“I can‘t tell you how much I appreciate the work they’ve done for us!”

– Suzanne Wolf

“The Acton ADU staff was excellent and one of the stand out experiences was that Acton ADU really listened, kept us up to date daily, and managed every aspect of a pretty complex process.”

– Suzanne Wolf

Part 1: Motivations

Chris and Suzanne are busy homeowners interested in providing a home for their two grown children so they can save money to purchase their own home after graduating. They also plan to live in the ADU and travel for the next 5-6 years.

Chris and Suzanne were looking to convert and expand an existing, detached garage on their property so that they could downsize into a private, comfortable spot close to the family. The ADU is a great solution for them now and in the future.

Part 2: Project Evaluation

The existing detached garage was about two feet from the back and right property lines and we wanted to take advantage of those existing minimum setbacks. We knew the electrical panel needed to be updated and there was a preliminary hydrant distance issue, since it fell outside of the 2019 requirement, but ultimately it was grandfathered into 2020 requirements and we were able to take advantage of that for the design.

Part 3: Design

Since the main home was in a historic neighborhood, there were many classic touches that were transferred from the main home. Overall, we wanted to create a light and bright space while keeping a neutral color palette to allow the finishes to pop.

There were some very special features included for the Nilson-Wolf family that include: a dedicated laundry room with additional storage and counter space; a large island with hidden microwave; customized wood range hood; shingle style siding with complementary paint schemes, as well as a walk-in shower and transitionless flooring throughout to make all areas accessible for future aging-in-place.

Part 4: Build

Once permitting was completed, we prepared the site for construction by clearing it and sorting the utilities. Power cables and telephone wires needed to be safely managed while laying the foundation and installing rough plumbing and electrical. Once complete, framing began and the home came together beautifully.

Part 5: Home Sweet Home

Complete and ready to move in, Suzanne and Chris have been working from home and the ADU has never been more useful to them. With their kids back and, of course, the shelter in place orders issued to fight the COVID-19 pandemic, their backyard home has already begun to be an enormous asset in making their lives more comfortable.