A quote, a quote a kingdom for a quote . . . at least ones that are realistic and within my budget!
Habitat ADU did give me quotes and was the first company that broke it out in a realistic way based on what they've determined to be the Low, Expected and High cost of on-site construction.
So let's go over their quotes for Model G sized at 749 sq. ft:
Now the expected quote is what I'm hoping for and that's with a few reductions in costs when it comes to the tree removal, which isn't going to happen. If I need to remove my beautiful 30-year-old ash tree then there's no ADU. And I think there may be DIY cost savings with the electrical panel and demolition and maybe trenching.
So the Expected Cost is acceptable even at $225K but if it's the High Cost then it's a no go. You have to draw the line somewhere otherwise the next thing you know you have a $500 sq ft. ADU at a cost of $375K. That would not make me happy.
But less compare Habitat ADUs quotes to using an architect and contractor to build your ADU. I found a presentation by the ADU Collective, a Palo Alto based architectural firm that like most architects and contractors is looking at the ADU space as a way to grow their business. You can find their presentation here
The presentation slides I'm interested in are the three calling out the costs. Here they are:
As you can see by the costs (the presentation doesn't list the quoted ADU size) this can get expensive. And you have to remember this is a Palo Alto based company, and it doesn't get more expensive than Palo Alto. The Palo Alto Collective has a number of ADUs shown on their website and they are stunning! But I'm not looking for stunning $500 to $600 per sq ft. ADUs, I'm looking for a functional ADU at around $280 to $300 per sq ft.
And that's where the pre-Fab ADU comes into play. Granted you have to pick from a list of available designs but you do have choices when it comes to finishes, colors, and layout. If you can find a design and layout you like, pre-fab seems to be the way to go.
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