When you need more living space for your family, adding a new room to your home is the first solution that comes to mind. But building a new room from the ground up is an expensive and complex project. The easier and more affordable alternative is to convert your garage into a great living space. After all, your garage already consists of a foundation, four exterior walls and a roof. The second, but equally important reason behind the garage conversions in the Bay Area that we build is to provide an additional, fully independent housing unit, separate from the main home.

 What is an ADU and Why Should You Consider It? An Accessory Dwelling Unit, also known as an ADU, is an additional unit on a single-family property. An ADU may or may not be attached to the primary building. Typically, ADU conversions are smaller than the main family home having a maximum allowable size of 1200 square feet or 50% of the homes living area, whichever is less. Finally, ADUs are fully independent living spaces, equipped with their own electrical sub-panel, air-conditioning and heating unit, plumbing and hot water heater, kitchen and bathroom.

Types of ADU include, a detached garage conversion ADU, an attached ADU above garage conversion, attic conversion, and finally an attached garage conversion. Skybar Construction is a specialist in ADU Garage Conversions in the Bay Area. The state law governing Garage Conversions for the Bay Area gave homeowners the right and opportunity to build a secondary dwelling onto their existing property. On September 27th, 2016, Governor Brown signed two accessory dwelling unit bills into State law, Assembly Bill (AB) 2299 and Senate Bill (SB) 1069 that amended the State’s existing second unit law (Government Code Section 65852.2). These amendments to the existing second unit law went into effect on January 1, 2017. These secondary units, now called accessory dwelling units (ADUs), have been identified by the State as providing an important housing option to both potential renters and homeowners. They typically cost less than other types of housing, provide convenient housing for family members, help ease a severe rental housing deficit, maximize limited land resources and existing infrastructure, and assist homeowners with supplemental income.

The opportunity is clear, this newly converted living space can be used as a rental property and adds to the livable square footage area of your existing home. The net result is a converted garage space into a beautiful living area and an increased value of your home.