Apartment ADUs are multifamily dwellings that contain multiple residential living spaces. These units must be separate and used as residential homes to be considered multifamily dwellings (also abbreviated as MFD). Apartment ADUs are incredibly useful for creating additional living spaces in situations with limited housing available. Throughout this article, we will discuss Apartment ADUs can add value to your property and can be sculpted to fit any situation.
What is the difference between single-family adus and apartment ADUs?
Multifamily dwelling units are similar to ADUs because they both strive to provide more additional housing with limited space. However, multifamily dwellings attempt to work on a much larger scale to provide many more living spaces. Multifamily units can be created in apartments, townhouses, and essentially any place where multiple families reside. These units are usually created from preexisting structures such as garages or storage units, but there can also be other options for Multifamily dwellings that we will cover.
What Is Considered An MFD?
Multifamily dwelling units can come in many different shapes and sizes, but they are differentiated from normal ADUs in a couple of ways:
- MFDs can only be developed on spaces with three or more dwelling units in one building, not including an ADU or JADU.
- Up to two new construction ADUs (either attached or detached) are permitted, and up to the number that equals 25% of the existing dwelling units may be added by converting non-livable space within existing multi-family buildings with a four-foot front and rear setback and 16-foot maximum height.
Source: Harding Construction
What are the different types of Apartment MFDs?
Now that we have discussed what apartment MFDs are we can begin to break down the different styles of MFDs and their pros and cons. We hope that this helps you to find what method would work best for you and your individual situation.
"TUCK UNDER" GARAGE CONVERSION ADU
This particular style of MFD is created by stacking housing above preexisting separate parking. This creates a “soft” 2 story design hence the name Tuck under. This option is great for adding additional living spaces without removing useful parking spaces that could be an important part of your lease or agreement with your tenants.
This method is very space-efficient as it does not remove any useable sqft on your property instead it only adds to what you have to work with. However, adding on these additional living spaces as well as the structural support to the first story can come at an additional cost and should be factored into the overall profitability of the job.
Pros:
- Saves space by only adding on additional rentable sqft
- Can help to avoid issues with removing parking from preexisting tenants
Cons:
- Is often more expensive than other ADU solutions
- Requires many changes to be made to the preexisting structure in order to ensure its stability
- Can be a slightly longer process than other forms of ADU creation
- This type of ADU might be prohibited by city height limitations
Here are some examples of different tuck-under-garage conversions that we have completed for our clients:
Examples shown here
DETACHED GARAGE CONVERSION ADU
The detached garage conversion is a slightly simpler method of ADU construction that converts preexisting parking structures into livable units. This method can be one of the fastest and simplest methods of ADU construction, but it, unfortunately, comes at the cost of parking.
The detached garage conversion might be the best method of construction for your particular property especially because it does not need to conflict with any height regulations that you could run into with the previous method. If height restrictions are an issue for you then this method might be your best choice. It is the quickest of the major types of ADUs and can also be the most cost-efficient.
Here are some of the pros and cons of this building method:
Pros:
- Is the fastest method of ADU creation
- Is affected less by building restrictions and height limits
- Is the cheapest method
Cons:
- You will lose existing parking spots
Here are some examples of Detached Garage conversions that we have completed for our clients:
Examples are shown here
DETACHED DUPLEX ADU
If you do not have any separate structure from your apartment then this method is perfect for you. When in doubt you can build a duplex on your property given that there is enough room available. These units do need to follow strict sizing and spacing regulations in order to be acceptable.
In practice, this can be a great way to add additional spacing without relying on a preexisting structure. This often means that the design process is less constricted because you don’t have to work around anything that is already built. Because of this, it can be easier to execute creative freedom and build the exact structure that you would like on your property.
This method is often not as cheap as the previous methods mentioned. It can be slightly more expensive to execute since everything will be built from scratch, but don’t let that dissuade you. This method can create some of the most beautiful and functional ADUs available
Pros:
- Allows for you to create the exact design and size that you would like since you will not have to work with any preexisting structures
- Only adds additional useable sqft to your property
- Is the most flexible method of building that can work with the largest number of apartments
Cons:
- Can be more expensive than other methods
- Is sometimes a slightly slower process to create the structure
Here are some examples of Detached Duplex ADUs that we have completed for our clients:
Examples are shown here
MULTI-FAMILY ACCESSORY SPACE ADU
This method of ADU conversion can vary widely in its application depending on many different variables. In short, this method involves turning some preexisting unlivable space into rentable units. This can be a gym, spa, storage, or any other existing space.
These ADUs do a great job of adding value to your multifamily dwelling as they as creating more rentable space at a low cost of creation. This allows for faster construction but often has many limitations since the existing space has to be used. This type of project can also be complicated because each accessory space ADU is unique and provides its own set of challenges.
Pros:
- Allows for fast construction because it is mostly modifying existing structures rather than starting from scratch
- Is fairly cheap since
Cons:
- This process can create its own unique set of challenges so often times the construction will need to be flexible to accommodate any issues
Here are some examples of Multifamily Accessory Space ADUs that we have completed for our clients:
Examples are shown here
MULTI-FAMILY ATTACHED ADU
This method of ADU construction is very similar to the previously mentioned detached garage conversion ADU except it requires the structure is connected directly to the apartment building. This project usually involves using a preexisting attached garage or parking area.
Multifamily Attached ADU projects have many similarities to the detached garage conversion ADU including many of the same benefits and drawbacks:
Pros:
- Is the fastest method of ADU creation
- Is affected less by building restrictions and height limits
- Is the cheapest method
Cons:
- You will lose existing parking spots
Here are some examples of Multifamily Attached ADUs that we have completed for our clients:
Examples shown here:
Conclusion
There are many different ADU construction methods out there that serve just about every kind of apartment or dwelling unit. All of these methods are viable and beneficial ways to add additional living and rentable spaces to your property.
Assessing the best ADU to build for your property can be a difficult task that requires an expert eye. That is why we would love to help you find what method would work best for your individual situation by setting up a complimentary call and quote. Simply contact us here to get started getting the most out of your property.