Creating the Perfect In-Law Suites
There are many ideas for second floor home additions. In-law suites have become one of the most popular second floor home additions these days. Even so, there are plenty of considerations that you have to remember when designing in-law suites. Some of these factors include site topography, access, zoning restrictions and setbacks, mobility constraints, space requirements, budget, and more. Below are a more in-depth discussion on the important factors to consider when adding an in-law suite to your home. If you want to learn more click here.
For concerns pertaining to second floor home additions such as in-law suites, it would always be best to enlist the services of a design professional. To become successful in this endeavor, all design meetings should have the homeowners and in-laws present. Having everyone involved come to these meetings can make for a successful in-law suite project. This also brings more satisfaction and enjoyment to the people involved.
Adding a kitchen or not is one of the key design considerations in the in-law suite that you will be having. To answer this question, you have to assess the level of independence of the family members who will be living in this suite. Usually, social, active, and lucid in-laws prefer to have their own meals prepared and entertain their guests. When it comes to in-laws with dementia or short-term memory loss, however, dining with the other family members will be better than preparing their own meals.
When you will be adding another kitchen to your place, you should satisfy the requirements of your jurisdiction. Requirements may include a basic zoning affidavit and request. No need to pass any requirements when no kitchen is installed.
A private exterior access is another important factor to consider in creating in-law suites. This particular consideration depends on the lifestyle of your in-laws. To maintain privacy, some active or social parents may want an entrance of their own. If this is what they want, ensure to have an entrance that is well-lit, covered, and safely located. An accessible parking area is a must. Give your old folks some social privacy.
Even if you plan on having your in-law suite on your second floor, it would be best to just have them on the same level as your main house. This is the place where a lot of shared time takes place between the in-laws and the family. This means easier to the people involved. Installing an elevator can be great if they insist to have the in-law suites on the second floor. This requires a serious amount of budget on your end, though. For all involved, always keep an interior access available to the main house. Location does not matter because this access is informal. Just make sure to have this access handicap accessible for present or future use.