The Difference Between an ADU and a Tiny Home on Wheels (2024)

FAQs

The Difference Between an ADU and a Tiny Home on Wheels? ›

ADUs are constructed on a permanent foundation, whereas tiny homes may be constructed on wheels or trailers. ADUs are constructed on the same lot as the existing home or units. Tiny homes may be constructed or placed on a separate plot of land.

The term ADU stands for accessory dwelling unit or auxiliary dwelling unit. They differ from tiny homes because they sit on a pre-existing lot occupied by a single-family household. They may or may not connect to the main house, but they're stand-alone structures.

An ADU, or accessory dwelling unit, is supplemental living space that is added to a property where a primary residence already exists. These permanent structures include water, sewer, and power, and they are constructed in the same way as a typical home.

Unfortunately, tiny homes often do not retain their value the way traditional homes do. In fact, some sources indicate that you should consider your tiny home's value to be similar to that of an RV or trailer—as an investment that depreciates, rather than increases, in value as the years go by.

There is a wide range of tiny houses with different types, including mobile variants and those with fixed pitches. Mobile tiny houses, also known as mobile homes, are mounted on wheels or a construction trailer and offer extreme flexibility as they can be easily moved from one place to another.

Lot Size: There is no state minimum lot size requirement to build an ADU on your property, and local governments cannot impose minimum lot size requirements. Unit Size: All types of ADUs must be at least 150 square feet.

The ADU is also known as an in-law or mother-in-law unit, secondary dwelling unit, granny flat, or carriage house. An ADU usually has its own kitchen, living area, and separate entrance.

Space Limitations

One of the biggest drawbacks of living in an ADU is the limited living space.

Number of Bedrooms: State ADU law does not allow for the limitation on the number of bedrooms of an ADU. A limit on the number of bedrooms could be construed as a discriminatory practice towards protected classes, such as familial status, and would be considered a constraint on the development of ADUs.

There are a number of rules and regulations governing accessory dwelling units in California. The ADU must contain a kitchen, bathroom, sleeping area, and environmental controls like heating and cooling. The ADU can share the waterline with the house, which makes it easier to build.

Is it cheaper to build a tiny house on wheels or foundation? ›

Tiny houses on wheels tend to be cheaper as well, as the foundation alone costs $4 – $7 per square foot, easily adding anywhere from $5,000 – $8,000 onto the overall project price.

The primary benefit of building your tiny house on a trailer is mobility. If you want to move it, a tiny house on wheels can be relocated. Keep in mind, though, moving a tiny house is not as easy as hooking up a small utility trailer to make quick trip to the dump.

The average size of a tiny house on wheels is little more than 350 square feet. Permanent residences have more freedom to expand. At the larger end of the dimension scale, choosing tiny dwellings might be useful. As an illustration, you might decide to choose a 200-square-foot home, which is about average in size.

Owning a tiny home can be much cheaper than renting an apartment if you can pay cash, as this limits your monthly costs to parking and moving expenses. If you finance a tiny home, your monthly costs could be less -- or even more, depending on the type, size, and terms of the loan.

Each tiny home includes amenities like a tiny kitchenette, a small bathroom, plumbing and electricity. Some homes include a private deck, and others that are side by side share the outdoor deck space.

Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) and Junior Accessory Dwelling Units (JADUs) are an innovative and effective option for adding much needed housing in California. ADUs have been known by many names: granny flats, in-law units, backyard cottages, secondary units and more.

In conclusion, the difference between a Casita and an ADU boils down to a logical puzzle. All casitas are ADUs, but not all ADUs are casitas. The size limitation offers a guideline, where Casitas are traditionally limited to 800 square feet, while ADUs can be up to 1,200 square feet.

Zoning ordinances apply to both junior ADUs and standard ADUs, but developing a JADU is often simpler. JADUs can only be added to single-family residences and must share a wall with the family dwelling. In contrast, constructing a detached ADU is similar to a small-scale home-building project.

A granny flat is a detached living space on the property of a single-family home. It can also be referred to as an ADU, or accessory dwelling unit. The term 'granny flat' comes from one of the popular uses of an ADU as a home for elderly or aging relatives.