ADU - Additional Dwelling Unit - Jacksonville, FL - Duval County
An Additional Dwelling Unit (ADU) in Jacksonville, FL (Duval County), is a secondary residential unit that can be either attached to or detached from the primary residence on the same lot. ADUs are designed to provide independent living facilities, including a kitchen, bathroom, and sleeping area. They are commonly used for housing family members, generating rental income, or providing additional living space. Recent legislation in Jacksonville has expanded the areas where ADUs can be built, enhancing housing flexibility and affordability in the region.
There are certain restrictions in place like:
• The ADU cannot be taller than the primary house.
• The Additional Dwelling Unit (ADU) needs to have a building footprint limited to 25% of the gross floor area of the principal structure on the lot or 750 square feet, whichever is less.
If you need a larger structure, you might want to consider a Guest House that allows up to 50% of the gross floor area.
Different counties have different rules for these types of buildings. St Johns County allows for an Additional Family Unit (AFU) which can be larger than the ADU in Jacksonville, FL. Clay County and Nassau County also allow for larger ADUs. The size might be restricted by the size of the main structure and the size of the lot.
Advantages of Building an ADU in Jacksonville, FL:
-
Enhanced Family Support: ADUs provide a private, independent living space for aging parents, allowing them to maintain their privacy while being close to family for support and care.
-
Increased Property Value: Adding an ADU can significantly boost the value of your property by providing additional living space that can be rented out or used by family members.
-
Flexible Living Arrangements: ADUs offer versatile living arrangements, suitable for various family dynamics, such as housing adult children, caretakers, or guests.
-
Potential Rental Income: ADUs can be rented out to generate additional income, helping to offset the costs of building and maintaining the unit.
Large guest house with 2 bedrooms, bathroom, laundry, family room, kitchenette , and porch.
The main requirement to build this project was the size. A full kitchen was not a requirement, so we opted to build a guest house which allowed us a greater size than the max 750 sq ft allowed on an ADU. This project was close to 1100 sq ft.