Detached Vs. Attached ADUs
From a practical standpoint, there are some key elements of each type that allow us to sort them for reference when you might be looking at or thinking about constructing one.
The first thing to understand is that ADU’s, regardless of style, can be broken into two categories: Detached and Attached.
Attached, as the name suggests, would be a unit that is connected to the primary home. Detached, would be separate from it.
That was easy, right? Well, sort of. This is where the fun starts.
An attached ADU, can be created from a New Addition to a home or through a Remodeling process where part of the home is converted and permitted. Internal ADUs that are created through the conversion of part of a home are often smaller and called JADUs (Junior Accessory Dwelling Units). These junior cousins typically range around 500 or smaller square feet in size.
Detached ADUs, on the other hand, are typically standalone new ground-up homes. They are built separate from the primary home. They might also be created from the conversion of an existing detached garage.
Make sense? Great!