An increasing number of people are choosing to work from home these days, and while there are many benefits to working from home, there are also some difficult challenges. The biggest challenge of working from home is simply finding a reliable office space in which to do it. Accessory dwelling units, or ADUs, are an excellent solution to this problem. An ADU is a small additional unit on your property – either a standalone building, a unit above a garage, or a basement apartment. While many people use these as rental units, they can also work very well as office spaces. Here’s what you need to know about building one.
You will need to get permits before starting
ADUs are legal in most parts of the US, and they are particularly popular in Southern California. However, before building an ADU on your lot, you will need to make sure they are legal in your area. You will also need to get the proper ADU permits before starting construction. A good contractor will help you through this process to make sure everything is legal and above-board.
You can add a bathroom and a kitchen
Although accessory dwelling units are usually quite small, they are still typically large enough to live in comfortably. Even if you’re only using your ADU as an office space, you’ll want to add a bathroom as well as a small kitchen to make things more comfortable. Not only is this convenient while you’re working during the day, but it also means you can use this space for other things in a pinch if the need arises.
A clean, simple design is excellent for focus
When building an ADU for office use, you will likely have different needs than when you build an ADU as a living space. Focus on keeping the design simple, and add lots of windows for natural light. If your design is too complex, you could end up limiting the amount of space you have to work with.
Levi Design & Build is a construction company specializing in ADUs and garage conversions in Southern California. Contact us today to learn more about building an ADU office on your property.
