Industry Outreach: Focus Group Questions

A great place to start when putting together a focus group of ADU professionals is to contact designers and builders who have applied for or received permits. Sending the opportunity to trade associations to share with their membership can also be effective. Consider including real estate professionals as well; once they are aware of new ADU allowances and opportunities, they can be of great assistance in helping homeowners think about ADUs on existing or future properties.

1. Have you designed or built an ADU? If so, who was it for and how’d it go?
2. Have you been hearing or been asked about ADUs, and if so what and from who? (like homeowners reaching out about building one or builders talking about them)
   • Any types of ADUs in particular?
   • What are the questions you are getting a lot from interested homeowners?
3. If we were to put together an FAQ about ADUs for homeowners, designers and/or builders what questions would you include?
4. Has anyone called you about designing or building an ADU or got part way through and it didn’t work out? What stopped them from finishing?
5. Is there any part of the permit process you’ve had a problem with or would change?
6. Are there specific standards or ordinances you would like to change?
7. Have any outside agencies held up the permit process beyond our jurisdiction’s departments, like public utility districts or others?
8. Any other concerns you have observed or are hearing about?
9. Can you tell us about costs per square foot to build an ADU?
   • How does that change for a garage or existing structure conversion vs detached or interior conversion?
   • Are there any other surprising or changing costs you are noticing?
10. Is there anything we haven’t talked about yet that you think could help homeowners, designers and/or builders get ADU projects to the finish line?
11. Any additional questions or comments for us?