A better Way to Build an A.D.U.
December 05, 2022

A better Way to Build an A.D.U.

When it comes time to build your next house, or build an ADU on your existing property, are you going to build it piece by piece, or is there a better way? The current process for building new construction is strenuous and expensive, and worst of all it takes so long! Even a simple 1 bedroom ADU can take a year or longer to build. All the headaches of designing, permitting, selecting a contractor, building the foundation, and then building the structure can be resolved.

RD Homes is working to overhaul the way that we build homes in Santa Barbara County by taking the traditional construction process and utilizing factory-built technology. By building in a factory we can make homes more efficiently, more cost effective, and built on average 50% faster than traditional construction. The factory environment allows us to have everything we need in one place - no more supply chain issues or construction delays - and on top of that you have all your workers lined up and ready to go.

Before we go into too much detail let's look at the numbers. According to Manta.com, the average cost that homeowners paid for construction in Santa Barbara County is between $1,565-$5,534./sqft, and that does NOT include permits!

By using modular construction and applying factory efficiency we are able to build for between $400-$600/sqft, and that is a totally finished product delivered to your door. The best part is that the factory build process can be completed in as little as 6 weeks! This is a massive improvement to the current way of building, which can sometimes take years to complete. The takeaway from all this is that you can build a home or ADU faster, smarter, less expensive, and more sustainably than ever before.

OK - so you’re probably thinking the pricing is appealing, but what else do I need to know? There are several important factors to consider with modular construction.

      1. Accessibility - when you build a modular home you are getting the home delivered to you in pieces, LARGE pieces. You need to have a property that is easy to access, which means that large trees, power lines, and winding streets can be a challenge.
      2. Modularity - if you do have issues with access to your property the major benefit of this product is we can break it down into smaller pieces to be installed. So we can install more pieces that are smaller. The catch is that it will take longer to install (BUT still faster than site-built!).
      3. Site work - you’ll need to build a foundation just like any other construction project. For the most part it is as simple as a perimeter foundation, and running utilities from the existing house.
      4. Permitting and Construction - Our team at RD Homes can do this for you, if you choose, but if not then you will need to hire your own contractor or planner to help with permits and site construction.
      5. Can I customize the house? - yes you can, there may be additional costs associated.

Now let’s talk about quality. For many years there has been a misconception that modular construction looks like a mobile home - this is no longer true. Mobile homes are built to a lower standard of quality because they are not permanent structures. Modular homes on the other hand are installed on top of a real foundation and they are treated the same as traditional construction in terms of quality and durability. Our designs are built to a higher standard than traditional construction because they need to be transported from the factory to your property! They are over-engineered to ensure that there are no cosmetic issues while it is traveling on the highway going 70 miles per hour.

RD Homes, previously known as Reed Interiors, has been a staple in the Santa Barbara design community for over a decade. In that time we have become synonymous with modern high-end interior design custom made for all our clients needs. Over the past few years we have partnered with two factory builders who utilized our expertise for the interiors of their modular construction. So in terms of quality you are getting a modular house with the same high-end interior design that we make for custom homes locally. Text

These modules are built to our own exacting standards including Italian kitchen and bathroom cabinetry, porcelain floor and wall tiles, real wood floors, Hansgrohe bathroom fixtures, and even luxury appliance packages from Thermador. On top of that we offer a number of upgrade choices like smart home technology packages, fire prevention systems like sprinklers for high-fire zones, solar panel integration, SONOS music systems, electric car chargers, and much more! But don’t just take our word for it - here are some finished projects to give you an idea of the capabilities.







When you’re ready to design your next home or ADU the possibilities with modular construction make it much easier, faster, and more cost effective. Our team will provide you with a free property consultation to see if this technology works for your project!