Living with your new college grad adult child can be an adventure. After years of living apart, your home can feel small and confining. Having more space can give your college grad more independence while giving you a break from parenting. For many homeowners, the solution is to build a home addition.
Your child can have all the space they need when you build a home addition where they can live with more independence. There are many home addition options, so you can choose the type of space that will work best for your home, your budget, and your child. Hire an experienced Connecticut contractor for this project. Working with a pro helps ensure good results and can help retain the value of your house.
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Technically, an accessory dwelling unit can take many forms and be any unit intended to create a separate living area on your property. However, when people talk about an ADU, they often describe a small, standalone home built in the backyard. ADUs have living space, a bathroom, a kitchen, and a bedroom.
If your backyard has room for an ADU, this is an option that can pay dividends in the future. ADUs make an excellent space where an older parent can move in later when your adult child has left. They also make very comfortable guest houses.
Traditionally, Connecticut communities have had strict rules limiting the construction of ADUs, but those rules have been loosened in recent years. Every community is different. Before getting started with your ADU project, find out what the rules are in your community by talking to someone from your zoning office or city hall.
A converted garage can be an excellent option for a college grad living space. The converted garage is often large enough to create a studio apartment or a one-bedroom space. While it's not hard to convert a garage into a living space, not every community allows this type of home renovation. Check with your community's zoning rules.
If you are allowed to convert your garage, you may be required to add a new structure to your home, like a carport, to provide space where a car can be stored. This increases the cost of this type of renovation, so talk it over with your contractor before proceeding.
Once remodeled, that cold basement or scary attic can make a perfect hideaway for your college grad. Basements and attics need a lot of work to make them more comfortable and safe.
Some homeowners try to save money by finishing their attic or basement themselves. It's best to hire a contractor that will do the job right by getting permits and adding egress options, so your child can leave in an emergency. Getting the proper permits adds value to your home since work that is not permitted can make it more difficult to sell.
Like a garage conversion, an over-the-garage apartment gives your child privacy while avoiding any changes that would cut back on yard space (like an ADU or home addition). The over-the-garage apartment option gives your adult child plenty of space where they can be themselves and make noise without affecting those of you in the primary house.
Once your child moves out, the over-the-garage apartment also makes an excellent place to put friends and relatives who come to visit.
Home additions bring value to your home, add extra usable space to your living area, and give your adult child a cozy suite where they can spend time. It's a win-win for everyone.
Work with your contractor to build a home addition with a separate entrance/exit for your child to come and go as they please. Like an ADU, the suite should have its bathroom, living space, and kitchenette to make it more functional.
Maybe you have some unused rooms in your home that you'd like to turn into a suite for your adult child. Have your contractor remodel that space to give it more independence from the rest of the house.
Like the home addition, these unused rooms should give your child the freedom to come and go as they please. Install a kitchenette, bathroom, and separate entrance that your child can use. This helps keep your part of the house quiet and gives your adult child more independence.
Whether your college grad is coming home now or coming next year, get started with your home addition project as soon as possible. Building an addition or an ADU takes time. Here are some tips:
Need information about hiring a design-build contractor in Connecticut? See the Litchfield Builder's free guide to hiring a residential contractor.