Project Overview – About the Concept, Home & Journey

PROJECT OVERVIEW

A Two Year Journey (Concept and Overview)

In 2018, Frank De Safey, discovered the ADU Idea House here in Roseville, California.
The aging residence, charmingly named “The Rail House,” was purchased and underwent extensive architectural design and permitting review process with City of Roseville Planning and Building Department staff.

Because of the home’s age, unique nature of its construction, and special design elements and amenities, it took nearly two years of intense planning/logistics leading up to renovation and construction efforts. All complicated by the disastrous impact of the COVID-19 crisis.

A resident of Roseville for 18 years, Frank is the original co-founder and President of Sequence Staffing, one of the nation’s leading Executive Search and Staffing firms dedicated to niche environmental, construction, engineering, and architectural industries.

His organization has been behind the recruitment and development of some of the nation’s most interesting assignments and practice building efforts within these fields. Sequence also has partnerships with organizations like the American Planning Association and International Code Council (the organizations that work to set much of planning and building code standards for the nation).

Based here in Roseville, Sequence works globally, and Frank, beyond blue color industries, is noted as one of the leading recruiters for climate change and sustainability professionals. In fact, his organization co-authored the original Green House Gas Workforce Management Report with the Greenhouse Gas Management Institute during the Obama era and has engaged in many high-profile climate and sustainable practice building assignments.

With so much of Sequence’s clientele working in the construction, engineering, and building products fields, Frank has been immersed in construction, development, and architecture within residential homebuilding with many of the nation’s most prominent organizations.

Founding of ADU Magazine

Fascinated by efforts to build concept homes and roll out construction innovation, he founded ADU Magazine as a passion project to promote Accessory Dwelling Units to help address affordable housing issues and improve quality of life. A part of this effort is building unique ADU Idea Houses that are affordable residences which present cutting edge technology/building products, educate buyers, reflect future trends, and tie into the communities where they are located.

A proponent of small and sustainable living, in his mind, while many concept efforts are fine and notable projects, they lacked key elements that tie them to local communities/markets and failed to address industry trends and realities that truly connect with the mainstream consumer.

The 2021 ADU Idea House (residing in the unique City of Roseville) focuses on nine distinctive categories (Nine Home Themes for Better Living).

Beyond the unique categories, the home is being built to serve as a living resource and representation of both New Construction (ADU Unit) and the Remodeling/Renovation (Primary Home and JADU Unit) of an older established residence. Allowing buyers and homeowners to see products, materials, and construction methods that can be utilized in a new home, in their existing residence, or within a newly purchased older home that may need renovation.
Activities at the residence include the complete renovation of the existing primary unit with an expansion and creation of a new internal permitted JADU and construction of a new detached ADU in the back of the property.

What was once a simple small 3 bedroom 1 1/2 bath dilapidated and languishing dwelling with vast amounts of unused and nonfunctional space is now a reconfigured and redeveloped three residence connected housing location with 7 bedrooms and 7.5 baths featuring an open floor plan. It has 5 separate areas for people to utilize for living and 7 separate outdoor spaces to enjoy. It contains 4 indoor living rooms/family rooms for gathering. There are 3 indoor kitchens, 1 outdoor kitchen, and 2 kitchenettes. The three-car garage is also fully functional with tool and laundry areas. The outdoor areas are additionally enhanced for gardening and entertainment.

All accomplished without changing the physical footprint on the property of the original home or impacting the street aesthetics of the neighborhood.

2021 ADU Idea House is truly an impressive undertaking demonstrating the variety of options ADUs present. Serving as a living education resource, it also represents what can be done cost-effectively and innovatively in an existing residential neighborhood with an older home.