The Sacramento State Law permits the city residents to have two ADUs within one primary dwelling lot. The total lot coverage of the ADUs (or a single-unit dwelling) must not be more than 1 200 square feet. But the residents of the City of Sacramento must also pay attention to the primary lot itself. According to the City of Sacramento's manual (ordinance), the lot size must be at least 5.200 square feet. Any lot sized over 10 000 square feet can feature a 600-square-feet ADU. On the smaller-sized lots, the building of an ADU is prohibited. All ADUs must equally follow height requirements and do not exceed 14 feet in their height.

All designers in this field recommend making an accessory dwelling unit architecturally compatible with the primary residence unit and the surrounding neighborhood. The colors, materials, and other features of your new ADU must be compatible with those of your primary dwelling unit and meet the local law requirements. Otherwise, the construction of an ADU will be prohibited. Every part of an ADU unit's balcony or open-stair landing facing the rear lot's line (or the side lot line nearest to the accessory dwelling unit ADU) must be placed at least three feet above the ground level. Using appropriate designs such as “no step” entrances is preferable where topography and site constraints allow. It's also crucial to meet zoning designation and setback requirements to building accessory dwelling units. The ADUs front yard and street side yard setbacks must comply with the property’s zoning requirements.

You don't need to meet fire sprinkler requirements in the following cases:

— As to detached ADUs: the main unit has a sprinkler; your ADU size is no bigger than 1.200square feet.
— Regarding the attached ADUs: the main unit has no sprinkler. The ADU size is no more than half the primary unit's size; the total size of the structure (with the ADU included) is no more than 3.6 square feet.

It is essential to build ADUs at a certain distance to the primary dwelling unit, depending on the zone in which your property is located. Conversions (i.e., a garage on the property line) do not need to meet setback requirements. But an additional multi-story property must fit the requirements.

An ADU with one story doesn't need to meet side yard and rear yard setback requirements. It must be at least 60-feet from the front property line or comply with two-story ADU setbacks. A two-story additional building must be a 4-foot side yard and rear yard setback. The ADUs front yard and street side yard setbacks must comply with the property’s zone requirements.

No parking zones are required for an ADU in Sacramento.

Be ready for quite a splurge if your major is a decent ADU design and construction. While some manufacturers have put up some incredibly high price tags, others still manage to keep the prices at their lowest and provide quality services at reasonable costs. On the one hand, the planning and construction themselves are already tough tasks to fulfill, the other side— the legal one— is a huge space to cover up, and the assistance of some shrewd and hence, well-paid attorney specialist would be most required. The statistic shows that it is the deficiency of knowledge regarding the actual laws and regulations is the formative factor in the most delays and other issues arising during the ADU construction process.

The experience of our team doesn’t need bragging about to be noticed: we’ve been around for nearly a quarter of a century, so we have acquired sufficient knowledge and built up a certain amount of skill that we perpetually develop through continuous training and courses for employees. Besides general home and kitchen renovations and constructions, we specialize in designing and building ADUs. In other words, the entire process, from design outlines, assembly, up to finishing off, is to be performed under our thorough supervision through the assistance of our certified professionals.

• The design and color schemes matter a lot, too. Some homeowners try to make their tiny houses look exactly like those of their neighbors. What also matters is the common design of entrances that should be conformed to by all neighbors.
• Another important thing is the heights of the building, which, too, should not stand out among other houses in the neighborhood. The maximum height is 14 feet, grade-to-plate. The main dwelling unit, understandably, should be taller.
• As to selling the ADU, you cannot do it without selling the primary dwelling. However, ADUs are more than often rented out^ as one of the benefits for owners.
• That you can wish to live in or rent out an ADU, it should be connected to the major utilities, including sewers, water (in RD zones), and electricity.
• Based on location, the fees to be paid for building an ADU differ. You can find more on the subject by addressing https://www.cityofsacramento.org/Community-Development/Building/Fee-Estimates
• Some historically important sites can be used for the construction of an ADU; however, their regulations for such zones are peculiar. Site plan design and thorough review of design is mandatory under chapter 17.808.
• As to the entry requirements, there can be no passages between the main unit and an ADU.

If your single unit comprises an ADU, you can perform conversion of the existing building. Mind that the ADUs situated in historic areas may be subject to different requirements. An ADU should have a separate entrance and be built in line with fire safety demands.

• The stats show that, on average, an ADU brings to their owners-renters around $19 000 annually.
As to the contractor company, the choice of one should be weighted and based on certain factors. Read on to find out what qualities should a proper general contractor have to ensure lawful and successful ADU construction.

Opt for the contractors that have remained in the industry for a long time. This is usually the right choice, for the experience of the contractor company and its ability to stay afloat in hard times is a clear demonstration of the proper approach to business. If your contractor has been around in your area for a while, he knows which strings to pull in terms of effortless supply and high-quality materials.

If you want your ADU to heed the law requirements, your contractor should take up this responsibility. They should be well aware of the actual versions of the local codes, permit regulations, and other legal issues to ensure a safe and secure project from the very start of works.

While it is quite a challenge to design and construct the ADU, a decent contractor will have a solid, well-designed plan of the construction, with all other important factors considered, beforehand and be able to answer all your questions concerning the process.

The openness of the contractor is another factor in the basis of the decent construction process. It helps establish the right mood and connection between the property owner and construction specialists. Set all hesitation aside and be free to make inquiries.

And, maybe, word of mouth, which is still on point concerning the truthful descriptions of services, is to be considered. Your neighbors may have used the services of a certain contractor, so they can recommend a perfect one. Besides, there are testimonials on official websites of the best contractors in the sphere.