12/15/2023
Homeowners who want to add more value to their properties are turning to an evolving trend: building a second home in their own back yards. With housing costs higher than ever, some housing experts believe that additional dwelling units (ADUs) are a viable answer to the current housing shortage. The only problem is overcoming outdated building codes, but that’s improving rapidly.
ADU is an umbrella term that covers granny flats, guest houses, cabanas, carriage houses, tiny homes, and garage apartments, to name a few. ADUs can be attached to the main house, converted from garages, attics, or basements, or built as stand-alone homes from the ground up or by using manufactured housing kits.
These scaled-back homes are typically much smaller in square footage than the main house, yet they feature full amenities. A popular layout might offer a living and dining room, kitchen or kitchenette, one or two bedrooms each with a full bath, laundry room, closets, storage, and a patio or porch. For privacy, ADUs always have separate entrances, making them ideal for an aging parent or retiree, college student, or young couples.
As an investment, an ADU is cost-effective, as the homeowner already owns the land and is able to recover construction or conversion costs more quickly. An ADU can add as much as 30% more value to the property.
To learn if your property is suitable for an ADU, contact your local government’s zoning and building permit department.
New Hampshire's law does not go far here either. It only requires localities to permit attached ADUs and specifies that localities may require that attached ADUs include an interior door connecting the primary dwelling to the ADU.Mar 30, 2023
Vermont's law on equal treatment of housing and town bylaws requires municipalities to allow homeowners to add one ADU to their house as a permitted use as long as certain conditions are met. The new VHIP-ADU program is a low-barrier way for Vermont homeowners to help solve the housing crisis one unit at a time.
