Curious about what it takes to have an ACU - Accessory Dwelling Unit - right in your own backyard? Paul Dashevsky, partner and co-founder of GreatBuildz.com, works with clients who want to build an ACU for all kinds of reasons, from office space to rental unit. Listen in to hear how people are increasing their income (and their property value!) with ACUs and learn why it’s so important to make sure you work with the best, pre-screened, and pre-vetted contractors to reduce unexpected costs and unnecessary headaches.  Please subscribe to this podcast in iTunes or in the Podcasts App on your phone, and never miss a beat from Leigh by visiting leighbrown.com. If you’re tired of doing real estate alone, enroll in Leigh Brown University and be sure to use your special “CSIRE” discount code at checkout for $10 off your subscription. Time Stamped Show Notes: 00:20 - Introducing Paul Dashevsky and today’s topic: ADUs (Accessory Dwelling Units) 00:55 - We have an inventory crisis and a lack of affordable housing; ADUs are a solution 01:10 - Paul is partner and co-founder of GreatBuildz.com; where they match homeowners with the best, pre-screened, pre-vetted contractors 02:15 - 50%+ of the calls they get are for ADUs 02:55 - Even Kanye West has trouble getting a contractor to get things done  03:30 - On ADUs 03:45 - They work primarily in California where the laws on ADUs have really changed 03:53 - ADUs are a small home/unit in your backyard; in CA it can be up to 1,200 square feet 04:50 - It can be used as a living space for aging parents, a home for older children, detached office space, for rental income, or to live in to rent out the main house 06:45 - Zoning and regulation 07:05 - It’s specific to town, county, city, state; go the the city planning department or talk to a local architect and find out the rules 08:45 - The biggest benefit of having ADU; income, increased property value 09:50 - The biggest issue; people not wanting to be in a dense environment, privacy 11:05 - ADU costs: It’s more expensive in CA and costs more to build small than big 12:10 - You still need all the appliances 12:35 - People’s biggest fear: the expense, the 6-month process, the “nightmare remodel”; you have to make sure you have a good contractor 13:30 - Why clients go to GreatBuildz.com; they want factory-built ADUs down to custom built ones but it’s important to consider all the costs both ways 14:35 - Sometimes the pre-fabricated quoted price doesn’t include craning, site work, running utilities, etc; make sure to double check 15:20 - On neighborhood issues 15:35 - Laws passed in CA in 2020 that HOAs and CCNRs couldn’t restrict building ADUs 17:35 - Paul’s CSIRE story 18:05 - When he was flipping homes, they bought REOs and short-sales; a couple times they’d walk into a house and the family pet would be left behind 19:15 - One October, a contractor tore off the roof of a house and canceled the next day when he was supposed to put the new one back on 19:40 - That weekend, it rains on his house that doesn’t have a roof; thousands of dollars and headaches later, they’re 99% done 20:19 - Then the water heater leaks and they have to do it all over again; that’s his “house with two floods” story 20:50 - How to reach Paul: email paul@greatbuildz.com, visit www.GreatBuildz.com, and check out the blog there for resources and education 3 Key Points ADUs bring new inventory to the market.  ADUs can increase income and property value. Professionals are responsible and transparent.