The New Avenue blog
More than decade of content on the things we love: your home
How much will my property tax increase when I build an accessory dwelling in Berkeley?
New Avenue recently created a two-story accessory dwelling unit for a couple in Berkeley. They needed a place to live during remodels on their main home, and they wanted a guest house that could be used for their adult children or as a rental unit. This project includes a garage, a living room, a kitchen, 2 bedrooms, 1.5 bathrooms, laundry facilities, and a deck.
Legislation update: AB 68, AB 881, and SB 13 address California’s housing crisis through ADUs.
t New Avenue, we are all about solving the housing crisis and empowering homeowners. That means changing the way housing works in places like California, where we are facing a shortage of three to four million units…
Floor plan for a 476-square-foot accessory dwelling in Los Gatos, California
In an interesting twist on a garage conversion, a homeowner in Los Gatos, CA, contacted New Avenue to add an ADU that could one day be converted into a garage if necessary.
Here’s the floor plan.
The homeowner will be able to rent this home out for more than $3,000 per month, or they can use it for family and guests. If the owners decide they need this space as a garage later, it can be converted.
How much will my property taxes increase when I build a home addition or accessory dwelling in Livermore?
For this project, there was only an 8.5% increase in property taxes. The family paid an additional $527 in taxes annually once the addition was built. By providing a home for their parents that was on their own property, these homeowners saved the family at least $2,000 per month. That makes the monthly tax increase of $43.92 well worth the investment.
Cost to add a 430-square-foot backyard cottage in Berkeley
The backyard’s slope provided a lovely view from the rear of the yard, and Betsy hoped to take advantage of that in adding an ADU for her family. A New Avenue design professional created an ADU that could serve as a comfortable home and gave it a large deck and stairs to accommodate the unique backyard. The plans include a bedroom, a bathroom, a kitchen, and a living area.
Building a backyard office and darkroom in Berkeley
When Valerie and Tim wanted to add a darkroom and home office to their property in Berkeley, they contacted New Avenue. The space in their backyard was perfect for a detached accessory structure, and New Avenue’s design professional created a place that would work as storage, a creative studio, and a workspace for the homeowners. The space includes ample storage, an important consideration for those who want more space for their work and hobbies.
We just saved a client $20,000. (Sometimes city officials don’t know state law.)
Often, the city can’t keep up with changing state laws (which is, frankly, almost impossible). We pointed out a new law. As a result, the city building department agreed not to create $20,000+ in work.
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