A cozy and serene garden studio

Nick:

Well, we have a toddler and another baby on the way. So we are a growing family and want space for people to stay with us when they visit. Our home was built in 1907, and it's only 1,700 square feet, so when you get five or six people in there, it starts to feel very crowded. Initially, we looked into what it would take to expand the footprint or renovate the main house, and our research found that it would be incredibly expensive to go that route. It was completely cost-prohibitive and not feasible. So, since we have a nice, large-ish lot for where we are, we shifted our strategy and realized it made a lot more sense to build an ADU. 

Isabel:

Before building the ADU, our parents would visit and either stay at a hotel or an Airbnb because of the limited space in our house. But the older they get, the more they have specific needs that we have to cater to, like particular types of cleaning agents, mattresses, the quality of experience, walking distance, etc., as well as the accessibility of the place itself. We decided it would be much easier to have an ADU so we could control everything and make it as comfortable as possible for them to stay. And so we're hoping this will invite them to visit more often now that it's all set up for them.

Nick:

We talked to several companies to start understanding options. So we looked at the fully custom-built option, and we also looked at the prefabricated options. We ended up choosing Type Five because you offer an in-between hybrid: the homes are built on-site, but the design process was much more streamlined and straightforward than we would have gotten with a fully custom design-build. It was also considerably cheaper than the quote we got from the custom builder, so the price point was right. And the quality was right too. 

Isabel:

We liked that it was possible to customize it enough to fit this corner space on our property. We had a very specific L-shaped design and a specific square footage we were focused on. We also liked that we could choose where the doors and windows would go. In general, we really liked that Type Five’s designs had large windows, high ceilings, and so much light coming into the space. So it was the design sensibility, the price point, and the fact that we could choose a layout that would fit into the spot we were eyeing for the ADU that made it an easy choice to go with Type Five. 

Another big selling point for us was the set budget, too, because that's one of the main problems with construction: you usually start with a budget, but then you end up overrunning it depending on what happens. It really was helpful to have that guaranteed contract price with Type Five, especially given that we had a very specific budget in mind. Our parents were helping to pay for it, so we wanted to ensure that we could get what we wanted to build while also locking in the price.

Isabel:

We worked on the design to maximize the light and ensure the bedroom opened onto the garden. The ability to make these design choices is what helped us feel good about the finished space meeting all of our needs and the way we want it to feel once it's done.

Nick:

It was a very smooth and super-efficient design process. I loved that we were limited in our choices, but we had just enough options. For example, deciding whether we wanted horizontal or vertical siding. We had just enough choices to feel like we were in charge and getting what we wanted. 

Isabel:

But it wasn't overwhelming. We renovated our bathroom a couple of years ago, and we worked with another design-build company. And while that process was smooth, it felt more like a production because we had to make so many choices. 

Nick:

We spent way more time on a small bathroom than we did on the entire ADU, just because of their design process. It was so decision-heavy. 

Isabel:

The design process with Type Five felt more streamlined, and the experience allowed us to stay focused and avoid being overwhelmed by too many options.

Nick:

I like the color we chose for the exterior. I like the colors inside and out, and I like the minimal, clean look. I also like that, even though our main house was built in 1907, the ADU doesn’t stick out like a sore thumb or clash with it, even though it’s more modern. 

Isabel:

I also personally love the pink. I did a bit of feng shui analysis, and if you overlay the bagua over the property, the corner with the ADU is the female corner. Typically, for that, you should use pink-ish, light red, or feminine colors. So I was also looking for a color that would reflect that. 

I also love the windows. They’re amazing and let in so much light. And I really love the French doors that open out from the bedroom and into the yard. In the summer, it's super lush, and there's a tree right in front of the doors that has a lot of foliage. It’s lovely, and it feels like you're in this little garden paradise. There is something about the ADU that feels very serene. It's very minimalist, clean, and very calm. You don't hear much street or neighbor noise, so I feel like it's positioned to be a little meditative area of the household where you can hide away, take some time for yourself, and breathe.

Nick:

The main thing is that it allows us to host. Isabel’s younger brother and family came to visit from out of state. Historically, we've always gone to them, but now they could come with their kids this way. Before, we could always travel because we didn't have kids. But now that we’re less mobile, people are coming to see us, and we're able to host in the ADU.

Isabel:

My brother came here with his two kids, and the boys stayed with us in the main house while he and his wife stayed in the ADU. We wouldn't see them for most of the day; they just hung out in the ADU. 

Nick:

Yeah, they had these obnoxious, very leisurely mornings in the ADU, and we had to be like, “Hey, uh, your kids are here. Can you show up?” 

Isabel:

Yeah, they thought it was very comfortable and they loved their space over there. But also, on a day-to-day basis, we’re planning to use the living room space in the ADU as our yoga and fitness area, because we don't have much space in the house here to work out. So I'd love to take over that space when there are no visitors. And there’s a built-in desk in the ADU so we can use it as a second office. Since we both work remotely, we're always in the house together since the beginning of the pandemic, so it will be nice for us to have separate working spaces.

Nick:

Besides knowing your budget, take the time to understand the footprint that you want. Because that was the first thing we had to visualize. Where is the wall going to be? What does that mean for what the backyard is going to look like? We were out there with sticks, measuring tapes, and chalk, marking on the ground and trying to understand what it would all mean. Once you have your footprint and budget, your options start to crystallize and become pretty clear. At least that was the case for us.

Isabel:

One of the things we really love about our ADU is the quality of the build and materials. We made the right choice because it feels high-end, and the space feels very comfortable and luxurious. So my advice is to understand what quality you're going after, given your budget. 

The other thing is to understand what to expect working with the company, because each company has its own culture. What I liked about working with the Type Five team is that everybody was very responsive and communicative. We received updates and were always kept in the loop, which really helped me understand where we are in the process.