Accessory dwellings (also known as ADU’s), are becoming more and more popular as families choose to stay together on the same property, for longer. If you’re considering one yourself, you have a lot of options to choose from. What kind of floor plan do you want, and what would work for you? Here are some of the best accessory dwelling unit floor plans to choose from.

What Is An Accessory Dwelling Unit?

An accessory dwelling is a home that’s built as an additional unit on a lot with a house, or an attached house.

They’re sometimes known as ‘mother in law‘ houses, which is how you may have heard of them.

They’re becoming more popular as the traditional housing market isn’t working for young families these days.

In many cases, the children of the homeowner may decide to live in the accessory dwelling, to save up for a home of their own.

Instead, like the colloquial name suggests, the parents may move into them when they need a little more help with everyday living.

They’re ideal as they give families the closeness they need. But, at the same time everyone can get a sense of independence that they wouldn’t have in a regular home.

5 Accessory Dwelling Unit Floor Plans You Should Consider

So, what kind of floor plan is going to be best for your family?

Determining on your specific needs, your ADU floor plans will vary. Are you looking to convert your garage?

Maybe you’re looking to create a basement suite or build a brand new attached suite.

Regardless of your needs, these 5 beautiful accessory dwelling unit floor plans can help you.

Here’s some of the most popular styles out there, and why they may work for you.

1. Garage Conversions

These are the most common, or at least the most commonly heard of, accessory dwelling unit floor plans.

These can either consist of the garage itself being converted into a home, or an apartment style home being built on top of the existing garage.

These are popular as they don’t take up any extra ground space on your lot, meaning they’re very accessible for most homes.

Placing the home above the garage is popular as you don’t lose your garage. You’re actually gaining extra living space by building above it.

However, if you convert the garage, you can create a two level building with less work, as half of the building is already there.

If you only need a small amount of space, this can be perfect for you.

2. Open Space Homes

These are also very common, as an accessory dwelling unit can’t exceed over 800 square feet.

As the space is quite small, keeping walls to a minimum and letting light through the whole building can make it feel a whole lot bigger.

An open space home is also a great idea, as it offers a more modern take on living.

More and more new homes are now using open concept living spaces to help families spend time together, while still having their own space to do their own thing.

Having this in your home, even if there’s only two people living in it, can help them be closer together even when they’re apart.

For example, holding a party is much easier as you’re not stuck in the kitchen, missing everything.

3. Loft Style Units

In most modern accessory dwelling unit floor plans, you’ll see loft style bedrooms included.

How they’re accessed will be different, depending on the home. For example, in some units you’ll see lofts accessed via a small staircase. Others will use ladders to get to the loft.

These are common as they’re great way to save on floor space.

Rather than give floor space over to a sleeping area, it can be installed directly over the living or kitchen space.

If you’re trying to keep your unit as small as possible, this is the best option for you.

They’re perfect for one person living arrangements, or even for some couples.

4. Basement Suites

These accessory dwelling unit floor plans are another option that works well for homes that are looking to save on square footage.

If your basement is well suited, you can build essentially what is another floor in there.

This can include all the necessities a home needs, such as a bathroom and kitchen dedicated to that floor, as well as being accessible from the main house.

These are perfect for families that are taking care of older relatives.

The basement home can give them the independence they need, even going so far as to add a separate entrance in and out of the house.

Because it’s in the basement though, it’s easy for family to enter the home and take care of the residents as and when needed. It’s the best of both worlds, and are very popular right now.

5. Attached In Law Suite

These kinds of accessory dwelling unit floor plans are attached to the main home itself, either sitting against the home, or being attached via a hallway.

In some cases, they can be modified from an existing part of the home.

This gives you a lot of flexibility in what the home will look like. It also increases the options that you can include as part of the floor plan.

If these homes are on the first floor, then they can include a private entrance, too. This gives the home a real sense of uniqueness, even though it’s so close to the main home.

Again, they’re a great option if you’re having the home built for a family member who needs extra care. They get their independence, and you can access the home easily when needed, to help them out.

These types of units look very natural too, when placed up against the main home. If the outside is dressed the same way as the main dwelling, then you may not even be able to tell there’s a second home there.

Conclusion

As you can see, there are plenty of options when it comes to accessory dwelling unit floor plans for your property.

Look at what suits you best, and what your future resident will need.

There’s options for everybody, so you should be able to find one that works for you.

If you’re not sure, talk to your construction company to get their expert opinion.

Soon, you’ll have an accessory dwelling that will be the envy of your neighbors.