When exploring options on how to improve your current home, you may have an opportunity to add what is known as an in-law suite. It goes by many names, though, so you may have also heard it referred to as an accessory dwelling unit, a guest house, a secondary suite, a home addition, or even an in-law apartment.
Regardless of which term you prefer, the point still stands. Adding an in-law suite to your property is an intriguing proposition.
Going through with the home addition could be a great move for some homeowners. Then again, others may need to deal with the drawbacks more
Find out if introducing an in-law suite to your property is a move you should make by reading on.
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What Is an In-Law Suite?
To get things rolling, it helps to first define what an in-law suite is.
Basically, an in-law apartment is an additional space that can either be attached to a larger home or set up separately to serve as a secondary dwelling on a property that a house already occupies.
You can think of it as a souped-up shed, except that it’s supposed to host people instead of tools. Secondary suites are also larger than the typical hobbyist’s shed.
It’s worth pointing out that you don’t need to build the home addition from scratch. In some cases, homeowners may prefer to convert already existing rooms into in-law apartments.
Another defining characteristic of this type of home addition is that it features some basic amenities. More often than not, these dwelling units will at least feature a bedroom and a bathroom. Some homeowners may go all out, though, and add a kitchen and a living room to make the space even more accommodating.
Folks should live comfortably inside the in-law apartment, thus minimizing the need for them to go into the larger home on the property.
What Are the Uses of an In-Law Suite?
The name already gives it away. The main purpose of an in-law suite is to serve as a home for your relatives.
You obviously don’t have to reserve it only for your in-laws. You can use this type of home addition to accommodate your aging parents, who may need you to look after them more closely. You may only want your relatives to live closer to you, and this kind of property can help make that happen.
Apart from your loved ones, you can also open the home addition to host other people.
Use it as a guest house that can host your visitors if it’s been a long day, and you don’t want them making the long drive home. Alternatively, you can also opt to rent out your home addition to some tenants, although you will need to meet certain requirements before doing so.
A home addition is also great to have on your property if you’re making renovations to your larger house. Instead of having to temporarily live out of a hotel or rental property, you can stay there for a few weeks or months.
How Does an In-Law Suite Affect Home Value?
The biggest benefit that can come from introducing an additional living space to your already existing property is that you can accommodate more people. Providing comfortable living quarters for more of your loved ones is truly gratifying.
However, an in-law suite can do more than increase the hosting capacity of your property. An underrated benefit of moving forward with a home addition is that it boosts the value of your property significantly.
How much of a boost to home value does an in-law suite provide?
A survey conducted by the National Association of Realtors found that an in-law suite and a finished basement are the two elements that most buyers are willing to pay extra for. When it comes to home additions, a third of the respondents said that they would be willing to pay up to $3,000 extra if it meant that the property, they were purchasing came with an in-law suite.
Those things should be of particular interest to homeowners or real estate investors who have properties in popular locations. Standing out from a crowded field of sellers with similar properties can be hard to do in that scenario. You may need connections to secure a buyer quickly.
With a home addition, there’s a chance that the buyers will be the ones fighting over who gets to purchase your property.
If you aren’t planning to use the secondary suite to host your relatives, you can also rent it out to tenants and bring in more income that way. By opting to rent out your extra living space, you could recoup the cost of having it built in the first place in only a few years.
Generally speaking, an in-law suite should turn out to be a positive addition to your property, but that may not always be the case. If you partner with builders who don’t know what they’re doing or who are content to put in the bare minimum, your property value may drop due to the awful addition beside it.
The best way to ensure that your in-law apartment will turn out to be an asset is to have skilled professionals design and build it.
How Much Does It Cost to Build an In-Law Suite?
Extracting value from your in-law suite in some way is crucial. That’s mainly because getting one of these additions built does not exactly come cheap.
So, how much should you expect to pay to have an in-law suite added to your property? That will depend on what kind of addition you’re seeking and how you intend to alter your property or your home.
Turning an Unused Room into a Secondary Suite
The most affordable way to create an accessory dwelling unit is to convert a room inside your home into a secondary suite. Estimates indicate that you can have a project like that completed for as low as $3,000.
Now, there are some additional things you need to keep in mind if you are planning to go down this route. For starters, you cannot transform every spare room into an in-law apartment.
Remember that the room you’re converting must be large enough to have both a bedroom and a bathroom. If whoever’s using that space has to go out whenever nature comes calling, there would be no point in having the addition built in the first place.
Turning Your Basement into a Secondary Suite
The cost of transforming your basement into an in-law suite will depend on its current status.
Homeowners who already invested a significant amount of money into their basement to ensure that it would be a comfortable space may need to chip in around $10,000 or so to convert it into a secondary suite. If the basement is still largely unfinished, the cost of conversion could go beyond $20,000.
Turning Your Garage into a Secondary Suite
Another part of your Another part of your home that you can transform into a new living space is the garage. Since garages are typically roomy and already have a pretty solid infrastructure, they are likely safe enough for people to live in.
The big obstacle you’ll need to overcome here is adding a bathroom. You may need to lay down new piping to properly support that bathroom addition. Insulation is another thing that you may need to buy.
Don’t be surprised if your final bill for your garage conversion climbs up to $50,000.
Turning Your Attic into a Secondary Suite
Attics often turn into unused spaces after a while, and you may feel annoyed that such a big part of your home is going to waste.
The good news is that you can convert attics into secondary suites. The bad news is that the cost of doing so can be high. Estimates indicate that it could run you anywhere from $40,000 up to $90,000 to properly convert an attic.
It’s not surprising to see how much a project such as that may cost, given how many significant changes you will need to make.
Creating an Attached Home Addition
If you don’t have any room that you can convert into a secondary suite, you can always have an addition built from scratch. Some would even argue that this is the better move since you minimize the odds of your home’s structural integrity being compromised by renovating already existing rooms.
Creating an entirely new addition is costly, though. Expect the final cost to be in the range of $30,000 to $60,000.
Creating a Freestanding In-Law Suite
Your final option is to build an in-law suite on your property that is completely separated from your home. This is the option to go for if you want to ensure privacy. It’s also your best bet if you want to attract tenants.
As you’ve probably guessed, though, this kind of project can be expensive. Aside from the new structure itself, you may also need to pay more for extra work that is needed to condition your property for the new addition.
The final cost of a project like that may exceed $100,000.
What Are the Other Important Considerations if You Want to Build an In-Law Suite?
Beyond securing the room and/or space plus the funding you need to complete your project, there are other factors you need to consider before getting started.
The Laws in Your Area
First off, you need to determine if your project is legal. In some areas, zoning laws may forbid you from building an addition on your property. There are also cases where they allow an addition, but there may be limitations on how big it can be and what it can feature.
Some cities may allow you to build additions with no restrictions as long as you do not use them as rental properties.
Make sure to check with the authorities in your area ahead of starting the project, or else you may wind up wasting time and money.
The Reaction of Your Neighbors
No one wants to have a bad relationship with their neighbors. Maybe you’re not that interested in becoming best friends with your neighbors but getting on bad terms with them is not ideal either.
Prior to moving forward with your project, it may be a good idea to ask your neighbors what they think. Address any concerns they have and listen because they may bring up some good points as well.
Getting on the same page with your neighbors is especially important if you want to rent out the secondary suite as they can either make it easier or harder for you to attract tenants.
The Maintenance Costs
The potential cost of building an in-law suite has already been discussed in detail above, but it’s worth noting that your spending won’t stop once the new addition is ready to go. If a loved one is going to use the space, you need to account for the cost of basic utilities. Repairs may also be required down the line so it’s best to set aside some extra money.
For those planning to rent out their home addition, taking the time to create separate utility lines will save everyone from needless headaches.
The Design of the Home Addition
Lastly, you need to be thoughtful when it comes to designing the home addition, especially if you are going to offer it to your older relatives. Install guardrails that will prevent falls and other safety features.
Consult with the Experts if You Want to Build an In-Law Suite
Building an in-law suite can turn out to be a wise move for you in more ways than one. Still, that project could turn out poorly if you don’t work with the right people. Partner up with Eco Minded Solutions and let them help you create the best in-law suite possible.
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