5 Biggest Surprises our Clients Discover when Designing and Building an Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) in Portland, Oregon

Many of our clients are surprised by some of the things they learn during the ADU design and construction process … and that’s ok! 

How many times have we talked to a friend or read an article or seen something on tv only later to find out that what we’d heard didn’t tell the whole story?

We don’t expect our clients to be experts on design and construction when they walk in the door. That’s our job! That’s why we wanted to share 5 things that often surprise our clients when it comes to the design and construction of Accessory Dwelling Units in Portland, Oregon.

1. ADU’s are not one-size-fits all. 
In our first article in this series on Accessory Dwelling Units in Portland, Oregon, I asked you to consider WHY you want to build an ADU. There’s good reason for this: ADU’s are not one-size-fits all. Not every ADU design is fit for every ADU dweller. 

A place for your parents to live is different than a place for a family. Long-term renters (think apartment) have different needs and expectations from short-term renters (think AirBnB or hotel).

Before you take the leap, please think long and hard about WHY you want to build an Accessory Dwelling Unit. Then, let’s talk about how that WHY will guide the design of your ADU.

2. There’s a limit to every ADU.
There are different reasons to build an Accessory Dwelling Unit. See “ADU’s are not one-size-fits all” and “Why do You want to Build an Accessory Dwelling Unit in Portland, Oregon?” 

While an ADU for your parents or for yourself will be different than an ADU you plan to list on AirBnB, the size of every ADU in Portland, Oregon is limited to 800 square feet. That means that all the design considerations we need to make for your ADU dweller, even if they’re in a wheel chair, has to fit within that tiny size limit.

3. Tiny houses don’t necessarily come with tiny price tags.
This may be the biggest tiny house surprise of them all. Even though you’re building a tiny house that’s limited to 800 square feet, your Accessory Dwelling Unit may not come with a tiny price tag. 

The reality of the situation is that even though you’re ADU is limited in size, you’re still building a kitchen and bathrooms and bedrooms. And, if your project is in your back yard there are often logistical challenges for your contractor. 

There are important design and budget decisions we need to make (do you really need your full-size, side-by-side refrigerator in your tiny house?) that will affect the cost of your ADU, but the bottom line is: don’t expect your tiny house to have a tiny price tag. 

4. All ADU renters are not created equal.
One common reason homeowners build an ADU on their property is to generate income. They envision renting the tiny house like a backyard apartment or for overnight guests like a hotel or AirBnb. The problem is, a long-term renter and a short-term renter are different. They have different needs and wants, both inside and outside.

Before we start designing your Accessory Dwelling Unit, we need to understand who’s going to be living or staying there. We’ll consider what they want in terms of privacy and amenities. We’ll even consider the quality and durability of materials that are necessary for your ADU to be manageable long-term.

5. Your parents may not want to live in your backyard.
Wouldn’t it be great to have your parents living in your back yard? They can be close to their grand kids and can help out as they get older! Did you ever think that your parents may not want to live in your backyard? I don’t mean that literally because hopefully, if you’ve decided to build an ADU for your parents you’ve already talked with them about it. 

Think about living in your backyard from your parents’ point of view. There are a number of things to consider when designing an Accessory Dwelling Unit for your parents. Things like their needs today, as well as in the future are important considerations. Privacy and the feeling of a place for themselves can be critical. You even need to talk about who’s paying for the project and how. 

When we sit down with you to design an ADU for your parents to live in, we’ll probably ask you to bring them to the table for some of the meetings.

Are you surprised?
These are some of the things we’ve found that usually surprise our clients that decide to build Accessory Dwelling Units on their property in Portland, Oregon. Did any of the things on our list of 5 things that surprise our clients surprise you? 

We don’t expect you to be an expert and we don’t expect you not to be surprised. Just like every design and construction project, there are lots of things to consider and lots to learn. We’re here to be your guide, sometimes even counselor, and help you through the process.

It’s important to understand that every scenario comes with it’s own design challenges and opportunities. Each requires special considerations in order to make the project successful.

If you’re thinking about an Accessory Dwelling Unit, please download our free “ADU Inspiration Book”. If you haven’t read it already, you may be interested in our previous article: “Why do You want to Build an Accessory Dwelling Unit in Portland, Oregon?” We hope you’ll also watch for the final article in our ADU series where we’ll cover helpful tips for designing and building an ADU.