Questions about building an in-law apartment

10 years ago

How long may it take to have a one-story, 900 to 1,000 square foot in-law apartment built (given that the work is done on schedule)? It will be attached to an existing house, and the in-law apartment won't have a basement, and it will have a modest kitchen (nothing large or fancy).

Also, the main, existing house does not have any ductwork for central air or heat (other family members don't want central air in the main house), so is it possible that the in-law apartment could have ductwork installed to allow for central AC/heat? This has to be connected to the main home's furnace, right? The in-law apt will not have a separate furnace. The furnace is located on the side of the house directly next to where the new structure will be built. Would the apt need an attic for the ducts, since it won't have a basement?

I know that the builder will be able to answer questions, but it will be a bit before we sit down and go over these details. Construction hasn't started yet, as we're only in the beginning stages of getting the necessary paperwork filled out.

Thank you very much.

Featured Answer

bird_lover6

10 years ago

Depending on where you live, you might not be able to put a full kitchen in the apartment. Consider counter top induction cooking, if necessary.

Good luck.

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Comments (8)

User
10 years ago
IF it's allowed, and that's a big IF, it will depend on the design, foundation issues, utility issues, and how it's attached to the main house more than it will on square footage. It could take 6 months. It could take a year. It could take a lot longer if you have to fight codes for a variance. A lot of places limit structures of that kind due to wanting to keep the possibility of it turning into a rental from happening.

Your best bet is to get a local architect involved so that such a structure looks to be a part of the main house rather than screaming ADDITION, and then once you have the design worked out, get several estimates from builders. Or, if time is of the essence, get a builder involved from the first during the design phase and don't bid it out.
bird_lover6
10 years ago
Depending on where you live, you might not be able to put a full kitchen in the apartment. Consider counter top induction cooking, if necessary.

Good luck.
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bird_lover6
10 years ago
Depending on where you live, you might not be able to put a full kitchen in the apartment. Consider counter top induction cooking, if necessary.

Good luck.
bird_lover6
10 years ago
Depending on where you live, you might not be able to put a full kitchen in the apartment. Consider counter top induction cooking, if necessary.

Good luck.
carsonheim
10 years ago
bird lover feels strongly about induction cooktops ;)

(yeah, I know... the dreaded multi-post demons are at it again....)
chicagoans
10 years ago
As I'm sure you know, SO much depends upon your existing house and how the addition will be added, what will go into the addition, how things will connect, and so on. And of course unforeseen things like weather delays.

For example, we did an addition slightly larger than that (over 1000 sq ft) and ended up replacing the roof on the whole house to make it all blend. We also blew out the majority of the existing back wall so the old part of the house would flow into the new. So if your addition is added on via a breezeway or similar, you wouldn't need a whole new roof. But if it's going to blend in and be part of the rest of the house, you might.

For comparison, we started interviewing builders early in the year; did designs in the late spring/early summer; the basement was dug in July so the foundation was poured and framing started after that. We lived in the house while framing was being done and moved out in late August when they took down the existing back wall. We were out for 10 weeks and moved back into the finished house in mid-November. (Then had to wait until the next spring to finish the hardscaping in the yard and get the new driveway.)

With an addition, there will almost always be suprises that can cause delays. Ours included a pipe or two that no one knew about and were discovered when we added some new windows to the old part of the house; and the bulldozer operator broke the sewer line when digging the foundation. (I think its location was mis-marked on the old house plans.)

As hollysprings said, a builder and architect can help you scope the project and give you an idea of how long the work might take; they'll know how long it takes to get permits, materials, etc. Then add some time for the unexpected.
Mia_
Original Author
10 years ago
Thanks for the answers and advice, everyone.

The town said that the lot is big enough to build an in-law apartment on. The in-law apartment has to be of the same design on the exterior, so that it looks like a part of the house. No problem with having a kitchen with all the appliances. There's already a driveway and a garage. It won't have a basement like the main house, so I wonder how much time that will save.