Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) in Coronavirus Situation

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Abstract

Accessory dwelling units (ADUs) are smaller, autonomous residential lodgings, or in-law adobes located on a similar piece of area that has a stand-alone (i.e. a separate) single-family home. ADUs have many benefits due to which numerous countries and states have started supporting ADUs in their housing and residential plans and have adapted zoning guidelines that allow ADUs in less-populated residential areas. In this article, we will discuss further Accessory Dwelling Units in the US and how ADUs can help in this Coronavirus epidemic situation.

Introduction

In this Coronavirus epidemic, ADUs are serving as quarantine space. Still, it’s been difficult to ignore the dreadful effects of the COVID-19, therefore, the US is constantly taking very strong actions now. The people are advised to act on self-isolation as quickly as possible, rather than later. In this regard, Architects and Engineers are providing their services in designing perfect residential plans for the people to ensure proper self-isolation in the form of Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs).

What is an Accessory Dwelling Unit?

Accessory Dwelling Unit is simply a self-reliant home, cottage, or a small dwelling unit. Accessory Dwelling Units is known by many different names in the U.S., such as accessory lodgings, secondary adobes, and granny apartments. ADUs are constructed in different ways. All internal, joined, and isolated ADUs can probably increase housing affordability for homeowners as well as for tenants. It also provides a vast range of housing choices within a society, enables senior citizens to stay close to their families, and encourage better use of the existing housing texture in the entrenched neighborhood.

Accessory Dwelling Unit

Can ADUs help in Coronavirus situation?

The best thing about having an accessory dwelling unit as a part of your residence or property is its resilience. Although ADUs are generally constructed in the form of a small lodging or adobes, they can be used as a garage, a guest house, granny flat, an office, a short term rental and many more. In this Coronavirus pandemic, we can add another benefit to the list, i.e., a quarantine space.

Accessory Dwelling unit as a quarantine space

An Accessory Dwelling Unit can be a perfect place to keep your loved ones or senior persons of the family under proper isolation if they are showing symptoms of Coronavirus, i.e., cough, flu, or regular fever. An ADU can be very helpful in controlling the virus spread. If someone is affected by a Coronavirus, they must not take any chance of infecting anybody else, as that could increase the infection rate to hundreds or even thousands in the months ahead. Being isolated in an ADU is far better for an infected person than being isolated in a hospital.

Architectures and Engineers have designed ADUs as an ideal residential plan having all the things required by a lonely person to spend life comfortably, without any hazard or difficulty. Biological research shows that a healthy and peaceful environment helps a person to recover quickly from his sickness. Fortunately, an ADU seems to be an excellent residential plan by architects to help control the virus transmission and a perfect quarantine space. It is designed to have a beautiful front look, having plantings and greenery. Hence, an infected person under isolation could not get depressed in loneliness. He could feel the fresh air and could enjoy appearing and flowers blooming. Food is the essential need of a person to survive, and luckily an ADU is built with a small counter kitchen where an isolated person can prepare his own food, thus avoiding social interaction.

Isolation for Senior Citizens

Isolation is extremely necessary for seniors in this Coronavirus outbreak, as being social these days could have a serious impact on their health. People of more than 70 years of age are most likely to be infected by the virus because of their weak immune system. Their body is not fit and healthy to produce sudden antibodies and to fight against the virus. Therefore, they need to cut off from socializing and spend these days in proper isolation to avoid the risk of catching the disease. Not only they need to stay apart from gatherings and meeting with other people, but also to stay away from their family and loved ones to ensure their health and safety. An ADU is probably, the best place for them to combat isolation.

Architectural and Engineering services for Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs)

In designing a residential plan for an ADU, Architects and Engineers can provide many services related to designing and construction. However, the services offered by various architectural firms differ. The following are some of the architectural services for designing an ADU project.

 

• Designing

The architect can draw designs and stipulations for your ADU, including architectural, mechanical, electrical, plumbing, interior design plan ( for both utility and visual effect), and appropriate design contemplation ( for the crippled). The architect may also provide landscape design configuration or suggestions to utilize outside spaces (such as a plan of passageway zone designing, or the design of off-street parking). The architect can also provide various choices you might have in basic design ideas.

• Selecting a Contractor

Most Architects have generally worked with or know about a wide range of different kinds of contractors. They can recognize applicant contractors based on predilections, such as the project financial plan, the type, and size of the ADU project, the anticipated affinity of the personalities of the proprietor and contractor, and the contractor’s concern in and accessibility to work on the enterprise. An Architect can also assist you in consulting contractors and guide you in the process of acquiring bids or negotiating a cost for the project.

• Construction Administration

At the beginning of the project, it includes Architect’s collaboration with the contractor to discuss details about the ADU project. This is to ensure that the Architect and the contractor agree with the design plan, stipulation, and other distinctions. Once the project is started, the architect starts receiving monthly material and labor solicitations from the contractor. He visits the site regularly to check the material and work being billed and observe the project progress. After the Architect checks each month solicitations, he sends them to the proprietor for the payment. At the end of the project, the architect would create a ‘punch’ list of inclusive work or improvements that are required in the project, and execute to other distinctions which are essential to wind up the project. Hence, an Architect makes it extremely easy for the proprietor to have his ADU constructed, by managing project accomplishments on his behalf and helps to design a perfect ADU.

• Permit Plan

One of the services provided by architectures is assisting you in getting necessary permits or licenses required for the ADU project.

    ADU Permit Plan Blueprint

 Conclusion

By concluding this article, I have discussed in detail about accessory dwelling units. I have also explained the services provided by architects and engineers for building an ADU. There are many benefits of having an ADU in this modern era. An ADU can be used in various ways which are discussed above. Through this article, you may have understood the great use of an ADU as a perfect quarantine space for isolation. Hence, I would say that an ADU is extremely useful in this Coronavirus pandemic.