3 Things You Should Know About Building An ADU In Honolulu

Are you looking to build an ADU in Honolulu, Hawaii? Do you want to learn the top 3 things you need to know about building an ADU? Then you have come to the right page.

Building ADU’s has become one of the most common projects among residential construction in the state of Hawaii. ADU’s are something that people ask us about all the time. Homeowner’s are looking for all the information that they can get before jumping into the ADU process.

Top 3 Things You Need To Know About Building An ADU

Although there are a lot of things that you should know about building an ADU, these are the top 3 things in particular that you need to know and remember:

1. A Few Basic Requirements of ADU Construction

There are rules and regulations that deal specifically with ADU construction in the state of Hawaii. There is a Bill posted online that you can read that talks about the legalization of ADU’s. Even if you do not go so far as to learn everything about ADU’s, it is important to know about the basics of the program. Some requirements of building ADU’s include:

  • The ADU must be built on a lot that is zoned and located in a country or residential district
  • Your ADU must be built on a property that is at least 3,500 square feet
  • For a 3,500 square foot property, (as an example) the ADU cannot be bigger than 400 square feet
  • ADU’s can only be built on a property that already has a residence on it
  • You must provide a parking spot and access to the road for anyone that is living in the ADU
  • The owner of the residential property on which the ADU is built must remain living on the property
  • The ADU resident must rent the residence for at least six months at a time

2. The Purpose Of An ADU

ADU’s can be used for many different things. You have to decide why you need your ADU and design it to make sure that it is everything that you need. If you are building an ADU for a long term renter, then you might want to focus on what those renters would like. Do they like sleeping in a loft? Are they older people? Do they have children? Then you will need to design the floor plan to make sure that it fits the needs of everyone that is going to be living there.

3. Why Should You Work With An ADU Professional?

Working with professionals when building an ADU is a very smart idea because even though an ADU is a smaller type of construction project, it is still considered major construction. Although you may think you do not need a professional working with you to build your ADU it will save you money in the long run. It will also help you to ensure that your home is very energy efficient, your materials will last a long time, and you are building at a cost efficient rate. 

It can be harder to do all the electrical, plumbing, and utility jobs when it comes to building a smaller home like an ADU, so it is also better to have a professional to help you out with these things. This will help to ensure that you will be able to use your ADU as a source of income. 

So, now that you know some of the ins and outs of building ADUs, it’s time to find a professional that will help you build your ADU in Honolulu. The best way to find out how much it is going to cost you to build your ADU the way that you want is by using our free online project estimator. This will help you budget in the way that you need to. You can complete our Instant Online Estimator for a fast and free estimate of your home addition project. (Just click on the button below!) Or you can contact a Honolulu ADU contractor at (808) 216-9956 today to find out just how we can help you!