Home Office / Study Space

Once thought of as a high-level amenity, a home office is now one of the hotlist items for many homeowners.

Even before COVID-19, home offices were in high demand. In fact, in survey after survey having a dedicated space for working and studying at home ranked as one of the highest desired amenities for homeowners.

In some cases, the COVID-19 crisis has elevated that desire to requirement. Millions of Americans are now working remotely or had their positions changed to remote work. Additionally, large and small companies are looking at reconfiguring workspaces and thoroughly reviewing the need for office space.

What was once something employers and schools tinkered with (remote working and teaching) is now an actual reality. And, not just for some of us – nearly all of us have had some experience with it in some way or form. COVID-19 evolved online with remote work via internet/computer and advanced use of video conferencing overnight – a level of acceptance that likely would have taken another 10 to 15 years to embrace.

Beyond how we have had to adapt to taking precautions and sheltering in place, two very notable changes occurred around work and school. Most children are now being educated from home or doing hybrid teaching schedules. Technology is now also being highly leveraged with the emphasis of performing work safely, and distancing is now the norm.

But, while dedicated work and study spaces are in great demand, some 60% percent of homeowners say they do not actually have one in their home.

And many who do, have used other existing spaces within their home for that purpose. An office set up in the living room, converted bedroom, and other places connected to family areas are not uncommon. The biggest challenge with many of these is that they have privacy issues (sound/noise) and lack physical workspace – owners are just making do.

Add to this challenge that parents and children both often require dedicated spaces to work and communicate with the outside world at the same time. The need for a functional home office or multiple workspaces within a dwelling has become all the more important.

An ADU can be the ideal solution for working at home. In fact, with a larger unit, it might even be possible to have multiple and flexible spaces within them. One of the chief reasons that more and more owners are turning to ADUs to create dedicated work at home spaces. That can range from a ground-up build of an ADU with multiple potential workrooms and areas in it to purchasing a prefabricated unit specifically to be used as a home office in the back yard.

WHY BUILD AN ADU?

Just as each ADU is unique to its owner and occupants, so are the reasons for creating or building one on your property. And, just as the use of your primary home may evolve over time, so might the function and those living in your ADU change.

Following find some of the most typical reasons why you might build an ADU or JADU.