Amy Itoku first pondered a mother-in-law suite when she bought her home several years ago.
“I thought it would be a great option to have,” Itoku of Clarendon Hills says of room additions fashioned for elderly parents, grown children or an au pair.
Now her dream just may come true. She has consulted with a Chicago architect about a $75,000 great room, bath and kitchenette renovation above her two-car attached garage. “If we needed to take care of parents, they could be close without being in our space,” says Itoku.
Interest in these self-contained additions–sometimes also called granny flats or accessory dwellings–is on the rise, according to remodeling contractors and builders. Some homeowners want to bring aging parents closer to home. Others, including Itoku, are making contingency plans for both their parents and the possibility of a live-in au pair for their young children. Still other homeowners like the suites for houseguests or “boomerang” children, young adults who return to the roost or are transitioning to independence.
Architect Christopher Rudolph of Chicago sees growing demand for such add-ons. And for good reason. By 2030 the elderly population in the United States will grow to about 20 percent of the overall population, or about 70 million people, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
“These rooms are already planned in many new houses as the owner sees early on that the space may be needed,” says Rudolph. “And it’s of concern to people that institutional care may be wonderful, but it isn’t as home-friendly or as supportive as a family.”
After the death of her father, Kristina Lind of St. Charles wanted her 83-year-old mother, then living in France, to be nearer family. Lind knew moving to the United States would be a big adjustment, so she and her husband, Robert Mathes, invited her mother to live in their St. Charles home.
“It was out of necessity. We needed my mom to live here,” Lind says. “It’s a big change to come from Europe at her age.”
Lind also understood her mother would want her privacy. Her solution: She spent $100,000 to overhaul a family room and adjoining closet in her 1930 Cape Cod home into a private sanctuary–a first-floor in-law suite, with all the trimmings. And she couldn’t be happier with the result. “It was money well spent, absolutely,” says Lind of a room that provided her mother with security, safety and much-needed independence.
The 340-square-foot makeover features a large bathroom with bidet and a walk-in shower with sit-down bench and grab bars. Tucked into the bath is a stackable washer and dryer. A double bed, reading area and desk complete the space.
Although Lind’s mother has since moved to a condo, the room was quickly reoccupied: Lind’s daughter and her boyfriend recently lived in the room until they moved to China.
In-law suites range from the Mathes-Linds’ few hundred square feet to 1,200 square feet, or what Rudolph calls the “size of a nice hotel suite.” A typical budget is $60,000 and up. Lind spent $100,000 for the entire renovation, including furnishings and decor. Deluxe suites offer sleeping quarters, a small kitchen, bath and TV, reading or hobby space.
Some new homebuilders are even offering such separate quarters as an optional upgrade. Aurora-based Bigelow Homes offers one home with an option of a 540-square-foot apartment over the garage in its Legacy Square development in downtown Park Forest.
Atop the garage, which is at the back of the house, the unit includes a living room, kitchen, bedroom with large walk-in closet and bath and is sold as a $48,500 upgrade to the price of the home. The apartment could be used as a guest suite, separate living quarters for a “boomerang” child, an in-law suite for an elder who can negotiate the stairs to the second floor or a home office, says Bigelow president Jamie Bigelow.
Two of the buyers for the first 12 Park Forest homes have opted for the upgrade, Bigelow added. One buyer plans to rent the space to a younger sibling.
Depending on the situation, N in-law suite can make financial sense, too, Rudolph says. For example, if you add up monthly cash outlays of assisted living or senior centers–easily $1,500 or more per month–a room addition can be cost-effective.
Itoku budgeted $75,000 for her renovation and $25,000 per year for nanny services. But she is considering swapping part of what she would pay for child care in exchange for the living space for an au pair, an arrangement that could help the room pay for itself within a few years, she says.
Getaway space
Why not just give Mom or the nanny a spare bedroom? The reason frequently has to do with privacy.
Many homeowners want long-term guests close by not physically in the household. In Itoku’s case, the thought of a nanny down the hall was unsettling.
“It’s hard to have someone who is not family in your house,” Itoku says. “If you have another adult lounging in your family room, it could create tension.”
But nannies need downtime too. It would be hard to live under the same roof without a sense of privacy, especially during their off hours. Itoku says if the nanny is in the house and not working and the children start to cry, they automatically head toward the nanny.
“It’s poor form for the au pair to say, `I’m off work right now,’ because the children are used to going to her,” says Itoku. “And it’s not fair to her, either.”
Likewise, elderly parents may not be ready to give up their independence or don’t want to be seen as a “bother” to anyone. The Mathes-Linds’ addition was near a back door so her mother could come and go as she pleased.
“The biggest concern is how to give them their own space,” Rudolph says. He encourages elder guests to bring furnishings, rugs and other remembrances to create a sense of home.
“The ability to have some of their furnishings and possessions makes it seem like they’re not just visiting. They need that memory connection to their past,” he says.
Those connections include planned space for hobbies and other interests such as reading and sewing. A small kitchen also allows guests to prepare simple meals.
Built to adapt
Access considerations are musts when you’re room planning. Ideally, the room is on a ground floor if it will be used by an elderly person. A private, locked entrance is a good idea, although you also want a passageway that leads directly into your home. It’s likely you won’t want to isolate guests from family activities, and you’ll want access to guests too.
Also, factor in universal design accommodations suggested by the Americans for Disabilities Act and accessibility design schools such as North Carolina State University. These include wider doorways to accommodate wheelchairs or walkers as well as brighter, motion activated lighting throughout the space. Grab bars provide a welcome grip along hallways and on bath walls. Doors should have easily pushed levers instead of hard-to-twist knobs, and tightly woven carpets reduce the chance of falls. No-threshold walk-in or wheel-in showers with seating are far easier to use.
Because aging bodies do not retain heat as well as younger ones, install radiant heat beneath flooring.
Raised toilets–also called “comfort height” toilets some 17 inches in height–reduce bending and stooping. New on the market are heated toilet seats. Use non-slip flooring where appropriate.
In the kitchen area, elevate counters and storage to reduce bending and stooping. Conversely, counters may need to be lowered for wheelchair access. Recessed areas near sinks make levered faucets easy to reach. Look, too, for motion-activated faucets, some with helpful rim lighting around the spout. Front-loading washers and dryers raised off the floor on pedestals reduce back strain as do elevated ovens, microwave ovens and warming bins. Induction cooktops are expensive, but reduce the potential for burns. Sliding storage reduces arm strain. Install lights inside and beneath cabinets.
Often overlooked is a connection between occupants and the outdoors. Rudolph routinely incorporates large windows to bathe rooms in light, and, where possible, he designs in a small deck or balcony.
“The thing we try to do is have a direct connection to the outdoors,” Rudolph says.
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Not your typical addition
Before knocking out walls, realize an in-law suite conversion isn’t your average remodeling job. Here are issues to consider:
KNOW LOCAL ZONING RULES
Each municipality sets rules for expansion of single-family homes. An in-law suite sometimes is considered a multifamily unit and may not be allowed in your neighborhood. Additional parking spaces or secondary entrances may be no-nos. Check with your local planning department to see what rules apply.
You also may confront zoning issues that include setbacks, elevation and square footage. Those who have septic tanks may face capacity issues.
TALK ABOUT FINANCE ISSUES
Will you charge rent for use of the space to help recoup costs of construction, utilities and possibly higher property tax bills? If so, how much will you charge? With an elderly parent, will siblings help pay for the renovation since it may help lower the costs of more expensive living arrangements?
DESIGN WITH RESALE IN MIND
Consult an architect or certified aging-in-place (CAPS) specialist (found at the National Association of Home Builders’ Web site, www.nahb.org) to help create a space that integrates well with the existing home but won’t alienate buyers when it’s time to resell.
CONSIDER UNIVERSAL DESIGN
Remember, many seniors have mobility and accessibility issues. You may need wider hallways, walk-in showers, recessed sinks and counters, elevated appliances and cabinets (to reduce stooping and bending), grab bars in bathrooms and along hallways, brighter lighting, etc. Visit the Center for Universal Design at North Carolina State University, www.design.ncsu.edu, for tips in preparing the space.
GIVE THE ELDERLY ASAY-SO IN FURNISHINGS
The ability to have some of their belongings in the new space can help elderly parents adapt to their new surroundings.
–David Bradley
