Cost of a One-Bedroom Backyard Accessory Dwelling Unit in Berkeley
The owners of a charming Berkeley home wanted an accessory dwelling unit (ADU) built in their backyard. To make the best use of the existing space, they also decided to remove their existing backyard shed.
New Avenue designed a new 420-square-foot secondary dwelling unit to be built in the rear yard of the existing home. The lot is 4320 square feet, and the existing primary residence is 1628 square feet with a footprint of 1021 square feet. The property is zoned R-1A, which allows for one or two residential dwellings.
This is an amazing location within walking distance of two BART stations and next to a school, so property in this area is in high demand. Many homeowners in places like Berkeley take advantage of the huge demand for living spaces and build additions or ADUs. They can bring family to live with them or rent out their additional space for extra income. They can even have their entire investment paid off within four years if they decide to rent out the ADU as a long-term rental or even on Airbnb. With 1 bedroom, 1 bathroom, a kitchen, and a living area, this ADU would be perfect for a renter or a family member to live in.
Special permit considerations in Berkeley
Building in Berkeley requires several permits. Fortunately for anyone thinking of building here, New Avenue handles all the necessary permitting and ensures compliance with state and local laws. In this case, we had to obtain building permits and a separate engineering permit for staging work in the public right of way.
As in most areas, building contractors in Berkeley also have special considerations due to the city and state environmental codes. Everything used in the building must be up to code, and waste disposal rules apply.
Cost of a 1 bedroom, 1 bathroom accessory dwelling
The total bid for the construction phase of this project was $226,402.40. On top of the construction costs were design fees, consultant fees, and permitting fees.
The total project budget came in at approximately $275,000 including all soft costs and hard costs.