Construction and Pre-Construction Services
Pre- Construction Services
Why use up so much front yard for driveway and car parking? Why not access the garage from the alley? In planning we say this was the era of making the car happy, providing it a little house (also known as your garage) and being able to park it prominently in the front yard driveway.
Bidding to Qualified General Contractors
The typical garage takes up about 400 square feet, the driveway another 1,100. That means you are allocating 1,500 square feet of your family lot to your car. On this example lot of 6,500 square feet, that’s 23% of the total are, just to make the car happy. On smaller lots, this percentage only goes up.
Just think about all the things you could to with all that space instead.
AIA Contract for Construction and Construction Administration
This excess transportation capacity is a sunk cost. The addition of greater density makes better use of the transportation. Sustainable building practices allow for existing water, sewer and electric utilities to meet the increased density. Using a small car park instead of the garage, you get room for a second living space on the same lot that not only provides more room for life, but also an investment into the future.
Sustainability goals
Sustainable site planning uses existing space and transforms it for more efficient use.
Net-zero energy for both the residence and ADU are planned in from the start. This means the ADU will, in the long run, supply energy to the house and lower your energy cost and environmental footprint.
Charging electric vehicles is an added benefit of having good energy management planned into your ADU.
The energy management system and battery storage system will minimize electricity cost and provide off-grid use in emergencies.
SMART systems control temperature, lighting, etc. for most efficient use of resources and comfort.
Solar panels not only provide the electricity for the dwelling, but also for the solar hot water generator and radiant space heater.
Rainwater capture and percolation prevent run-off and instead help safe resources.
The gray-water from showers and washer is collected and used for irrigation to further lower the footprint of the residence and ADU.
Benefits to the owner
Opportunity to let the construction crew perform upgrades to the existing dwelling concurrent with the ADU construction.
Allows owners to remain in their home as the family grows and ages, with the option to later rent out the additional space when the kids have left the house.
Financial incentive by financing upgrades to the existing house, lowering resource costs, and providing future rental income.
Opportunity for very sustainable design solutions that reduce future utility and operating costs.
Tax credits and rebates for energy-saving options in many regions for PV panels, the building envelope, and other parts of your net-zero ADU.
Permitted constructions increases the property value at a potential resale.