“They took my vision of having a salon in my back yard to fruition. I‘m so happy with the building. It’s beautiful inside and out.”
– Megan L.
Part 1: Motivations
Megan LaCore and her husband Mark purchased a home in San Jose, CA and invested much time and energy to make it their own. Megan, a hair stylist, was eager to build a home salon where she could service clients in a professional, comfortable, and convenient space; without relying on other salon owners.
After assessing a variety of options, Megan and Mark decided that an ADU would be an ideal solution and great investment for the property and their future plans.
Part 2: Project Evaluation
Delays were one of Megan and Mark’s biggest concerns with their ADU project. Another concern was the legality of running a backyard business on a residential lot. As it turned out, their property had a special zoning that allowed for this kind of backyard business, so it looked like it might work.
Lastly, the LaCores had painstakingly repaired and rebuilt their garage, the location of which posed potential issues with the placement for the ADU. The Acton Project Consultant needed to work carefully with the design team and city to make sure a solution could be provided.
Part 3: Design
The LaCore project was kicked off with a design meeting to understand Megan’s need to run a successful home salon. Early in the process, the team identified the need for specialized salon equipment, including a sink and drain specifically for the hair washing station, as well as identifying layout options that made sense for a balance between walkable space and salon workstation flow.
Ultimately, the best fit was selected from the Acton ADU Build Ready Library. This library is not only filled with build ready plans, prepped and ready for the Acton Team to build, but there are also pre-approved plans that can be permitted swiftly in San Jose. In the cast of the LaCore ADU, the design that best suited Megan and Mark was a pre-approved ADU plan.
Part 4: Build
Permitting the LaCore project was unique. Establishing an ADU-based home business, specifically with additional plumbing requirements not normally seen definitely created a challenge for the design team. However, upon working closely with the city on the behalf of the LaCores, our team was able to have ordinance language updated and permits secured for break ground.
Part 5: Home Sweet Home
Upon completing the ADU, and with COVID-19 restrictions lifting, Megan has begun the process of moving in and whirring up her home salon.
