Backyard Tiny Homes
Is your home bursting at the seams? Does your teenager need their own space? Does an elderly parent depend on you for care? Whether it be due to merging families or an unexpected dependent, many families are considering an Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) to alleviate space constraints. An ADU is essentially a tiny home or “granny pod” that sits on the same property as a main dwelling.
ADUs are great for:
- Dependent Parents – Nursing homes were an unappealing option to many people before the pandemic and are an even scarier option now that we’ve seen what can happen.
- Adult Children – With the increasing cost of home ownership, it’s not surprising that many families are becoming multi-generational by adding detached living spaces to the main property.
- Teens – Sometimes teens need their own space, and so do their parents. A detached bedroom can be a great steps towards greater responsibility.
These small dwellings are flexible in style. Since they are not the main dwelling, ADUs are generally more welcomed in areas that are not typically tiny home friendly. You are still likely to run into minimum square footage requirements, but this can usually be handled by applying for a variance. Diligent research should be done regarding your local laws and ordinances before sinking money into your ADU dream. The best place to start is typically a city engineer or county inspector. While not always the case, it tends to be true that restrictions are looser the farther you are from an urban center.
Are ADUs safe?
Yes, your family is just as safe from the elements in an ADU built by a reputable company as they are in any other home built to code. Reputable builders will ensure all wiring is to residential code and that the building meets wind durability requirements. Residential framing code requires that wall studs be at 16” centers, double overlapping top plates, and hurricane straps on every rafter. This method of building results in structures that can survive winds in excess of 150 mph.
Safety from intruders is another concern and should be weighed carefully. Generally speaking any precautions that are deemed necessary for the main house should be extended to the ADU. Property fences and a security system can certainly alleviate some of the worry. The Amazon Ring Security system is simple to set up and is very affordable.
What options are there for a detached bedroom or in-law suite?
When choosing a backyard tiny home for your loved one, there are some great options and some that should clearly be avoided. One important question to consider is whether or not the detached bedroom will have plumbing. It is easy enough to wire in a second 100 amp electrical service, but running water and sewer lines complicates things significantly. This decision will play a big part in whether to go with a prefabricated building or have one built on site.
If you decide to forgo the plumbing route, you would do well to check out the Truoba Mini 121. A full set of detailed plans is available from Truoba and can be customized to your needs. The standard 121 layout is similar to a hotel suite with a bathroom, bedroom, and sitting area. It is 285 square feet in total, making it ideal for most backyards.
Your next step will be to find a reputable general contractor to build your ADU. Do your research here as there seems to be a disproportionate number of sleazy scammers that will take your money and leave you with a mess. It is highly recommended to get references from recent clients prior to hiring your contractor. Ideally your general contractor will have the resources to take your project from start to finish, including sub-contractors for site-prep, electrical, etc. Truoba’s plan plus a great general contractor is a recipe for the perfect backyard space.
For those that want to forgo the backyard excavation involved in plumbing, EZ Portable Buildings has the perfect detached teen bedroom solution. They can build to suit with sizes ranging from 8×12 to 16×56 in a variety of styles. Their Premium Package includes electrical, insulation, heat/air, and finished interior walls. These buildings are built off-site and delivered to your property ready-to-go. They are built to residential code and Engineered R3 plans are available if required by your local ordinance. Depending on your municipality, the portable nature of the EZ may tax incentives over a “permanent” structure.
Is a detached bedroom or ADU cheaper than an addition?
Yes, a prefabricated detached bedroom tends to run about 20% cheaper than building an addition. They can also be built in less than half the time it takes a contractor to break ground. Prefabricated buildings have the advantage of being produced assembly line style by a team of craftsman doing the same part of each building rather than being individually built start to finish like a custom home addition. Building a detached addition on site negates this savings.
How much does a premade ADU cost?
The price of a portable ADU is going to depend greatly on size and features. A nice 12’x24’ with electrical, insulation, heat/air, and finished interior walls from EZ runs about $25k and can be financed for up to 15 years.
Will my backyard tiny home hold its value?
Yes. Whether you go the prefabricated or built-on-site option, you will likely retain up to 80% of the value barring major damage. Prefabricated, portable tiny homes such as those from EZ can be resold for 80% or more of their original value on the second hand market. These typically sell fast as it seems there are always more people wanting used ones than there are used ones available. The buyer typically pays transport fees unless this is negotiated into the price. Site-built structures not only add to the total bedroom and bathroom stats of your home, they are a unique selling pint that buyers are increasingly looking for. Depending on the property arrangement backyard tiny homes and ADUs can also make great income properties when you no longer need the space for your family.
For more information about the long-term costs of a tiny home or ADU, check out our article, “Do Tiny Homes Really Save You Money?”.
Go forward with your knowledge and dare to live tiny!
