ADU Over 2 Car Garage in Carlsbad
Adams Street, Carlsbad, CA 92008
Homeowner Story: House younger family
Other Features: Garage, Deck
Video Tour
Homeowner InterviewA Carlsbad, California, family transformed their property by adding a brand new ADU over a three-car garage to add additional living space. With adult children who come to visit, the family wanted a beautiful space for their family to stay… plus added flexibility down the road.
This two-story Carriage House ADU is a perfect example of how you can customize a standard plan to fit your needs and style. We love the white board and batten exterior with black finishes, giving the carriage house a fresh and elegant look.
Inside, you’ll find a beautiful kitchen with gold fixtures and a farmhouse sink, plus a stunning quartz countertop that continues up as the slab backsplash. The baths also feature custom tiled showers with gold fixtures. With two bedrooms and two baths, this ADU is ideal for intergenerational living or for a rental down the road.
This homeowner elected to demolish an old existing garage and start from scratch. Read more about garage conversion vs. demolition.
Floor Plan:
ADU Over Garage 2BR/2BA | Two Bedroom Carriage House
Community:
The Carlsbad ADU Guide
Several SnapADU team members live in Carlsbad, and we know the city’s regulations and processes very well. Turnaround times at the city are moderate. Carlsbad requires in-person submissions as well as soils reports (>500 sqft), both of which do add some processing time and expense. Also, some of Carlsbad is in the coastal zone and minor use permits are required in those areas.
What about Carlsbad’s Accessory Dwelling Unit Permit Ready Program?
You may have heard about the City of Carlsbad’s permit ready ADU program. Under the program, the city offers a handful of floor plans that may be used by the public.
However, these plans require property-specific modifications and additional documentation to meet full permitting requirements. While initially seeming cost-effective, pre-approved plans may not offer significant savings due to construction costs and potential design adjustments needed for your specific site. To our knowledge, the permitting time for these plans is also not any different than other ADU plans.
For a detailed exploration of using pre-approved ADU plans and their implications, read more about the considerations for using pre-approved ADU plans from cities.
