The beautiful city of Los Altos is home to approximately 30,000 residents. Deciding to remodel your Los Altos home is an important and exciting decision. The city is known for its minimum lot size and square footage requirements as well as its green building initiatives, which have a significant impact on the residential construction process.
If you are thinking of embarking on a home renovation project in Los Altos, you will need to abide by the city’s legislative and building requirements as mandated by the Building Division. It is essential to hire experienced, professional home builders in Los Altos who can perform quality work while also meeting these unique compliance guidelines. Valley Home Builders is an award-winning firm that has helped many Los Altos homeowners with:
Are you among the many homeowners in the Los Altos area who need more space but do not want to move from the home that you are in? Valley Home Builders specializes in the design and construction of Accessory Dwelling Units that can provide a convenient, cost-effective housing solution. Because we are a design and build firm, our team will see your project from conceptualization to completion — unlike other firms that will outsource your building to another company.
An ADU can be an attachment to an existing home or a stand-alone structure that serves as a private residence, guest house, home office, studio or whatever else you desire. We will create a custom ADU that meets your unique lifestyle or functional needs, granting you an extra living space to use how you see fit.
When you work with our ADU builders in Los Altos, you will enjoy endless home renovation options for your Accessory Dwelling Unit. From home offices to yoga studios, here are some of the ways you can use an ADU:
If you would like to make room for family members and guests or add aesthetic appeal to your residential exterior, a home addition may be a good choice for you. Valley Home Builders can satisfy your vision for a home addition by adding to your existing structure.
We can help you decide on which of the following home renovation projects are right for you:
At Valley Home Builders, we strive to make every home renovation project as easy and stress-free as possible. Our three-step sales system is designed to ensure transparency during every aspect of the design and development phase.
If you have ever tried to navigate the permit acquisition process in Los Altos, then you understand how challenging and time-consuming it can be. As a full-service remodeling company, we take care of this process for you, removing the burden from your shoulders.
We want you to sit back, relax and envision what your renovation will look like when it is done!
We build ADUs that comply with Los Altos’ zoning requirements.
A lot with an existing single-family building may add one accessory dwelling.
Los Altos’ regulations state that a residential lot may have two types of accessory buildings — an accessory dwelling unit (ADU) or a junior accessory dwelling unit (JADU).
A JADU describes a structure like an ADU but smaller. Both ADUs and JADUs units may be attached to the house or detached.
There may be one of each type on a single lot if the ADU is detached from the primary residence. The detached ADU must be under 16 feet tall and 850 square feet.
Under Los Altos’ code, the maximum size for an accessory dwelling unit varies with the type.
A JADU can be any size from 150 to 500 square feet.
ADUs’ maximum size limits depend on the type:
An ADU’s height limit depends on whether it is attached or detached. Detached dwellings may reach 16 feet high. An attached ADU may be the same height as the primary building.
Note that all buildings in Los Altos must comply with local daylight-plane provisions. The daylight plane begins 8 feet over the property line, then slopes inward at a 6:12 roof grade. Officials may not approve a 16-foot structure if it is close to your property line.
Los Altos does not enforce lot size regulations for these constructions so long as all lot coverage and parking requirements are met.
The minimum rear and side setbacks are 4 feet, but Los Altos officials encourage 10 feet. They also request a land survey map submitted with the application sheet if the ADU will be less than 5 feet from a property line.
Note that ADU proposals that voluntarily include 10-foot setbacks are exempt from daylight plane ordinances.
Any new accessory dwelling unit must include one 9-foot-by-18-foot uncovered parking space.
Owner occupancy is not required for ADUs and JADUs in Los Altos. However, all rentals must be long-term agreements.
These items describe Los Altos’ most recent ADU regulations. State laws regarding zoning and permitting requirements are subject to change. We update our website frequently to display current data. Please get in touch to discuss changes to Los Altos’ ADU zoning requirements and regulations.
For more information on ADU requirements in Los Altos or to ask a specific question, please contact us online today.
If the time has come to complete that home renovation project you have been dreaming of, Valley Home Builders is ready to help. Contact us to set up a free consultation for your Los Altos home or to learn more about our home building and remodeling services.
We are proud of our long history of excellence. Our custom remodeling and design work has received recognition from the National Association of the Remodeling Industry, and we have also earned a spot on Remodeling magazine’s prestigious Top 50 Building Contractors list. When you choose us, you will work with a home renovation company you can trust to deliver results that exceed your expectations.
This customer wanted to bring a new life into their home with a upgrade to their outdoor deck.
To really open up their home. This client opted for accordion style doors to completely open their living room to their back deck.
To complete the project. Our team expanded the living room and kitchen to create more functional space inside the home.
Our team gave a new face lift to the exterior of this customers home, increasing curb appeal and property value.
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