Architect Valery Augustin of DNA Structure + Design and his spouse, Kim, an artwork historian, had simply 60 days to seek out one other residence when the proprietor of their beloved three-bedroom rental determined to promote. “We had this nice deal on a home in West Los Angeles,” Valery says. “We had been paying one thing ridiculous—like $2,000 per 30 days.”
They thought-about attempting to carry onto the house, nevertheless it wasn’t meant to be. “The asking worth was to date above our max ceiling,” Valery says. “We thought, okay—we’re not going to have the ability to keep right here.”
At first, the couple looked for different leases—however after 20 days they modified course and set their sights on buying a house of their very own. “The plan was to construct an adjunct dwelling unit, as a result of it was a stretch for us to purchase a home,” Valery explains. An ADU would assist offset the mortgage value—so he says they “scraped all of the pennies collectively” and began touring properties.
“I wished one thing daring and recent,” architect Valery Augustin says concerning the hue of his ADU’s entrance door, painted Tangerine Dream by Dunn Edwards. The door is flanked by horizontal redwood slats and grey acrylic stucco.
Ultimately, the pair fell for a Nineteen Forties bungalow with a indifferent storage of their most popular neighborhood, simply quarter-hour from the seaside. “Ladera Heights is a various group situated within the coronary heart of Los Angeles,” Valery says. “The neighborhood displays our multicultural household, and that mattered quite a bit to us.” Younger households, close by parks, and walkability heightened its enchantment. “We put in a single provide, and we bought fortunate,” Valery says excitedly.
| $5,100 HVAC |
$1,450 Insulation |
$5,825 Electrical |
| $1,800 Framing Lumber |
$5,000 Website Work |
$1,800 Landscaping |
| $1,200 Sewer Connection |
$4,000 New Roof |
$1,250 Redwood Fencing & Facade |
| $1,600 Customized Stainless Metal Awnings |
$270 Exterior Lighting |
$7,517 Finishes |
| $740 Home windows |
$6,200 Management Joints & Sealing |
$1,400 Paint |
| $6,500 Inside Furnishings |
$980 Doorways |
$900 Skylights |
| $6,034 Kitchen Home equipment |
$9,705 Cabinetry & {Hardware} |
$349 Kitchen Sink & Faucet |
| $2,600 Kitchen Counters |
$748 Rest room Faucet & Self-importance |
$1,800 Bathe Fittings, Tub, & Rest room |
| Grand Whole: $74,768 | ||
As soon as that they had keys in hand, the couple set about remodeling the prevailing storage into the ADU of their goals. From the beginning, Valery wished considerable pure mild and a completely featured kitchen outfitted with extremely sturdy surfaces. “Stylistically, I at all times have a look at open area, pure mild—the straightforward issues,” he says. “Daylight makes any area really feel bigger than it’s, so I attempt to emphasize that within the design.”
The couple additionally wished to supply privateness for his or her household and renters. And since they had been working with a good price range, they wanted to make cost-effective selections—Valery determined to function the challenge’s normal contractor to assist offset bills.
The storage door grew to become the brand new unit’s entrance entry. The brand new construction maintains the identical sq. footage and incorporates a non-public patio within the again.
Demolition particles accumulates within the driveway because the crew prepares to pour a brand new concrete slab. The ADU wanted a brand new roof, too, which ate up $4,000 of the price range.
After buying permits in June 2020, the couple kicked off the challenge by taking the storage all the way down to the studs. “We simply gutted it,” Valery says. The couple relied on a single framer handyman for a lot of the labor, though in addition they employed subcontractors for plumbing, electrical, tile, and cabinetry.
As soon as the shell was prepped, the couple opted for polished concrete flooring as an alternative of hardwood. “It appears counterintuitive, however all in all, pouring new concrete was cheaper,” Valery explains. “I preferred the sturdiness, and the convenience of not worrying a few wooden flooring.”
The ADU’s framing value about $1,800. The location work got here to a complete of $5,000, and {the electrical} added as much as $5,825.
The insulation in the primary residing area amounted to $1,450 of the entire price range.
Initially, the storage had a flat ceiling, however Valery selected to vault the brand new residing area. “I assumed that was an essential factor to do, to make the area really feel larger,” he says. “We deliberate for 4 skylights, however ended up with simply the 2, which I believe is loads.” They coated the storage opening with slatted wooden, save for the entry, they usually reduce a gap into the rear of the construction for glass sliders to connect with a non-public patio.
“Should you don’t seal redwood, it would flip grey after some time,” Valery says. “Numerous the design selections had been about sturdiness and upkeep.”
The entrance facade is accented by redwood slats. The low-maintenance wooden pairs properly with the white trim and a frosty grey acrylic stucco. As you step by means of the edge, the concrete flooring transitions from tough to polished.
To create a way of privateness, Valery designed a collection of full-height redwood partitions that result in the ADU’s entrance. At first, the couple thought-about portray the entrance door a recent inexperienced, however they finally landed on a joyful, electrical orange. “I like vibrant, punchy colours—loads of architects shrink back from coloration, however I actually adore it,” says Valery.
Because the challenge is situated simply steps from their residence, the couple noticed their coloration choices day by day earlier than making the ultimate alternative. “I painted samples on a chunk of wooden, and we laid out paint chips and checked out them on a regular basis to see which of them actually grew on us.”
Valery spent $6,200 on the concrete flooring, which concerned pouring a brand new slab, putting in management joints, and grinding, sharpening, and sealing. “We simply put one layer of sealer on they usually floor it down a bit,” Valery says.
The brand new ADU sits inside the storage’s unique footprint, and it presents renters 390 sq. toes of cleverly designed residing area. The ceiling lowers as you enter the kitchen and loo areas, to supply room for air-con ductwork. “It additionally defines that area,” Valery notes. “The unit is designed in thirds: The doorways line up with the center third, and the kitchen and loo are lined up underneath the drop ceiling.”
The kitchen counter tops, fabricated from white manufactured Quartz, value $2,600 together with materials, fabrication, and a clear waterfall edge. The backsplash consists of textural Inedita tile in five-by-five-inch squares. “They’re actually stunning; they’ve this sculpted form,” Valery says. “We thought excessive distinction with the black was good.”
The couple opted for a full kitchen—and to take the area to the subsequent degree, they spent $1,975 for a panel-fronted fridge. “It was exhausting to justify, even to myself—however to me, it’s concerning the high quality of the design,” Valery explains. “You should purchase a fridge for $400—and possibly that will’ve been smarter—however I wished a clear and stylish design, so I selected panel-front home equipment.”
The customized cupboards had been one other vital funding—they value $9,525, and had been fabricated by Rowla Studios. “They do stunning cabinetry,” Valery says. “They’re the type of millworkers you need to work with for those who ever get the prospect.”
The baseboards, partitions, and ceiling are painted with Excessive Reflective White by Sherwin Williams. “My traditional is Dunn Edwards 3560,” Valery says, “however on this challenge I strayed off script.” Two skylights, costing a complete of $600, herald pure mild from above.
To supply privateness, Valery prevented inserting home windows alongside the again wall. “I didn’t need to have openings into our yard,” he says, “so it made sense to load the kitchen and loos on that aspect of the area.”
The rental‘s finishes got here to a complete of $7,517, together with prices for tile and set up. Valery prefers to take tile to the ceiling, making for a grand impression. The white hexagonal flooring/wall tile is by Antik, and the showering space tiles are by Demettra in Sculpture Grey.
Views to the non-public again patio are framed by $800 sliding double doorways. Furnishings for the inside, together with the mattress, tables and chairs, value about $6,500.
In the end, Valery highlights the concrete flooring, and purchasing thoughtfully on-line and at Residence Depot, because the sources of his biggest value financial savings. “I believe sourcing and spending cash in the proper place is essential,” he says. “I skimped in some areas so I may splurge on the kitchen.”
He additionally ordered supplies himself, and had subcontractors set up them. “If you will get the items your self, it can save you cash,” he says. “Through the pandemic, my workplace was in the primary home, so 10, 12, or 15 occasions a day I’d get a knock on the door. I used to be consistently on-site, which made it straightforward for me to be out there.”
The unit’s non-public again patio is a standout function. “Friends love sitting there with the bougainvillea, simply getting just a little non-public area to themselves,” Valery says. The challenge’s landscaping prices added as much as $1,800.
“I’m not going to lie; it’s been a game-changer,” Valery says of their resolution to purchase a house and construct a rental property. Now that it’s completed, the ADU has a 5.0 ranking on Airbnb—and he’s proud that the area is being loved by many company. “We’ve long-term renters; people who find themselves staying not less than 3-6 months at a time,” he says. “However we now have time blocked off for my in-laws, too. Folks actually appear to answer it, and it warms my coronary heart.”
Valery’s favourite a part of the design isn’t a component in any respect, however a time of day. “What I like is after I sit within the place at sundown, which isn’t too actually because it’s rented fairly solidly now,” he says. “The sunshine is available in by means of the non-public rear patio, which is is without doubt one of the greatest issues we did—folks adore it.”
Flooring Plan of Ladera Heights ADU by DNA Structure + Design
