Throughout California, both homeowners and small rental property owners are getting in on the ADU building game. Whether you own and live in a single-family home, or you rent units in a multifamily apartment building, you’re eligible to increase the value of the property and generate rental income by adding ADUs. One Elysian Valley duplex owner did this with maximum cost-effectiveness by converting a detached, unused garage into a third unit.
From Garage to ADU
One in three homeowners use their garage for storage, rather than for parking a car. This percentage is likely higher in Southern California — after all, there’s no snow and little rain to shield your car from. In this situation, the tenants already were parking their cars in the driveway, leaving the garage free for conversion into an ADU.
The property owner partnered with a Revival Homes contractor to design a Spanish-style ADU, matching the design and aesthetics of the existing duplex. While the garage only provided 420 square feet to work with, the contractor was able to design a space that felt larger. He worked with the property owner to design large, glass front doors that opened outwards to a shared patio, creating an attractive indoor-outdoor space that felt like an extension of the unit.
Maximizing Rental Income through High-Quality Design
The indoor-outdoor space, as well as the decision to use high-quality finishes, appliances, and tile work throughout the ADU, ultimately allowed the property owner to earn a higher price point for the rent. Today, the owner is earning over $20,000/year in rental income from the ADU alone, more than offsetting the financing costs of the project.
Revival Homes Has the ADU for You
Revival Homes is California’s one-stop ADU shop. We partner with our customers through every step of the process: project planning, site plan development, permitting, and construction.
Ready to get your ADU project started? Book your free consultation with a Revival Homes ADU expert today!
