John Geary grew up watching his father build big homes in the San Francisco Bay Area where it can take years to permit a project, so when the state legislature began passing bills to make it much easier to build a home in your own backyard, he set up shop selling smaller, cheaper homes that could be purchased, permitted and installed in less than a month.
Today, his startup Abodu has built hundreds of ADUs (Accessory Dwelling Units AKA granny flats, in-law units, backyard cottages) across California for about a third the cost of a new apartment, but they're not building tiny houses on wheels. In fact, Geary makes it a point that his small homes are real property: built with a concrete foundation, they are “real property”, that is, they extend the square footage of the main house. Unlike tiny homes on wheels or park models which are classed as vehicles (which has also helped them evade permitting and zoning requirements), Abodus are in the same category as a McMansion and therefore, argues Geary, they should be viewed as assets that appreciate in much the same way.
We visited their Redwood City showroom where Geary took us on a full tour of two of their models — a 340-square-foot studio and a 500-square-foot one bedroom – where he explained their uniquely curving roof design (built to enlarge space where needed), the strategic placement of windows and privacy considerations unique to backyard homes. He clarified the state's streamlined permitting process: anyone can build in their backyard as long as the home is under 14 feet long, under 800 square feet and 4 feet from the inside property line. For those not in California, Geary believes these types of laws will be coming to states across the country.
This sales guy could make a lobotomy sound like a happy event.
Difficult to understand the guy describing the home. Possibly just me?
Birdy
If you have the space I’d just add an apartment on to the existing house.
Are these people serious? That’s the price of a 2k+ sqft house in the midwest… and I love how they mention the “housing crisis” just to throw around buzzwords while continuing to inflate the cost per sqft of homes that should cost well under 100k.
Love the design and concept; hate the price. Too expensive! Still in search of the holy grail prefab that does not cost so much
I can tell the price by the way how he speaks. No thank you
He acknowledges there’s a housing crisis. That’s what ‘Abodu’ is ‘attempting’ to solve. Yet, like all these ADU/Modular manufacturers they charge 200k+ for a 500 square foot home. That is not affordable, that is not solving the housing crisis. I can guarantee you his clients are making 100k+/year. The HOUSING CRISIS should refer to the average American who make less than 50k/year.
Way too expensive
1/5 the cost of asst living
i believe the math but i want to see it
Not only is it quite expensive consider the additional taxes on the dwelling. Excellent design though.
*You like this – right?*
Why not place a link in the description?
When I build things crooked, I also claim it was done on purpose to add interest.
why a dryer? Is weather in California not hot enough?
BOXABLE prefab homes are as nice as this, for 50K.
Honestly it’s hard to take their “we want to solve housing” seriously when you see the prices they sell these at (starting at $228,800). It sounds to me that they just want to cash in on the “outrageously expensive market”
Really expensive but nice.