Are you working with an architect at this point? Do you have a budget range in mind already?

Please circle the area you are thinking of using for the addition. The plan's lettering is too small to read.

I cannot read the plan so can you post it again with much darker writing on the measurements etc and in jpeg format in a comment here .

This is the best I could do to clean up the plan, but I still don't see where you enter the home and have no idea what that space is adjacent to the kitchen and how would we know which way is East?

You might have 14 ft from the edge of the house to your lot line, but there are setbacks required. I don't see where you can possibly add to the house. If there is property available around the pool you could could consider an ADU which would be better all the way around. I'd order a prefab and have it dropped into the backyard.

Hi, I can seem to reply to individual comments.

I originally tried uploading a PDF but no luck. I see upload a higher resolution image when I get back home. Thanks for the reply’s so far.

I’m not a pro but work with the elderly. 1) make sure a gurney can get into their space should the need ever arrive. Apple Watches or positional change life alerts are good . 2) as mentioned above work with an OT/ PT and an experienced architect ~ this will make a world of difference. 3) eyes loose their depth perception with age make sure floors and
thresholds are smooth transitions and well lit! . And no area rugs! You want to minimize all falls. I can ramble for hours… 😊 can’t wait to see what you come up,with.

It appears this drawing is of existing. Interpolating dimensions based on a 20' garage width, the faint east line looks to be 5' away, the faint west line looks to be about 8' away, do not know if those are property lines. The parcel looks like a typical suburban 80'-100' lot frontage (64'ish wide house), so allowing a 3' side building setback is very surprising.

Anyways, if a footprint addition is 11', then 10'-6" inside is not optimal for a Master bedroom width, probably not Living either once you consider circulation. Then, you have to tie the roofs in, and capture space from the existing bedrooms to have a hallway to this addition.

It appears there is a lot of room in the back for an addition that might provide more opportunity. Also the status of use for the current bedrooms, whether they are occupied or are being captured for this suite.

@Carl Celle - Unfortunately, there is no way to reply to specific people in the comment section. You just have to do as I am doing here, type the @ and the person's name and you should see an image for their name appear, click on it and it hyper links to their name and can notify them that you have replied to them.

Or, just type the person's name and don't worry about the whole hyperlink business and they will check back, read the comments, and know you are addressing their question.

You don't have to start a new comment for each person you wish to reply to. Just a new paragraph will do.

Hi Everyone, Thanks for the replies.

@apple_pie_order - We aren’t currently working with an architect. This idea has been on the back burner for awhile but changed yesterday while my wife was visiting her parents out of state. She now realizes that we should move now rather than later.

@Patricia Colwell Consulting - I have now included a link to a PDF. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1OUOJlOVcjageIOzQhQYwD1H84UtsHhog/view?usp=sharing

@Kendrah - Thanks for all your thoughtful advice. My wife and sister have been trying to do what they can for them from afar and flying out once a month. They live on a beautiful farm overlooking rolling hills. They never wanted to leave but it seems that the time has come. This idea that you are contributing to today is just one of several at the moment. The long and narrow portion was our first thought since there is nothing currently occupying the space AND would be minimal disruption to our lives while under construction. If we had more time we would ideally push out the front or back (where the fruit trees are).

@BeverlyFLADeziner - I updated the floorplan as the original one was all I had available on my phone. I did not realize the front door was not indicated. We are thinking of a ADU. We have actually been researching them for the past year to put on the farm when we visited.

@Nicole Jackson - Thanks for tips. This is a great community.

@3onthetree - Thanks for all the information and the thought that you put into it. You are correct on all fronts. The city confirmed that I can do a 3’ setback on the east side. We would love to push out the front or the back but the costs involved, time and us moving out during construction is hard with kids.

I hope this does not come out sounding careless but do you think the time to build a whole separate structure is well spent? If your in laws are in need of family support now can they afford another year of living alone or do they need to be in your home now? If the latter can your kids share a room and your in laws move into one of the rooms? It gets you all together and you can get a sense of if building a new ADU makes sense from a usage standpoint as well as timing one.

I do not see a set of 3 windows on the E wall and I still cannot see the measurements of anything . Are all the bedrooms on that side used now ? I see windows on the N side but that is aslo to me the logical place to do the addition so if the north is at the top as I see it that makes more sense for addition.

If you are west of the Rockies there are scores of companies building ADUs. No sense reinventing the wheel. There's lots of articles covering this subject.

https://www.dwell.com/adus

https://www.studio-shed.com/products/summit-series/

https://maxablespace.com/prefab-adu-101-a-crash-course-in-prefab-adus/

https://www.samara.com/

https://livelargetech.com/

I know of 2 situations where people did expensive renovations to their homes to accommodate elderly relatives. Unfortunately, their health deteriorated more quickly than anticipated and the renovated areas were no longer suitable for their needs.

I just used a magnifying glass to read something and it says public court , is this some kind of condo type property with an HOA , just curious how a public court plays into the picture. I guess I assume you have all that stuff in order too

Will suggest 3'-0" wide doors as those a wide enough to accommodate most wheelchairs.

@partim, that is the problem with ageing ... you could need full time care at 75 or at 95. You rarely know what that timing will be and usually the time to act was a few years before what everyone thought.

Another option is to tour some independent living facilities (with options of increasing care/services) near the daughters. Many of these places will only accept you when you are independent and not when you need nursing/memory care. Getting that timing right can be really hard.

I agree @chispa. The need to physically house elderly parents is only part of the equation. It is great to bring them into the home when one or both of them are declining from fully functioning to needing some assistance or a watchful organizing eye.

But, when it gets to the point where a great deal of assistance is needed, the problem is so much more than just needing a place for them to stay. It means hiring caregivers to come in to your home, or a family member quitting their job to mind and care for them. Or a patchwork hybrid of the two.

@Carl Celle - This is something to think about now. Do you have the funds to build this addition and hire long term caregivers when needed? If you would be hiring a caregiver, how is the space constructed so that three people can be together in their suite when care is needed?

This is a serious issue to consider with ADU's. They are great for independent living. But as a parent declines, will they be safe in a detached dwelling, alone at night, or would you move them to assisted or skilled nursing at that point?

I think if they need care now an ADU is not probaly yjrew answer unless full time caregiver is also in the plan. I will be 80 next year and have no plans to live with my kids ever . Waht do your parents want ? That is more important than anything else

I shall be bold, I will be taken out to the woodshed, beaten senseless. The thread will veer ......and I am going to say it, DESPITE all.

Do, Not Do. This. Please.

You will say, It's not what I asked, "How could she possibly say that?! She doesn't know my wife's parents, us, the house, nor THEIR house overlooking the rolling hills." You are 100% correct .

I only know one thing. There is an 80 % or greater chance you've missed the "window" to do this.

As a wise doctor said to me, when mom, after an ENTIRE lifetime of zero maladies suddenly hit the wall , I exclaimed."She was as right as rain, ( other than dementia) YESTERDAY! We went for a walk, got ice cream, went shopping for pink t shirts!!)"

: " In your eighties, your physiology balances on the head of a straight pin" Mom died a week later.

Reading your post, it seems the sisters visited, and had the UH oh moment. One or both of the parents are compromised general health, in mobility, or even another issue - we know not.

I beg you look into senior assisted living, near them or near you. This not to institutionalize parents dearly loved. It is not uncaring, unloving nor an abandonment in time of need, It is the opposite. It is to see that 24/7 care is there for them. It is to have their peer group around them! It is NOT to isolate them,forget them, in any way.

You can not bear the thought? Please try. The hairline separation between what is commonly termed" Senior independent" and "Senior assisted" living can be LESS than a single hair on your head,. You ask how I know? I need a novel. A thousand pages or more, and a lot more experience than just mom.

Great advice on this thread - I think it will be a roll of the dice. You could do the addition and have 5 or so lovely years all living together. Or not. So i think a lot depends on how comfortable you are with that uncertainty.

In my experience, the building/renovation will be the easy part, it will be the trying to get consistent caregiving that brings you to your knees

^^^

"To your knees" ..........

I had to stifle a laugh, but just too true.

If you can find a soul who found sourcing, scheduling, of rotating caregiving IN home - via any method, to include family, or agency of any variety, in any way sustainable over ANY length of time with any amount of consistency?? I want meet them ! I would travel to meet, and I detest travel.

Additions, remodels, plans, permits,selections, execution , .....all fine with lots of time. Best with lots of money AND time. Even then, a lot easier when all parties are hale and healthy.

Knees? I might describe it as a face plant....,lol.

IMO if this was an actual addition to your existing home it might be great since eventually you will be old and might appreciate the liveable space BTW if that was the plan then ADA design is a must and door width for that is 48" 36 is almost standard now in any new build . As I saud an ADU makes really no sense

UPDATE: Thank you all sincerely for the invaluable feedback and diverse perspectives shared on this thread. The discussion has been highly informative, and I believe future readers will find a wealth of useful advice here.

After careful consideration, and as I briefly noted in a previous comment, this was just one of several options we were exploring. Ultimately, due to the complex variables and timeline requirements involved, we've determined that our current home is not the optimal fit for this specific type of addition.

We genuinely appreciate the time you took to contribute your insights.

Thank you again.

@ Carl Celle

You said the most valuable word. " Complex" .

I believe I can speak for most of us who replied. We wish you and your family the very BEST of luck, a great outcome for all parties involved. There CAN be those great outcomes, and were my dad alive today, he'd say he was a non believer until he believed, and only wished he'd let us help him and Mom...three or few years sooner.

I am happy you have alternatives in mind. Best to you.!!

Wishing you all the best as you move forward with these complex decisions. Sounds like you are exploring a lot of avenues and I hope you find one that works well for your family.

I'm currently on my 4th round of family eldercare. One thing I'd recommend is to choose options that allow for flexibility as the situation changes. So I think you're wise to avoid a substantial investment in real estate.

All the best.

THanks for that great update those are always nice to get