have sheathing all nailed off before running pipes and wires. 10% down is illegal in California. Max they can get is 10% or $1000, whichever is less.
That is on the signing of the contract, the following day you can ask for whatever amount you agree on. Money has to exchange in CA for a contract to be legal.
@@L1ne3 If it's not an ADU you'd have to factor in the cost of the land. Also this price is probably before home prices went through the roof in 2022/2023 and interest rates were below 3%.
6:10 So you had to move the height of your windows because your architect's drawing wasn't up to code. Is this common? You would think most architect software would set legal code heights for things like Windows. 10:50 "Inspectors caught a bunch of mistakes" Was this because of the drawings being wrong or contractor mistakes? Once again a window was installed too low, was this a drawing mistake that had already been approved by the city? 11:40 I didn't know you could frame walls in California without sheathing. Thank you for this awesome video, the interior looks amazing!
6:10 - the framers did not frame according to the plans. 10:50 - one of our windows was drawn too low. Not sure how it passed the earlier inspections though. The inspector process to me is quite haphazard in our city. Different inspectors each time. Kind of felt like, if they were having a good day, no corrections. Thank you for the feedback and watching!!
Good video. Thanks for doing this. It’s possible to trim the Architect cost, through prebuilt online architectural services for basic designs as this. The $7000 paid to the architect appears very high, even for California. Obviously the more detailed and complex design would typically require a good local architect.
Do those online services also include engineering, submitting to the city, and title 24? Although I may have paid more, I was really happy with my architect services because they handled everything for me.
Was the solar system included in the $285K price? How about A/C and heating? Were they included as well? Did you have a scheduled timeline? And did you act as your own general contractor?
Solar & AC and heating - yes. Solar was not included in the bid. My GC had a rough scheduled timeline. No I was not my own GC. I recommend getting a GC so they can manage subs & inspections.
Great question!! I was with an architect over the weekend and he mentioned, he is not good at estimating building costs and sometimes even gets feedback from contractors saying some of his design is unbuildable. I would say: probably - yes. Keep it simple unless you are going for some super luxury or high-end home. 🏡
Thanks for this video. Had a lot of useful info. You mentioned corrections to the construction and having to move some windows (too low?) - I'm wondering if the architect's drawings were correct or the contractor didn't read the dimensions right ? I don't agree that those things just "happen". The vinyl flooring problems ? There's underlayment stuff for concrete slabs that provide a smooth base for whatever flooring you pick, might cost a bit more but sure saves installation time.
The framing crew misread the plans. Thats why they corrected immediately with no cost to me. We paid for underlayment. My understanding is The LVP expands and contracts with different temperatures.
I’m in the planning stage myself. I pretty much know what I want and I’m meeting with contractors to gauge the cost. You got to build a two story 1400 SQr ft home for under $300k. Were you impacted by the COVID supply chain issues and if so what was the cost impact?
Congrats! Where you building? Yeah - 1200sqft detached ADU. Sort of. My contractor said the cost of lumber was more expensive but I think he ate the change in cost because he didn't hit me with any change orders. The only covid supply chain issues were delays in materials. I want to say we bought something and we were tracking it and it was just in a cargo container in long beach port lol
Sure did. Modular was not as cost effective per sqft, long wait times due to investory shortage, and had limited designs. I would have still had to find a contractor to do the site prep & install.
Hi 👋, great video thanks. You mentioned that you were financing the $285k. What did you use to finance this cost? I thought banks wouldn’t provide a loan to finance and had to be cash ?
If you financed the $285k, what is your monthly payment with insurance and taxes? You said you get $4200 a month. Also, you could afford to not collect rent on it, so obviously you have the means to not be concerned with it being vacant for a year after financing it first $285k
the monthly payment changed depending on the draws because we have a HELOC. right now, it's about $2k/mo though. When rates were in the 3's, our payment was between $500-$1,200 depending on the draw amount. We decided to try midterm rental and got $4,150 and most recently $4,300 for 3 months terms.
Is it worth paying extra for the raised foundation instead of slab foundation? My current house is slab and it is so hard to change out the drainage pipe, and water proofing the slab foundation, especially rain falls accommodating at certain side of the house. Thanks
Hi Darren, just found your channel. Could you introduce me to your architect. We're wanting to build an ADU at home in San Diego. Already confirmed feasibility and got survey. Just need ADU plans. We have a very clear idea of what we want. Just need someone to draft and help get approved. How can I connect with you?
how does that impact your address like splitting out utilities (water/electricity/etc) or entrance to the adu? same for property taxes. do you get a separate bill or is does your property get re-assessed?
Did you look into purchasing a prefab unit and having it placed on your lot rather than building directly? There are some interesting options out there but they obviously don’t include site prep costs.
Prefab was significantly more expensive with long times. I did a lot of research and decided against prefab due to cost, time, not to mention, you still need a GC to site prep and install. I am in a few ADuU groups and seen too many horror stories of deposits sent for prefab and then the prefab companies going out of business too. Maybe this has changed since it's been a few years since I completed my ADU but it made more sense for me to not go with prefab.
@@DarrenTsai_ Ok i used Villa homes 1000sf3/2. Got many bids and couldn’t touch turnkey at $340k HUD compliant so no solar or sprinkler needed, ( here) PGE cost me 9 months unfortunately. You did great at 280 👍🏼
@@tomdemeo2708 Yea, when I got bids from the all in one companies (design, engineering, construction), they didn't include solar and the lowest bid was $380k. I also felt like much of their work was going to be subbed out anyways because they sent different contractors during the bid process but said "all our crews are in house"....
I don't think so. You may save some in design fees but your site plan will probably still be different. DM LAlotplans on instagram. He's ex LA plan checker and can probably help answer this better than me.
Did that $7000 from the architect include Structural Engineering or Title 24? How did the city allow a 2 story as most ADU height requirements are 16' ?
@@DarrenTsai_ Wow. $7000 for design, Structural, Title24 & addressing city corrections? That definitely is a friends & family price, or a clueless architect. But it's not surprising, I have known many Architect that suck at business & shortchange themselves. In the I.E. the five or so architects AND draftsmen! I know do not charge less then $10,000 for a new 1200sf one story ADU. Two story And in OC it's usually much higher. Not doubting or trying to insult, just passing on my experiences & observations. The hardest part is not the design or even creating the plans, it's dealing with the bureaucracy of the city development departments.
Let me guess : It costs double what you would pay 100 mi north in Kern County, and 10X what the identical structure would cost in Tijuana ( with no permits ).
@@DarrenTsai_ Wait, I realize my statement was a bit unfair ( Although construction is cheaper in a no-permit environment). More to the point, in Kern County there are huge numbers of Modular dwellings; in many cases the entire structure built in a factory and trucked in. Perhaps L.A. residents should ask : "What if my ADU were Modular ?"
Probably cheaper because it's less sqft? Also, you won't be paying for stairs, stair rails, flooring for stairs so that for sure will be a cost saving.
Dude this is crazy..my buddy pulled permits blueprints approved spent amazing mong on 2 garage below on cement rebar strong walls to hold upper loft ..fire rating driveway ramp ready to finalize..and inspectors never the same guy..he's ready for set finish .so blueprint there was loft day room upstairs and garages..he makes him install a kitchen..what now..he ended up with one garage and a kitchen with the strongest concrete floor .and no money..
luckily you did not get scammed by that tiny homes company; the story is the bond for them was only 25k and they took 100's of thousands from ppl and 4mil debt then filed for bankruptcy.
How much did your property assessment increase and the subsequent increase in taxes? Insurance increase? Viewers have to keep these ongoing costs in mind when determining future cash flow.
@@PopePeabody You probably moved into your neighborhood because it was all single-family houses with adequate or sufficient parking. You could look out your Kitchen window and not have your view blocked by an ADU built right on the property line. A small one bedroom, one bath unit is great for in-law quarters or taking care of a family member. Most people are turning them into income producing rentals along with their RV that is parked in the driveway. Your nice R-1 neighborhood is now turned in to an overcrowded R-3 neighborhood with no parking. No, I don't have a solution .
My neighbor built a hideous ADU towering over my backyard (basically on the property line). I was livid because we just bought the property and didn’t know there were plans for this 3 story ADU! Had to plant a bunch of trees to block it
For those of you who want to move to California and think living in an ADU as a cheap option, forget it! As you see, rental prices are 2-3x more than your midwest or southern house. And you will always be a "backyard neighbor" and you will feel like it! And the neighborhood will be mid-range at best, with crime always around the corner. Good to very good neighborhoods are in so-called "planned communities" (read: HOA) and they never allow ADU's. ADU's are for additional family living space, in which they work very well for.
California is a big state so this really varies. Anywhere coastal will typically be more expensive. Good to very good neighborhoods is subjective too. A family with 3 young kids is probably looking for something different than DINKs, or retired snowbirds. I agree though - ADUs are amazing for family and friend use.
@erickadrianvf wow living in someones back yard with roomates. California is not that amazing. Plus people are crazy these days so three people in one home wont last long.
Depends on where in Orange County the unit exists. A newly built unit 1200sf unit is quite pricey anywhere in Orange County especially if you are near the coast.
Yes most definitely … it’s either pay that and live on a backyard or pay $200 less and live in the ghetto apartment… or pay 1,000 more to have your own house rental
Yea. The other consideration would be if it's cheaper to build for family to live in the ADU than to buy in their city. A part of why we built this too is for potential family to live in in the future.
Sorry my friend you paid way to much unless it's very elaborate ...the material are usually about 20% of a 200 sf to build. If you have time and ability to do 75% of work far far less
I can't stand these things. The misery that will befall the neighborhoods where located has yet to be realized. We have idiots running this state who want everyone to share the pain. No one seems to consider the consequences of destroying an area with overcrowding and transients. ADUS suck.
Join our ADU FB Community:
facebook.com/groups/771648554962233/
I made this community because the other groups were filled with spam from contractors.
I just spent $1.4M on a home renovation in Fallbrook, CA. $250K was spent on just the deck.
This was not a hugely complicated renovation and I did a ton of material procurement, design, subcontracting myself.
Spending less than $300K on an entire ADU including all fees? You should be dancing in the street right now. Well done.
WOW!! was the deck that expensive because it was on a hill and needed foundation?
Also, are you a STR operator? would love to connect via email and hear your experiences running STRs
@@DarrenTsai_ I am a STR operator, feel free to ask any questions
Great details in this video for a future investor about to do a ADU...Which is me. Thanks!
Love to hear it!!
Great video Darren! Thank you for the breakdown regarding ADU and being so sharing with your 360 experience! Very appreciated!
Thanks for watching & the feedback!
This price per square foot is really really good for California! You did a great job… no way you could have done this for less than 350k in the bay! My utility hookups where 30k school impact fees 22k and permit fees 12k… cheaper at quote I got after searching for months was $320 per sqft.
Wow!! Thats a big difference in just utility and impact fees. Thanks for the feedback!
Good for California because all the greedy politicians hands in everything. Lumber tax, title 24...permit and school fees, All making costs much higher than other places in the country....WTF is with the fire sprinkler laws too? Not just because it is in sunny CA.....it is very political....In the early 2000s I could have a contractor build a house for 90k now over 400...that is not just inflation. same house....it is all about the cost of Liberalism. is it worth it .....ask a homeless person.
@@DarrenTsai_can you please share contractor info?
@@luis2flr email me
Great detailed video! Thank you for the tips and for the work you put in to make this video!
Thank you for watching & the call Marco! Pleasure chatting with you today
My wife is an architect. You can get blueprints done cheaper with a drafter but will likely be spending much more time going back and forth with the city for permits so it's going to be a tradeoff of time spent waiting. Seems costs vary wildly with contractors so it's good to get quotes from a couple and hopefully go with one who seems reputable. The good ones tend to be busy so it's not a easy process.
Yeah, this is also why I recommend an architect who knows the city well.
@@DarrenTsai_$7k is very cheap for a $285k project. I’m an architect. Kudos.
Thank you for this video! Very detailed and broke down your timeline in a very easy to understand way. And the costs, thanks for including it, hope it's still that cheap when I build one
You're very welcome!
Thanks for making this video. It really helped me get a better understanding of the CA ADU process/timeline. We have 3.5 acres in Nor Cal and the property is sloped. We wanted to have a manufactured home delivered to speed things up but the slopes and powerlines prevented that. We need to build the ADU onsite like you did. Because we're out in the country, we also have to have a new septic system installed. I haven't been able to get a straight answer on actual timelines and costs so this helped a lot. In our County they offer some free pre-approved plans but not sure I like them. I wish your contractor was local because it sounds like your project went pretty smoothly. Thanks again for putting this info together.
Congrats on owning 3.5 acres!! that's amazing. My understanding talking to contractors and homeowners (no actual personal experience) is that the foundation work + earth work (site prep) is a huge cost for building on a slope. The architect/designer and engineer will have a big part in the success of your project because of those foundation calculations too. Best of luck with your project!
I am almost done with my backyard ADU in Sacramento, CA. My total cost is $200K for 2 BR, 1 BA 740 sq ft house.
Congrats!! That sounds like a great price for a project of that size but I also don’t know what the rates are in SAC. Are a lot of people building ADUs up there??
@@DarrenTsai_ The rates are much higher depending on the contractor. I think ADU are being built in Sacramento from what I am hearing and the work that is being pickup from plan designer and other contractors.
It would have been cheaper if I didn't spend $24K on cement walkway last week. The original bid was $158K. It grew to $175K. And finally settled right below $200K after I cemented the area, along with a walkway to the front of the house..
@@mikef2811I’m from Sacramento too, who did you use to build the ADU? I’m currently looking
Same lmk @@mikef2811
This has been extremely helpful. Thank you for all the information. I’m planning on building an ADU and will be sure to email you
Awesome! I'm here to help
@@DarrenTsai_can you share who you used for a contractor please
Hell ya Darren... excellent video. trying to DIY an ADU project in long beach and basically using friends to do as much as possible since this is a friend doing his 1st ADU on his 1st house trying to make the property an income property in the future. WE hired people for foundation and framing and roofing. So a couple of his FRIENDS are handling everything else. Which we had to correct a few mistakes along the way. like you an eye opening experience of reality and time and the over all real cost of an ADU project. we regret not filming and noting everything that it takes to complete a project like this for the 1st time like we said we were going to do. Shot out to you for making this video..." THERE WILL ALWAYS BE THAT LEARNING CURVE FOR THE VERY 1ST TIME" always keep that in mind... THANX!!!!.... OH YA... total cost projected as of now is around $170,000 for a 750 square ft. unit in the Wrigley district in Long Beach, CA
Wrigley is up and coming!! great spot for an ADU. I appreciate your comment and the feedback. Did you like your contractors? There are so many hidden costs building an ADU for the first time. $170k for 750sqft is a great cost!
Thanks for sharing all this information. Showing step by step was very insightful 👍🏼
Happy to share! Good luck with your ADU
Very good video. Especially for those of us from California. Rare to see
Thank you for the kind words. I try to provide full transparency in all my videos.
Thank you for making the video. A lot of detail information. You mentioned that you financed the whole. What kind of loan did you used?
I used a HELOC. When rates go down, we may do a cash out refi though. Email me if you want more details.
Very educational video, thank you very much for your time.
Crazy how prices have gone up. I had built an 800sq ft ADU in orange county back in 2018 and it was $116k all in.
Dang. I missed the boat but better late than never haha
Jason, can you share your contractor? lol
Sorry I think he moved to NorCal since Covid. I havent spoken to him in a while.
@@jasonsongs7678 Tell him to move back and build us more ADUs lol
@@jasonsongs7678 I have friends in NorCal, where in NorCal? Might send my friends his contact
Who was your contractor? I am considering a 1200 ADU too on a 10K lot in LA. $285K is considerably affordable when you compare it to homes going up for sale for $800K!
Hey Felipe, congrats on the 10k lot in LA!!! Email me!
Super helpful! Was thinking of building ADU unit as well!
Curious why you didn’t do one of those already built ADU? Also how did you decide 3/2 bedroom is the right size/clientele you were renting out?
We designed with family in mind first.
We did a 3 bed 3 bath with a tub downstairs for families kids. And then upstairs two primary suites with their own bathrooms for convenience.
I read too many vendor issues with already built and cost was going to be more per sqft for the modular & prebuilt ADU. Still need to hire contractor for site prep & install. I think They would have had to crane the unit in too.
Good info. Definitely should be water tight before electrical starts. Even in California, if you get rain, inspector might have you redo everything. Also, better to have sheathing all nailed off before running pipes and wires.
10% down is illegal in California. Max they can get is 10% or $1000, whichever is less.
That is on the signing of the contract, the following day you can ask for whatever amount you agree on. Money has to exchange in CA for a contract to be legal.
… a cemented level piece of land,
utilities installed & a airstream!
Would be The Dream! 🇺🇸🗽
I love that. Even better, a piece of land surrounded with trees and a stream, and then a cemented piece of level land with utilities.
In my neighborhood, the cost per square foot is between $350 to $500 so you did really good.
Thank You!
$285,000 for a 3 bedroom house is cheap in California.
ADU might be the way to go!
I tried it and it cost $350k
Can you share who you used for a contractor ?
Try buying a 3 bedroom house for 285k haha
@@L1ne3 If it's not an ADU you'd have to factor in the cost of the land. Also this price is probably before home prices went through the roof in 2022/2023 and interest rates were below 3%.
Beautiful! Appreciate your sharing tips!
Thanks for watching!
Excellent video Darren! I am wonderring if you would share the contractor, the architect for your ADU references? Thanks!
Send me an email Darren@RealDarrenTsai.com. Ill get you all the info you need
6:10 So you had to move the height of your windows because your architect's drawing wasn't up to code. Is this common?
You would think most architect software would set legal code heights for things like Windows.
10:50 "Inspectors caught a bunch of mistakes" Was this because of the drawings being wrong or contractor mistakes?
Once again a window was installed too low, was this a drawing mistake that had already been approved by the city?
11:40 I didn't know you could frame walls in California without sheathing.
Thank you for this awesome video, the interior looks amazing!
6:10 - the framers did not frame according to the plans.
10:50 - one of our windows was drawn too low. Not sure how it passed the earlier inspections though. The inspector process to me is quite haphazard in our city. Different inspectors each time. Kind of felt like, if they were having a good day, no corrections.
Thank you for the feedback and watching!!
Good video. Thanks for doing this. It’s possible to trim the Architect cost, through prebuilt online architectural services for basic designs as this. The $7000 paid to the architect appears very high, even for California. Obviously the more detailed and complex design would typically require a good local architect.
Do those online services also include engineering, submitting to the city, and title 24? Although I may have paid more, I was really happy with my architect services because they handled everything for me.
Was the solar system included in the $285K price? How about A/C and heating? Were they included as well?
Did you have a scheduled timeline? And did you act as your own general contractor?
Solar & AC and heating - yes. Solar was not included in the bid. My GC had a rough scheduled timeline. No I was not my own GC. I recommend getting a GC so they can manage subs & inspections.
Super helpful! Thanks! The building looks pretty straightforward, do building costs skyrocket if the design is more artistic?
Great question!! I was with an architect over the weekend and he mentioned, he is not good at estimating building costs and sometimes even gets feedback from contractors saying some of his design is unbuildable. I would say: probably - yes. Keep it simple unless you are going for some super luxury or high-end home. 🏡
@@DarrenTsai_ thank you sir!
bro this is very helpful
Glad this video helped. What other ADU questions do you have?
Thanks for this video. Had a lot of useful info. You mentioned corrections to the construction and having to move some windows (too low?) - I'm wondering if the architect's drawings were correct or the contractor didn't read the dimensions right ? I don't agree that those things just "happen". The vinyl flooring problems ? There's underlayment stuff for concrete slabs that provide a smooth base for whatever flooring you pick, might cost a bit more but sure saves installation time.
The framing crew misread the plans. Thats why they corrected immediately with no cost to me. We paid for underlayment. My understanding is The LVP expands and contracts with different temperatures.
Thanks for the feedback!!
Great info. This made me estimate what it may cost me in Los Angeles
Glad it was helpful!
Excellent video !!!!
Thank you very much!
I’m in the planning stage myself. I pretty much know what I want and I’m meeting with contractors to gauge the cost. You got to build a two story 1400 SQr ft home for under $300k. Were you impacted by the COVID supply chain issues and if so what was the cost impact?
Congrats! Where you building?
Yeah - 1200sqft detached ADU. Sort of. My contractor said the cost of lumber was more expensive but I think he ate the change in cost because he didn't hit me with any change orders.
The only covid supply chain issues were delays in materials. I want to say we bought something and we were tracking it and it was just in a cargo container in long beach port lol
Did you ever consider a modular build vs stick build?
Sure did. Modular was not as cost effective per sqft, long wait times due to investory shortage, and had limited designs. I would have still had to find a contractor to do the site prep & install.
Thank you! Interested in building one on our property too!
Go for it!
Did you have to get a fire sprinkler system?
No, mine did not. Please don't set it on fire 🤣
Is solar mandatory?
Would rebuilt frames be more cost effective?
In california - yes. Solar is mandatory. Maybe but I didn’t order the lumber for framing
What are the dimensions of the building?
Super helpful!!
Glad you thought it was helpful!!!
Hi what city is yours in. Is it difficult for the second story
Email me
Hi 👋, great video thanks.
You mentioned that you were financing the $285k. What did you use to finance this cost? I thought banks wouldn’t provide a loan to finance and had to be cash ?
We used a HELOC. I just released a video regarding the financing options for ADU.
Thank you so much for the feedback! feel free to email me too.
omg, how time had changed; back in the 2000 my friend built a small one story 1 BR ADU in Anaheim and only cost under 50k 😂
permitted too? that is amazing!!
If you financed the $285k, what is your monthly payment with insurance and taxes? You said you get $4200 a month. Also, you could afford to not collect rent on it, so obviously you have the means to not be concerned with it being vacant for a year after financing it first $285k
the monthly payment changed depending on the draws because we have a HELOC. right now, it's about $2k/mo though. When rates were in the 3's, our payment was between $500-$1,200 depending on the draw amount. We decided to try midterm rental and got $4,150 and most recently $4,300 for 3 months terms.
I am in the process and the prices have gone up.
By how much?
Very helpful.
Thank you!
Thank you for the very informative video. Do you have a contractor that you can recommend? I am in Walnut/Rowland Heights area. Thanks.
I don’t personally have one. I can ask a friends who have projects there though. Email me.
thats a big house! i thot adu's were like 400 sq ft!! pretty cool
a lot of ADUs are 400sqft garage conversions! There are detached ADUs up to 1200sqft though
Is it worth paying extra for the raised foundation instead of slab foundation? My current house is slab and it is so hard to change out the drainage pipe, and water proofing the slab foundation, especially rain falls accommodating at certain side of the house. Thanks
Ask your local architect, they will be able to better answer the question. ask the contractor for the cost difference too.
Hi Darren, just found your channel. Could you introduce me to your architect. We're wanting to build an ADU at home in San Diego. Already confirmed feasibility and got survey. Just need ADU plans. We have a very clear idea of what we want. Just need someone to draft and help get approved. How can I connect with you?
My architect doesn’t know San Diego. Let me ask around but you can email me at darren@realdarrentsai.com
was the Certificate of Occupancy hard to get?
We had some final corrections but no
how does that impact your address like splitting out utilities (water/electricity/etc) or entrance to the adu? same for property taxes. do you get a separate bill or is does your property get re-assessed?
We didn't split out utilities. You have the option to though. Our city makes us get separate address but property still gets reassessed.
@@DarrenTsai_ Thanks for the info and great video by the way! Very informative.
@@DerikTran Thanks for the feedback! I am going to create more case study videos like
Which builder did you use? We are using Pi Group and Anchor Builders seem pretty good too.
T&H construction company. They are a small local contractor. Is Pi group your architect?
@@DarrenTsai_
Yes.
This is awesome!
You’re awesome! Thanks for watching. What other ADU questions do you have??
Did you look into purchasing a prefab unit and having it placed on your lot rather than building directly? There are some interesting options out there but they obviously don’t include site prep costs.
Prefab was significantly more expensive with long times. I did a lot of research and decided against prefab due to cost, time, not to mention, you still need a GC to site prep and install. I am in a few ADuU groups and seen too many horror stories of deposits sent for prefab and then the prefab companies going out of business too. Maybe this has changed since it's been a few years since I completed my ADU but it made more sense for me to not go with prefab.
I did that and was $350 for 1000sf no solar or fire sprinkler. Including all appliances turn key
@@tomdemeo2708 How did you like the prefab option?
@@DarrenTsai_
Ok i used Villa homes 1000sf3/2. Got many bids and couldn’t touch turnkey at $340k
HUD compliant so no solar or sprinkler needed, ( here) PGE cost me 9 months unfortunately.
You did great at 280 👍🏼
@@tomdemeo2708 Yea, when I got bids from the all in one companies (design, engineering, construction), they didn't include solar and the lowest bid was $380k. I also felt like much of their work was going to be subbed out anyways because they sent different contractors during the bid process but said "all our crews are in house"....
Would there be substantial cost and headache savings if I go with LA counties pre approved “You-ADU” build plans?
I don't think so. You may save some in design fees but your site plan will probably still be different. DM LAlotplans on instagram. He's ex LA plan checker and can probably help answer this better than me.
Did that $7000 from the architect include Structural Engineering or Title 24? How did the city allow a 2 story as most ADU height requirements are 16' ?
Yes. Included everything. Some cities allow 2 story ADU and some cities don’t.
@@DarrenTsai_ Wow. $7000 for design, Structural, Title24 & addressing city corrections? That definitely is a friends & family price, or a clueless architect. But it's not surprising, I have known many Architect that suck at business & shortchange themselves. In the I.E. the five or so architects AND draftsmen! I know do not charge less then $10,000 for a new 1200sf one story ADU. Two story And in OC it's usually much higher. Not doubting or trying to insult, just passing on my experiences & observations. The hardest part is not the design or even creating the plans, it's dealing with the bureaucracy of the city development departments.
Hernandezign does nice work! Nice ADU
Thank you 🙏🏽 does Hernandezign have any case studies I can feature? Email me 📧
No thanks. We prefer the Chinese connection. 😂
Let me guess : It costs double what you would pay 100 mi north in Kern County, and 10X what the identical structure would cost in Tijuana ( with no permits ).
Probably? I have no clue how much it costs in Kern or Tijuana but I’m sure labor is way more expensive here
@@DarrenTsai_ Wait, I realize my statement was a bit unfair ( Although construction is cheaper in a no-permit environment).
More to the point, in Kern County there are huge numbers of Modular dwellings; in many cases the entire structure built in a factory and trucked in.
Perhaps L.A. residents should ask : "What if my ADU were Modular ?"
Just curious is it cheaper to do a single story if so by how much and why didn't you do it Thnx !
Probably cheaper because it's less sqft? Also, you won't be paying for stairs, stair rails, flooring for stairs so that for sure will be a cost saving.
Not true. You will have to pay more for concrete
Wow your adu is almost as big as my single family house in Hayward😂
How many bedroom and how nice did you build it cause 4,200 to live in someone else’s backyard
Theres photos of the interior in the video
Site survey and soil report are not required.in Orange county?
Depends on the footprint of ADU and location. My did not require either but many will require both.
@@DarrenTsai_ thanks, very informative video. In San Francisco, they require both which are pretty expensive.
@@tchowcpa ahh yes. I have a few friends who live in SF and say the building process is not that simple. I appreciate the feedback!
Thanks! ❤
Dude this is crazy..my buddy pulled permits blueprints approved spent amazing mong on 2 garage below on cement rebar strong walls to hold upper loft ..fire rating driveway ramp ready to finalize..and inspectors never the same guy..he's ready for set finish .so blueprint there was loft day room upstairs and garages..he makes him install a kitchen..what now..he ended up with one garage and a kitchen with the strongest concrete floor .and no money..
Email me the details- I don’t think I fully understand
If you got your final certificate b4 December, your new tax amount would be due in the following year. Slowing down to January was a good idea.
luckily you did not get scammed by that tiny homes company; the story is the bond for them was only 25k and they took 100's of thousands from ppl and 4mil debt then filed for bankruptcy.
YIKES!!! I heard about this. there is also another one, multitaskr, that went backrupt today in San Diego!
Wow!! Rent of $4,200 /mo? Where is this?
Orange County, CA
Wow a contractor all in was $200 a square foot? Hard to believe all in??
Solar plus all appliances window covering and tile?
No, that did not include solar, tile, or window covering. Just labor and raw materials
How did you get financing and did you refinance?? What lender or banks??? 🤔
Send me an email, and ill try my best to answer your questions
what about your property tax now, how much more will it be?
There was a supplemental tax bill of about $1k
How much did your property assessment increase and the subsequent increase in taxes? Insurance increase?
Viewers have to keep these ongoing costs in mind when determining future cash flow.
You can email directly for details
Would love to get some referrals maybe your contractor I’m trying to build a pretty good size project in Yorba Linda. How can I contact you?
email me at dtsaihomes@gmail.com
Who did you use?
Email me!
Hi looking for extension in my existing home can you help us. looking for reliable contractor
Yes! I think you emailed me. I will respond!
All it takes is one tenant to f u up 6k with 6 + months of eviction. 1 in 5 still risky business.
Yea, that’s the risk of renting and being a landlord
See all these ADUs built and rent out in SoCal. NOT WORTH IT!. lots of headaches.
@@cowdiewynn8427 yeah. Being a landlord is not for everyone. Also, lots of people building this for family use
What city?
email me
3 bedroom 3 bath! That’s big
Yea, It is a decent size. Thanks for watching!
That's not the purpose of ADU's.
@@harveypaxton1232 What is the purpose of them?
@@DarrenTsai_ One bedroom one bath in-law quarters. Not turn a nice R-1 neighborhood into an R-3 with no parking.
@@harveypaxton1232 that's what SB-9 is for 🤣 I promise you our ADU is not hurting the value of my neighborhood & we don't plan on moving.
How did you get financing?
Heloc. Would it be helpful if I made a video on different ADU financing options?
@@DarrenTsai_ who did you use for your contractors?
@@danz1lla1 Email me!
Thanks for the video. ADU's are the downfall of nice neighborhoods in Southern California.
What's the solution?
@@PopePeabody You probably moved into your neighborhood because it was all single-family houses with adequate or sufficient parking. You could look out your Kitchen window and not have your view blocked by an ADU built right on the property line. A small one bedroom, one bath unit is great for in-law quarters or taking care of a family member. Most people are turning them into income producing rentals along with their RV that is parked in the driveway. Your nice R-1 neighborhood is now turned in to an overcrowded R-3 neighborhood with no parking. No, I don't have a solution .
My neighbor built a hideous ADU towering over my backyard (basically on the property line). I was livid because we just bought the property and didn’t know there were plans for this 3 story ADU! Had to plant a bunch of trees to block it
what city is this to see if I can use your contractor
I am in Orange County. Email me
For those of you who want to move to California and think living in an ADU as a cheap option, forget it! As you see, rental prices are 2-3x more than your midwest or southern house. And you will always be a "backyard neighbor" and you will feel like it! And the neighborhood will be mid-range at best, with crime always around the corner. Good to very good neighborhoods are in so-called "planned communities" (read: HOA) and they never allow ADU's. ADU's are for additional family living space, in which they work very well for.
California is a big state so this really varies. Anywhere coastal will typically be more expensive. Good to very good neighborhoods is subjective too. A family with 3 young kids is probably looking for something different than DINKs, or retired snowbirds. I agree though - ADUs are amazing for family and friend use.
Thanks for watching!
HOA is what you pay if you have mediocre mental capacity. They’re far from being the “very good” neighborhoods. 😂
@@hailandfire1822💯 not all HOA are terrible but yea, a lot of the best single family homes are in neighborhoods without HOA.
Damn, the neighbors must hate you.
That's life
Are people really willing to pay $4,200 a month to live in someones back yard. Thats crazyness.
The data says yes? I’ll let you know when I find out
Depending on Landlord rules,
but 3roommates, single, no kids.
$1400/mo Each for Orange County, sounds like, Yes. No brainer.
@erickadrianvf wow living in someones back yard with roomates. California is not that amazing. Plus people are crazy these days so three people in one home wont last long.
Depends on where in Orange County the unit exists. A newly built unit 1200sf unit is quite pricey anywhere in Orange County especially if you are near the coast.
Yes most definitely … it’s either pay that and live on a backyard or pay $200 less and live in the ghetto apartment… or pay 1,000 more to have your own house rental
Hi Daren
Can you refer you contractor please?
Send me an email
I specialize in the design of ADUs and additions in So cal with better price.. Let me know.
Are you a draftsman or architect?
Architect.
@@ausquiano29 How many ADUs have you completed?
@@BrutafulStudios01 approx 30 i would say
@@ausquiano29What's your website? I'd like to see examples of your work
Hard to justify if you don't want rental income.
Yea. The other consideration would be if it's cheaper to build for family to live in the ADU than to buy in their city. A part of why we built this too is for potential family to live in in the future.
Biggest cost is the elephant in the room. Once a person gets tenant’s rights property rights disappear.
depends on the state and landlord rights.
Sorry my friend you paid way to much unless it's very elaborate ...the material are usually about 20% of a 200 sf to build. If you have time and ability to do 75% of work far far less
I don't have the time or ability to do 75% of the work :( This is why I hired professionals to do it for me
I did 80 to 90% of the 1,200 sqft with 450 sqft garage and is still over 220k and I sheath all my entire exterior walls
Or, you can buy a manufactured/modular home for under $150k.
Does that $150k include contractors doing site prep and installing modular?
Great price and it looks really good inside. But, uh, ugly exterior.
Yea, ADU has to match existing structure so limited on exterior design.
I can't stand these things. The misery that will befall the neighborhoods where located has yet to be realized. We have idiots running this state who want everyone to share the pain. No one seems to consider the consequences of destroying an area with overcrowding and transients. ADUS suck.
Are there a lot of ADUs being built in your neighborhood?
If you could afford an ADU on your property, would you build one for potential extra income? Why or why not?
do you mean analog to digital units (ADU) converter? Dude, you are narrow minded.
this is so far over my narrow mind.
This is dirt cheap. The build costs where I am on the Westside of Los Angeles, CA would cost you a minimum of $500 / sq ft
damn, that's what i've heard. LA is different animal
Holy shit the contractor pocketed 100k easily
You think so? Are you also a licensed contractor in OC who could do this project for $180k?… if so lmk.
What are the dimensions of the building?
I’d have to double check the plans