Introduction
Hi there! My name is Alek Davis. I live in Orangevale, CA (Sacramento County) with my wife, kids, mother-in-law, and two cats. I am a software engineer, but for the purpose of this blog, my occupation is not important.
A couple of years ago I got an idea to build a tiny house in my backyard. I did not know anyone who would have done this. I did not have any friends in construction. I wasn't sure if I could do it. Or should do it. Well, today is April 16, 2021, and the house is almost done.
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| As of 5/10/2021 |
Because there is a lot of interest in building small homes (also known as granny flats, in-laws quarters, guests houses, and accessory dwelling units or "ADUs"), I thought it could be helpful to document my experience.
I did not have time when the project started, but now when I'm a bit more free, I will try to backtrack and remember the things I learned so far. I will talk about dos and don'ts, share successes and failures, and try to cover various topics from designing a floorplan to figuring out how to set up a bifold door (and, believe me, this is not as trivial as it may sound).
Anyway, I hope you stick around and find something useful. And I will see you soon.
SEE ALSO:
NEXT: TO BUILD OR NOT TO BUILD
What a fabulous little abode! I don't know what sparked my interest other than sheer curiosity, but if you don't mind....I'll be following you!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Pat!
DeleteCouldn’t have said it better than Pat! I’m in!
ReplyDeleteHi Alek! Is your ADU unit completed now? Do you have a rough estimate on total cost for your project? I am also in sacramento and thinking of putting an ADU in my backyard. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteYes. I talked about costs here: https://mybackyardhouse.blogspot.com/2020/03/money.html . I can give you my total but at this time it will be meaningless because I suspect that prices changed. Also my cost include some yard work so it's hard to provide an accurate and meaningful (for today) number.
DeleteHi Alek, thank you for sharing information on your ADU building process. Do you mind sharing your contractor’s name? Would you recommend him if someone ask? What was your process/criteria for picking your contractor?
ReplyDeleteMy contractor: https://goldenstatede.com/ (William). I'm not sure if he's actually doing construction or just design now, but you can check (at least he can give a recommendation). I met with several contractors and I liked his approach the most. For thew design phase and initial construction, I'd recommend them 100%. By the last phase, I think it took them a bit longer and cost more than planned, and I was a PITA to work with (was changing my mind a few times after the job was done), so the last phase was a bit less smooth, but now looking back, I'd do it again. I've heard horror stories about some contractors, and it was definitely not the case for me. If I were to build another house, I'd hire them again. But still, keep in mind that regardless of how good contractor you will get, there will be issues, like subcontractors messing up things, someone misinterpreting what you said and not doing what you expected, etc. Construction is a complex process, especially during times when supply chains are disrupted. I don't know how these guys do it. Lots of stress, so don't expect everything to be perfect and go as you planned.
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