How to Build Your Own House | ADU Site Work & Foundation w/ Step by Step Instructions

We give away these plans on our website.

This is part 9 in our Infill Housing Delopment series. This really is the best way to invest in today's market.

Here are the details of buying an old house on a large lot, then adding small homes or ADUs with raw land development. We also cover all the simple steps we take to remodel the older homes we buy. In this week's video we share our process of site work and the details of putting in a foundation.

View the whole playlist here:

View the entire "How to Build an ADU with Cost Breakdown" series here:

ADU Essentials
Derek's 2024 Shopping Guide:

Thank you for your emails, DM, comments and calls asking for longer videos with more detail. I plan to share progress every week as we build in real time.

Look for property value others can not see. Be creative, consider land hacking.

Follow along for all things ADU. This really is the most affordable housing option in most cases.

If you are a first time buyer looking to get on the property ladder, my time is free for you! Just send me an email or comment below.

#adu #adutour #diy #tinyhouse #thatADUguy

Remember to keep it simple.

About That ADU Guy

Derek Sherrell is a real estate investor, ADU coach, and endurance athlete with 30 years experience in the building trade.

Derek’s videos are all about the process of making home ownership affordable using the ADU strategy. In these short clips, he explains how to get started and offers money-saving tips you can use. Over time, he’ll walk you through the steps of how to plan, design, finance, and build ADUs (also known as granny flats, guest homes, cottages, casitas, or in-law units)

Contact Derek:
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[ibenglish]

How often does a YouTuber impress me? Yeah pretty cool content and not too far from where I live. Hello from Klamath and Subscribed! 👍🏻

[SDMev]

I’m an engineer in Southern California doing excavation work and more ground level stuff in the ROW but I’m looking to build an ADU on our property. This is incredible information you are giving and it’s much appreciated.

[kylehamburg]

Looking forward to this full project build! I’m about to start a ADU project myself and it’s great to be able follow you along on this project. !

[scooptv]

Thanks Brother … Inspiration to keep at it. Watching you clean the form work to save a few dollars on the excavator. Awesome. It all adds up. Thanks.

[mdezee]

I live in Northern California what is the distance you can build adu to perimeter of back yard fence I would like a 20x20 can I build with out permit ?

[pnw_wanderer]

Have you done any walk out basement ADUs?

[LeeDuranTheFinanceMan]

Thank you for your videos! Do you have to be an engineer to dig the pad yourself? I would like to do this and can use a tractor… but the leveling seems if you get it wrong could cost you in the future.

[diytacoma]

Can you comment on ufer ground installation, I noticed I you video while talking about the crawl space entrance that a rebar was sticking out is the the ufer, we are started putting up our forms and we noticed that as one of the inspections list to be done ? Any thoughts or direction would be appreciated

[AlejandroRodriguez-xslt]

I am doing my adu but the footings (I believe: the raised foundation on perimeter of garage) are significantly higher than rest of slab floor. Is it okay to leave it like that and do high baseboards or should I raise foundation?

[tbird]

I recently learned that vented crawlspaces are going out of style. What are your thoughts on using a venter crawlspace in new construction. Is it required by your local code?

[realestate_plug]

How do you know how much dirt to cut out of the pad? Before you pour your footers and piers. What type of trade do you use to do site work .

[quintonschultz]

What are your thoughts on doing a Pillar and Beam foundation? Was thinking of doing one where I live in Northeast PA. My contractor who’s done other remodeling projects near me says he can definitely handle it

[olegkaletin]

Hey Derek! Do those metal footing braces that the stem wall boards sit on…. Do those stay? Or they get removed somehow after the pour?

[vnmcvn]

Hi I live in Vancouver Canada b.c and would this foundation be similar or the same way it would be built here? Owner build?