If you are in San Jose, then chances are you might have heard about Accessory Dwelling Units or ADUs. These are residences (dwelling units) which are located on the same property as your main home. In most cases, they are usually detached from the main house. They can be used for as your granny space, in-law space or even for rental purposes. Now, to build a unit, you would need to get the services of a professional ADU contractors in San Jose. However, there are a number of other things that you should take into account. In this post, you would take a look at some of the development standards that you should know about when you are building an ADU.

Density: Density refers to the number of units that you can build on your property. Different districts have different rules for density. It depends on various factors like the size and the position of the plot, among other things. You would need to know about the density regulations in your district before you build an ADU.

Maximum Height: In certain districts, they are restrictions on the maximum height of any unit that is being build on your property. So, when you are planning your ADU, you would need to make sure the height of your ADU is below the maximum height. You would need to conform to the rules otherwise that the local authorities would charge fines.

Setbacks: Law requires that there should be a minimum distance between your detached ADU and the adjacent property lines. This is mainly done to ensure fire safety. In certain cases, your local authority might impose additional requirements. Apart from density and the heights, you would be able to find the setback parameters at you’re the office of the authority having jurisdiction on your property. You need to talk about these things with your ADU construction company in San Jose, to ensure that you don’t make any costly mistakes.

Utility Easements: There are public utilities that run under or over your property. These include electricity and TV cables, water and sewage lines, wired broadband connections etc. You need to make sure that your ADU does not cause any impediment to people accessing these services.

If there are utility easements on your property, then you need your ADU to maintain a required clearance from your property. You would need to contact your local authority to know more about such rules.

These are some of the development standards that you should know before you build an ADU. Professional ADU contractors in San Jose would know about these rules and regulations and they would help you in a better way. So, get the help from the pros and ensure that your ADU conforms to all the relevant laws.