Building an ADU is a wonderful investment. It can increase the value of your home and provide additional income if you choose to rent it out. To ensure this investment is right for you, we have the best ADU cost calculator for you to use.
Breaking Down Your ADU Costs
Before we get into your specific ADU cost calculations, you need to know the four main ADU development costs. These four main costs help you break up your ADU costs into easier-to-understand sections that allow you to set a more accurate budget.
Design And Planning
The design and planning section includes things like:
- Architectural drawings
- Engineer calculations
- Energy calculations
- Land surveys
How much this section will cost you is determined by the level of intricacy you want in your design.
City Fees
Every city has fees that need to be paid in order to build an ADU. They are for things like:
- Building permit
- Impact fees – for certain sizes
- Plan check
- Utility fees
Be sure you are aware of all the fees in your city so that you don’t get hit with even higher fees later on for not complying.
Construction Labor And Material Costs
The costs in this section are affected by things like:
- Who your contractor is
- Structure type
- Size Distance and location of utility connections
- Design and plans
- Cost of materials
- Conditions of the existing structure (if it is a garage conversion)
- Conditions of property
The larger the ADU is, the more expensive this section will be. Whether your ADU is a conversion or a new structure building will also play a role in how expensive it will be.
Finish Materials Costs
This is the section that adds a decorative look to your ADU. It includes things like:
- Flooring
- Doors
- Windows
- Cabinetry
- Tile
- Stone
How expensive your design tastes are will affect how much this section costs.
ADU Calculator
Levi Design Build offers a great ADU cost estimation tool to help you estimate your ADU costs. It asks you simple yet important questions like the location of your ADU and the type of ADU.