Building an ADU is like building a small home. If you have ever built a home, you know that the process takes some time. That’s why we put together a quick ADU construction timeline to help you get a better idea of how long it will take before you can start renting out or using your ADU.
Assessment And Design
The assessment and design stage will take about 1 month to complete. This stage involves doing a feasibility study, budget formation, and actually designing out the ADU.
Permitting
Permitting will take you about 2 to 4 months to complete. The more accurate all your design details are and the better your research, the faster this process will take. If you send in your documents and big chunks of them do not meet your area’s regulations, then they will be sent back and you will have to waste more time in the permitting stage.
Preparing The Site
Preparing the site for construction can take up to 6 months depending on your situation. If you need to remove a lot of dirt and rock, it can be quite time-consuming. Not to mention installing the foundation and making sure everything is level.
Construction
Actually constructing the ADU can take anywhere from two weeks to 4 months depending on the complexity of design and setbacks that may or may not occur. This is just a general time frame. Your construction could be much longer.
Finishing The ADU
Decorating and adding the finishing materials is also very much up to you when it comes to the time frame. Did you have everything picked out beforehand? Are your materials already bought? ADU appliances and furniture are not always easy to find in stores and should be picked out in the design stage to ensure everything fits together like a nice puzzle.
Timelines Will Differ
This is just a general average timeline for you to get an idea with. Your ADU development could drastically differ from this based on who you hire to design and construct, along with the complexity of your design. Not to mention whether or not your ADU will be able to easily hook up to water and electricity. If you need a new water line dug, this can add more time too.
