Attached ADU Gives Mom an Accessible Place of Her Own

Client Needs

When Dorothy moved into her daughter Pat’s Portland home, it didn’t take long for both women to miss having their own space. Dorothy was used to Florida temperatures and preferred to keep the heat on all day. Pat worried about her mother going up and down the stairs. The solution: create a bright, ADA-accessible, attached ADU where Dorothy could have free rein of the thermostat, spread out her sewing projects, and move safely between Pat’s home and her own.

Remodel Highlights:

• With a focus on universal design and long-term accessibility, the ADU’s flooring maintains the same level throughout. The home is fitted with a zero-threshold shower and a ramp outside for safe, easy passage.
• An open, vaulted living room and large, south-facing windows fill the home with light and make it feel larger than its 720-square-foot footprint.
• The ADU attaches to the existing house with a pass-through door, allowing mother and daughter to visit one another without having to walk outside.
• Simple design, such as the single-beam vaulted ceiling, balanced beauty and affordability. The addition matches many elements of the original 1912 home.

Client Testimonial

Working with Bert and Renovation Innovations was the best experience I’ve ever had with someone building or working on my house. Bert has a personal touch and a warm way of communicating; he takes a personal interest in the people he’s making things for. He’s also incredibly honest and reliable. There were no surprises in terms of anything that was delivered or how much things cost – he gave me an estimate upfront and stuck with it. The ADU he built is so beautiful, and it’s been really helpful for my mother. It gave her a space of her own and yet she’s right there next to me. My sisters say she’s living in ‘the palace.’

– Pat

Notes for Architects:

• Universal design principles applied throughout the home make it fully accessible, regardless of a resident’s age, disability, or other factors. To eliminate potential tripping hazards, the team made sure there would be no threshold throughout the entire home, right down to where the wood flooring met the bathroom tile.
• While digging the footings, contractors noticed the soil was extremely “organic.” To avoid the risk of it subsiding later on – and potentially cracking the foundation – the team opted to dig 12 inches deeper to reach better soil quality.