Sino TV Show invited Helen, a Stanford Engineer at Vigorous W, to explain the price & materials of ADU

Accessory Dwelling Units, or ADUs, are becoming an increasingly popular choice for homeowners in California who are looking to add some extra living space to their property. There are a variety of materials that can be used to construct an ADU, each with their own benefits and drawbacks.

 #1: ADU is a great Investment.

Dominic: "I would like to ask if the current cost is probably high. How much is the average? What is the biggest advantage of adding an ADU?”

Helen: "Building an ADU is a very good investment, because let’s say in Pasadena. How much is a house for sale per foot? Over $700. However, the cost per foot for an ADU might be $200 or $300. You could put $30000 into it. Later on, the value will double."

#2: How can I maximize the benefits?

Helen: "How can I maximize the benefits? I’m going to check what is the largest ADU that can be built. I am creating a lot of interior space and you rent out more."

Dominic: "Wow, that’s amazing. Just to build a perfect ADU. But if you build it randomly, in fact there is no way to maximize its benefits, right? Very impressive."

#3: How do we choose construction material?

Dominic: "Like this friend here. He said what kind of building structure should be chosen. Because in fact, everyone is fighting a price war. Some are very cheap. It turns out some are very expensive, so what kind of material and the way it’s structured would be better."

Helen: "The most common is the traditional wooden structure.  There are other things that you might see. Like steel keel. It is a very thin steel. In a room temperature. It made into a profile. Usually, we see it on commercial projects, but it can also be used at home.  It is fireproof but it is not as well insulated as wood."

 #4: SIP (Structural Insulated Panels).

Helen： "There is another material. It's called SIP-Structural Insulated Panels. Well, it's the insulation board of the structure.  Well, it's two OSB thin pieces. What is OSB? Usually when we make the resume wall, it will be paved."

Dominic: "Which one is the cheapest and which one is more expensive?"

Helen: "Well, wood is definitely the cheapest. Then others are slightly expensive. But SIP because it is a structure plus insulation. So, it's basically two materials mixed together. Although it is expensive......"

Dominic: "So if we really want to sell it later， I will also say that my material is very good."

Helen: "You can also say that the thermal insulation performance is particularly good. In the future, the energy-saving aspects of SIP (air conditioners) will be utilized."

Dominic: "That's true."