I Zoomed, as in videoconferenced, with the guys at Habitat ADU since with the coronavirus having them come to my house for a site inspection is verboten.
Habitat ADU had already done a google earth review of my property so they were able to come up with a preliminary quote which included a Low, High and Expected cost. And I thought in terms of transparency that was a very good approach since having worked in the solar industry for a number of years I know getting quotes can be a lot like dealing with used car salesmen.
I had previously communicated to them that I was interested in three of their available fourteen models which were all 757 sq ft. I told them 600 sq ft would be the best fit and that I really needed only one bedroom and one bath. So their quote was based on those requirements.
But when we began to discuss my ADU they said the difference between a 600 sq ft ADU, that they'd have to layout, and their standard 757 sq ft offering, the difference was only $1000. And I said let's go with the standard configuration but it would have to be tweaked to be under 750 sq ft since starting January 1st, 2020 San Jose eliminated the school and parkland fees for ADUs under 750 sq ft. And for me, that saves almost $7500!
Habitat ADU already knew this and said they had tweaked their 757 sq ft model to meet the new requirement and as a pre-fab manufacturer it was no big deal.
The model I'm looking at is their Model G, a two-bedroom, one-bath that will come in at 749.44 sq ft. (W x D = 31' 8" x 23' 8"). Here's the model's floorplan:
Note, to meet the < 750 sq ft requirement Habitat ADU reduced the Bedroom #2 and Living Room side wall by 4 inches.
Here's what the exterior will look like minus the porch since I really don't need a porch on my ADU:
For my home that was built in 1910, this design is the best I've seen and the dormer adds just enough panache to make it stand out from other pre-fab ADUs.
So what's next? Stay tuned!
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