Unlock the ABCs of Accessory Dwelling Units
Press Release
Unlock the ABCs of Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) at an Exclusive Live Event
Learn the Fundamentals of Designing and Building ADUs at a Must-Attend Workshop on Saturday, October 14th, 2023, at 10:00 AM
Local experts in building, housing and development are excited to announce an upcoming live educational event focusing on Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs). The event, titled The ABCs of ADUs, will be held on October 14th, 2023, at 10:00 AM in Marysville, Washington. This workshop is tailored for homeowners, real estate agents and investors interested in understanding the dynamics of designing, permitting and building ADUs.
Event Details
Date: October 14th, 2023
Time: 10:00 AM - 11:30 AM
Location: Everett ADUs - Carriage Houses NW Offices
4000 88th St NE, Marysville, WA 98270
Registration: https://everettadus.com/
Refreshments will be served
Key Highlights:
- Understanding ADUs: What ADUs are, their benefits, and how they can be an income-generating asset.
- Regulatory Framework: Learn about Everett's recent ADU Ordinance, building codes, and permits necessary for setting up ADUs.
- Design + Construction: Discussion of factory-built versus site built construction.
- Everett + Snohomish County residents encouraged to attend
- Open Q + A and Factory Tour.
Speaker:
Kurt Galley - Owner, Everett ADU + Carriage Houses NW
Why Attend?
ADUs have gained attention as a practical solution to housing shortages, an income-generating investment, and a means to support multigenerational living. The ABCs of ADUs is designed to provide attendees with the knowledge, resources, and networking opportunities they need to successfully undertake an ADU project.
Registration and Fees (It’s FREE):
Interested parties can register for the event by visiting https://everettadus.com/. Registration is required and limited.
ADU Trends in Washington State
Everett ADU's
Several trends are shaping the accessory dwelling unit (ADU) market in Washington State. Here are some of the top trends for ADUs in Washington State:
- Relaxed Regulations: Many cities in Washington State have been updating zoning and building regulations to make it easier for homeowners to build ADUs. This includes reducing minimum lot size requirements, relaxing setback rules, and permitting detached ADUs in single-family neighborhoods.
- Increased Demand: ADUs have gained popularity as a solution to address housing affordability and provide additional income for homeowners. The increasing demand for flexible living spaces has led to more interest in ADU construction and accessory dwelling unit rentals.
- Detached ADUs: Detached ADUs, also known as backyard cottages or granny flats, have seen a surge in popularity. Homeowners are opting for separate structures on their property to maximize privacy and create a separate living space.
- Prefabricated ADUs: Prefabricated or modular ADUs have become a sought-after trend due to their efficiency and faster construction times. These units are constructed off-site and then assembled on the homeowner's property, reducing the disruption caused by traditional construction.
- Sustainable and Energy-Efficient Designs: Washington State places a strong emphasis on sustainability and energy efficiency. Many ADU builders and homeowners are incorporating eco-friendly features, such as solar panels, energy-efficient appliances, and green building materials.
- Accessory Dwelling Units for Multi-Generational Living: ADUs are increasingly being used to accommodate multi-generational families, providing a separate living space for aging parents or adult children while maintaining proximity to the main home.
- ADUs for Home Offices and Remote Work: The rise of remote work has led to a demand for home office spaces. ADUs are being repurposed as dedicated work spaces, offering a quiet and separate area for productivity.
- Short-Term Rental Investment: Many homeowners in Washington State are exploring the potential of using ADUs as short-term vacation rentals. This trend has been particularly prevalent in popular tourist destinations.
- Affordable Housing Initiatives: Some cities in Washington State have been actively promoting ADUs as a means to increase affordable housing options. Incentives, grants, or loan programs have been introduced to encourage ADU construction for low-income households.
- ADUs in Existing Structures: In addition to detached ADUs, homeowners are also converting existing spaces, such as basements, garages, and attics, into accessory dwelling units to optimize their property's usage.
It is important to note that ADU regulations and trends can vary significantly between different cities and counties in Washington State. As ADUs continue to gain popularity and address housing needs, it's essential to keep abreast of local zoning ordinances and regulations to ensure compliance with the latest requirements.
For the most up-to-date information, it is recommended to consult local planning departments or professionals with expertise in ADU construction and regulations.
Source: Everett ADUs Team
Recent News - Herald
Everett passes code changes that could boost ADU construction
Since 2020, only 53 “mother-in-law” units have been approved, with another 11 under review. New rules could streamline the process.
By Ben Watanabe
Monday, July 24, 2023 1:30am
EVERETT — More small homes in back yards, in converted garages and next to existing homes could be on the way in Everett after code changes for accessory dwelling units.
The Everett City Council unanimously approved Wednesday a suite of changes under consideration since last year. The council also approved an amendment to allow the so-called mother-in-law units in zones that allow housing from triplexes to high-rise apartments.
State law approved earlier this year prompted the city to shift its code for accessory dwelling units, or ADUs.
“While ADUs are not even going to touch the surface of getting enough housing in our city, I am very thankful to the state,” Council member Liz Vogeli said.
Everett’s changes take effect immediately, barring a veto by the mayor within two weeks.
The new rules:
• Allow two accessory dwelling units on each qualifying lot;
• Allow a maximum height of 24 feet for lots without an alley, and 28 feet for lots with an alley;
• Reduce required parking from one off-street space per unit if the property is within a half-mile walk of transit that operates at least one trip per hour between 7 a.m. and 8 p.m. on weekdays;
• Remove appearance and character design standards, requiring a street-side entrance, roofing, roof pitch, siding and windows to match the main home; and
• Cap ADU size at 1,000 square feet, unless it is within one floor of the main home.
• Everett has tracked ADU construction and permitting since 2020. In that time, only 53 have been approved, with another 11 under review.
• Over 19,500 parcels in the city are candidates for an ADU, planning director Yorik Stevens-Wajda told the City Council last month.
• Another 23,000 housing units were needed based on population growth projections when city staff made a housing action plan in 2020.
• Land use designation maps of Everett show the city, which the U.S. Census estimated had over 110,000 people, is mostly zoned for single-family development.
Some people opposed the potential infill in Everett over concerns about public street parking space and making the city overcrowded. One speaker during public comment Wednesday mentioned a study about rats in a confined area killing each other.
Paula Jones Gong, an Everett resident, said after 50 years in Everett she’s come to rely on it as a haven from feeling confined and cramped in Seattle.
“It is congested beyond anything I could have imagined back when we lived there,” she told the council. ”I don’t think we need little houses behind our houses to make it happen.”
Dylan Sluder, the state government affairs director for the Master Builders Association of King and Snohomish Counties, said when he first moved to the state he lived in an ADU and knows they are an opportunity for people to establish themselves in a community.
“It allows Everett to hopefully grow sustainably in a way that makes sense and provides more housing affordability,” Sluder said. ADU supporters say the small homes can make home ownership more affordable and generate income for people who build them on their lots.
Whoever is thinking of building one should make sure they’re financially ready. The construction of an ADU can range from $73,000 to $450,000, depending on the type of dwelling. A small basement conversion into an accessory dwelling unit can be on the lower end, with a large above-garage detached unit costing more, for example.
Loans tapping into home equity are options. That kind of expense could deter some people. Olympia, Renton, Seattle and other cities have preapproved designs for detached accessory dwelling units, often called DADUs.
Everett’s planning commission and staff are considering following suit to reduce the cost and time. That wasn’t part of the Everett code changes approved Wednesday.
Some council members said they wanted to ensure ADU designs fit with the neighborhoods in which they are built. In some cases, design review can limit and slow construction, in others it can make new buildings look “bland” across the country, as The New York Times reported.
Ben Watanabe: 425-339-3037; bwatanabe@heraldnet.com; Twitter: @benwatanabe.
Recent News - Tribune
Tribune
By MICHAEL WHITNEY
Published July 26, 2023
Everett approves doubling Accessory Dwelling Units
EVERETT — The city will allow up to two accessory dwelling units (ADUs) in single-family residential zones, from a City Council vote last week. Part of the change is to meet revisions to state law, but the city has been working on adjusting its ADUs law since 2021.
To meet state law, there will be no longer a requirement that the homeowner lives in the house where an ADU is built, meaning the ADUs can be built and sold as investments akin to condominiums or rentable spaces.
ADUs will be allowed in backyards and placed up to the edge of an alley. Height limits would be loosened but capped at 28 feet. The ADU wouldn’t have to look like the main house, either.
Urbanists say the small sized buildings will yield more places to live at lower-than-market rent prices.
Opponents living in Everett’s single-family neighborhoods are concerned by the perceived impacts these secondary houses will have. A resident along Grand Avenue, for example, told the City Council before its vote that approving two ADUs goes against the city’s attested commitment to preserving the character of neighborhoods and take away backyards. Others expressed concerns ADUs in traditional residential neighborhoods can compromise neighbor safety as random people would be living in the smaller units.
In recent years, the city has approved an average of 20 ADUs a year. City planners calculate the change could prompt creating more than 70 ADUs each year to the year 2035.
The council overrode the planning commission’s recommendation to not allow ADUs in some urban residential zones. The zone in question is intended for multi-family residential buildings.
Council members said if people do not like the state-required ADU rules, they would need to ask state legislators to make changes.
7 books About Building a Backyard Accessory Dwelling Unit
Here is a list of 7 books about building a backyard accessory dwelling unit (ADU):
- Backyard ADU: Designing and Building Your Own Guest Cottage, Office Studio or Bunkie by Lisa Gordon
- The Complete Guide to ADUs: Plan, Design, and Build Your Own Accessory Dwelling by David Toaspern
- Backyard Cottages: A Step-by-Step Guide to Design + Build by Brian Coleman
- Building an ADU: A Complete Guide to Designing and Constructing an Accessory Dwelling Unit by Fred Berner
- Building Your Own Backyard Bungalow: A Step-by-Step Guide by Morris Ostrofsky
- Backyard Retreats: Designs for Your Private Getaway by David & Jeanie Stiles
- Tiny House Floor Plans: Over 200 Interior Designs for Tiny Houses, Cabins, Cottages, ADUs, and Shipping Container Homes by Michael Janzen
This covers a range of books from design inspiration to step-by-step building guides that cover considerations like zoning laws, financing, and finding the right contractor. These books offer homeowners helpful advice, plans, and tips for successfully building an ADU.
Source: Everett ADUs Team
