We’re one of the leading ADU contractors in Cupertino, CA, specializing in building attached, detached & garage converted ADUs that best serve the purpose of space within your existing property. It can either be in the form of a backyard cottage, a Granny Flat, an in-law suite, a home-office or a rental unit for earning income. One such dwelling unit can either be built from scratch or by converting an old garage. We understand your requirements and design a perfect ADU that solves the problem of space scarcity at home.
First things first, as a homeowner you need to have a layout design plan in mind, before even considering building an accessory dwelling unit at your residence or property. This can help you get a clear picture and overview in mind about the project, which eventually becomes easier to implement on the ground. So, let’s understand the important steps involved in an ADU construction in Cupertino, CA, project, or for that matter in any other city.
Designing the ADU – Here, you have two options in your hand. Either to design it by yourself, if you’ve got the expertise or call a professional like us that has years of project experience in ADU design & build through a team of structural engineers, architects, planners & designers.
Getting a preApproved loan – This is a quintessential requirement to start any major construction at home, like an ADU or a JADU that involves a significant amount of monetary investment. So, you need to get your loan pre approved.
Approval from local government & the municipality – For building an ADU at your property, you need to get the design master-plan approved from the Building & Safety Department and also obtain all the necessary construction permits from the local municipal body or government issuing authorities. Without a legal permit, you cannot start any construction activity at your home.
Sorting out the finances – You need to lookout for avenues for getting all the requisite funds, budget or financing for your ADU project. It can be a long-term loan from an institution on lower interest rates that you can repay easily.
You can call us at 408-753-6938 and speak with one of our expert consultants regarding the design, building codes, rules & regulations.
Absolutely! Prefab ADUs are trending across California, as it is a less expensive option, when compared to a new construction detached ADU, or for that matter a garage converted detached accessory dwelling unit. It is because in one such unit, there’s no architect or design cost included. Simply, look for the style, size and design of the pre-built unit, and install it in your home backyard. In simpler words, you’re buying a full prefabricated or a modular home in a compact form, and installing it in the backyard or courtyard of your house, away from the main building. In this way, the purpose of space is solved at your residence, and at the same time, privacy is maintained. You can either use this Prefab dwelling unit to accommodate your elderly grandparents, in-laws & children, as it would be having a bedroom & a bath, or you can use it as a separate home office, where you can work without being disturbed by anyone. At Fields Remodeling, we can help build a stylish, robust and hard-wearing Prefab ADU, fully customized to your needs. Simply contact us over the phone or through an email and ask for FREE quotes, regarding one such unique home improvement project. We would be happy to answer all your queries.
| Attached ADU | Fully attached to the main building |
| Detached ADU | Stand-alone or separate from the main unit |
| Garage converted | Converting old garages into Regular ADUs |
| Above-the-garage ADU | Building above garage, by strengthening the walls |
| Interior conversion ADU | ADUs carved out from within house interiors |
With the incorporation of the new California ADU construction rules & guidelines, a single family residence is allowed to construct two separate ADUs, but with the condition, one being a Regular and the other one a Junior ADU (JADU). It should be a ‘single family zoned’ property. The JADU can be built by converting a part of the existing residence. Now coming to the technical specification, the Junior ADU cannot be more than 500 sq. ft. in size. This is a prerequisite. Whereas, the Regular ADU can be an attached, detached or an above-the-garage unit of 800-1000 sq. ft. in size and with a permissible ceiling height of 16’. If it is a fully detached unit, it should follow or maintain a setback of 4’ from the rear & side, 5’ from the nearest property lines and 10’ from the main building. This is how you can get additional square footage at your residence for a comfortable and spacious living with family members. Two ADUs at one residence amounts to a good amount of space for a family that is growing in size. It is not possible to get such a lavish amount of space through a room addition or interior conversion.
Although cities and counties are mandated to permit ADUs and JADUs, they are not required to adopt ADU and JADU ordinances. The bottomline is, you must have a permit from the local government authorities for starting any ADU construction work on your property.
An Accessory Dwelling Unit, also known as a granny flat or in-law suite, is a living unit that may be as small as 500 sq. ft. and up to 1200 sq. ft. in size. An ADU is an accessory living unit built on a single-family or multifamily residential building, wherever such developments are permitted.
A JADU which is permitted to approximately 500 sq. ft. in size can have a small food preparation area, including a sink or a wash basin, but it is NOT allowed to have a private washroom or a bathroom.
The city of Cupertino ADU ordinance has allowed ADUs on most residentially zoned lots regardless of their size as long as the structure meets the basic restrictions and there is an existing home already on the property. Meaning, most homeowners have an opportunity to add an ADU on their existing property.
Yes, new state laws have allowed Cupertino homeowners the ability to convert an old or unused garage into living space, and even rent it out if you’re the single owner of the property.
