Building a prefab ADU in San Bernardino County brings many benefits to property owners and the community. However, there two main reasons why owners of existing residential properties are choosing to build an ADU in their San Bernardino backyard:
- It provides additional living space – building an ADU will create more space for when the kids come back home from college or when parents need to be closer for caregiving.
- Generates rental income – ADUs have their own utility connections and full amenities to support regular living. Building an ADU in San Bernardino County will give you the opportunity to rent part of your existing residential property without acquiring more land.
What is an Accessory Dwelling Unit?
Also known as granny flats or backyard homes, an Accessory Dwelling Unit or ADU, is a term used to describe a secondary home that shares a lot with an existing main residential building. San Bernardino County ADUs cannot be purchased or sold separately, but they can be an additional source of income through rent. However, before considering an accessory dwelling unit for your property there are other factors to keep in mind such as costs and zoning.
An accessory dwelling unit (ADU), granny flat, or “backyard home” is a legal and regulatory term for a secondary house that shares the building lot of a larger, primary home. The unit cannot be bought or sold separately, but they are often used to provide additional income through rent or to house a family member. We build our ADUs with prefabricated construction to save time and money for clients. As ADU BUILDERS, we consider prefabricated construction to be less disruptive to homeowners and neighborhoods as we can typically complete a project onsite in a few weeks once the home is built in our factory.
San Bernardino Facts:
- Population: 216, 089 (2019)
- County: San Bernardino County
- San Bernardino nestled right next to the vast San Bernardino forest and very close to a southern California skiing location Big Bear and Big Bear Lake. San Bernardino is a part of the inland empire as well as being the 17th largest city in California. The city of San Bernardino is home to the location of the world’s first Mcdonald’s and well the largest outdoor amphitheater in the world.
Financing Your ADU in San Bernardino County
Investing in a San Bernardino County ADU can be a financially viable decision. Starting at $155,000, the cost of building an ADU increases with custom additions and square footage. However, it’s possible to finance an ADU through various options. For example, you can:
- Take a home equity loan
- A cash-out refinance
- Even a home renovation loan can qualify to build your ADU
Alternatively, tiny home financing is also available through several national banks.
The monthly mortgage cost of a prefabricated ADU in San Bernardino County is typically lower than the rental income of a comparable property or the cost of renting a similar unit. Ultimately, building an ADU in San Bernardino should result in positive cash flow or provide family members with livable space at an affordable cost.
Zoning Regulations for Prefab ADUs in San Bernardino
California state laws have made it easier to build ADUs in San Bernardino County. Here are some of the most recent changes:
- Units of between 400 and 1,200 square feet can be built on single-family or multi-family lots in all residential zones.
- Relaxed parking requirements, with shorter set-back distances reduced to 4′.
- Permit fees have been reduced and waived in some instances.
These changes make now an ideal time to add extra space to a property, as laws are generally in your favor.
Tiny Homes vs. ADUs: What’s the difference?
San Bernardino County residents may be unfamiliar with the difference between a Tiny Home and an ADU. However, in some cases, there is no difference. Generally, Tiny Homes, or Park Models, cannot exceed 400 square feet. In cities such as San Diego, Los Angeles, and Riverside, Tiny Homes have been approved as ADUs, and San Bernardino is likely to follow soon.
Many of the Tiny Homes available are built to meet both ANSI and CBC requirements to ensure compliance with local building regulations and a better-quality home. Additionally, these models typically come with lofts and porches which do not count towards the livable space, but do extend the usable space. As a result, ADUs in San Bernardino County can be very similar to Tiny Homes or Companion units.
Additionally, prefab ADUs and Tiny Homes are pre built in a factory by a dedicated team of experts to ensure the best quality construction. Manufacturing ADUs and Tiny Homes in a factory makes building an ADU in San Bernardino County more cost and time-efficient. This also allows us to complete a project onsite in a few weeks once the home is built in our factory making it less disrupting to your neighbors.
View our pre approved plans for the Tiny Homes and Accessory Dwelling Units we offer in San Bernardino.
Build San Bernardino County ADUs with USModular Inc
USModular Inc stands out amongst its competitors, boasting a specialized team with 100+ years of combined experience in the prefabricated construction industry. Our team offers a full service covering all aspects of building your ADU, including design, permits, site construction, fabrication, transportation, installation, utility connections, and finally, handing the owners their new set of keys!
For more information, complete our questionnaire or call our ADU team at 951-679-9907 Ext. 1 to schedule a FREE Site assessment of your property.
San Bernardino County ADU Frequently Asked Questions
San Bernardino ADU Cost?
The ADU San Bernardino Cost can start at $ 150,000 and goes up from there depending on custom additions and square footage. You do have the option of financing a prefab ADU in San Bernardino but many will pay cash. If Cash is not an option ADU financing is typically achieved through:
- Home Equity Loan
- Cash our refinance of the Primary residence
- A home Renovation loan can be used to build a prefabricated ADU.
- Tiny Home financing is available through several national banks.
The monthly mortgage cost for the ADU will typically be significantly less than the rental income or the cost for family members to rent a comparable property. The bottom line is it the ADU in San Bernardino should generate positive cash flow or provide livable space for a family member at less than a comparable rental in San Bernardino
Zoning for ADU’s in San Bernardino?
State laws have made it easier to build an ADU in every city in California. The City of San Bernardino ADU Ordinance states you can build an ADU from 400 sf to 1,200 sf. ADUs can be built on single-family or multifamily residential zoned lots. ADUs are allowed in all residential zones. The City of San Bernardino ADU requirements for parking has been relaxed. Setback Side and Rear have been shrunk to 4’. Permit Fees and have been reduced and in some cases waived. The bottom line is it’s a good time to add extra space as laws are in your favor. The San Bernardino ADU laws have been changed recently to allow more ADU’s to be built in Southern California. The City of San Bernardino Pre-approved ADU plans can be found on our website or the city website!
What is the difference between a Tiny Home vs. an ADU in San Bernardino?
Sometimes Nothing! A tiny home aka a park model is technically an RV that cannot exceed 400 sf. Many cities, like San Bernardino and Los Angeles, have approved Tiny Homes as ADUs and San Bernardino is close behind in allowing tiny homes/ park models as ADUs. Many of the tiny homes we offer are built to both ANSI and CBC requirements to satisfy local building officials – PLUS we feel it provides a better-built home. We have many models that include lofts and porches that are not included in the livable space but extend the actual usable space. The ADU designs in San Bernardino can be very similar to that of a Tiny home or a Companion unit if you wanted them to be.
Why Choose a Prefabricated ADU in San Bernardino?
Prefab ADU’s and Tiny Homes are built in a factory by a team that works together daily. Building your ADU in a factory makes building an ADU in San Bernardino more cost and time-efficient. Teamwork, Bulk buying power, Smart designs will save time and money!
Check out the many Tiny Homes and Accessory Dwelling Units we offer in San Bernardino:
