West LA Garage Conversion for Senior Living

As one West LA homeowner got closer to retirement, she started considering senior living options. While she liked the idea of “aging in place” – that is, staying in her home as she made her way through retirement, as opposed to moving elsewhere or into a senior living facility – she thought doing so in her existing house may not be the best option. With five bedrooms and a large staircase, her house was too large for her long-term retirement needs.

Having heard the buzz about ADUs, she started looking outside her back door, at her underutilized garage that sat detached from her main home, toward the back of her property. If she was able to convert her existing garage into an ADU, she thought, she could move in, rent out her main home, and live off of rental income from the main home. By effectively downsizing on her own property, she would have more financial freedom in her retirement to travel the world, relax, and live her golden years to the fullest.

As the homeowner explored her options for a garage conversion ADU, the homeowner soon learned there were some things to consider.

While the economics and sustainable nature of reusing her existing garage were appealing, the existing garage's footprint was not large enough to provide a spacious and suitable place for long-term retirement.

If she wanted a larger space, she would have to do an add-on to her garage, and that made things a little more complex. Questions abounded. Could all or some of the garage be preserved? What would save the most money?

As she approached the Cottage team with her challenges, she found the answers she was looking for, and landed at a final design that was the right size at the right cost for her. The final result is a two bedroom, two-bath unit that, at over 700 square feet, is spacious enough for comfort, but economical in that it reuses much of the existing structure.

As her career winds down, the homeowner looks forward to a leisurely retirement made possible by a new Cottage ADU right in her own back yard.

At Cottage, we believe in providing homeowners the best ADU experience possible from start to finish. From the initial feasibility and planning conversations to design to permitting to construction, we're here to guide your project from start to finish.

Interested in building a similar attached or detached ADU, or converting an existing garage space? Contact us today by clicking the link below for a free, no-obligation consultation & estimate for your ADU vision with one of our ADU experts!