Things to Keep in Mind When Building Mother-In-Law Suite

Mom is moving in! And you need to build her a “mother-in-law suite.” In other words, you have to build an extra space in your home for someone to live in comfortably.

This will take some handy work and research, but it will be worth it when it’s all said and done. Spending more time with your family will be a true blessing.

Before you start building, here are some things to keep in mind while building a mother-in-law suite!

Check Building Codes

If you’re making an addition, you will have to double check the building codes in your location. If your finishing a basement to make the mother-in-law suite, you have to make sure you have a proper emergency escape and rescue opening. To find the codes you need for the area you are located, you can look here!

You will need to a perfect egress kit to make your window well up to code and we have that all set up for you! These kits will bring your basement right up to code.

Separate the Power

When making a mother-in-law suite, you will want to separate the power. This is because you won’t have to worry about splitting the bill, they will have their own separate one. This will make it a lot easier on you!

What You Need in The Space

You will need to divide the big space into smaller living spaces such as these.

Bedroom

You will need an area for whoever is living there to sleep. It can have a separate bedroom or you can set it up like a studio apartment where it is all one big open area.

Kitchen

Adding a kitchen area is essential for a mother-in-law living space. A microwave, refrigerator, sink, and a cook top are needed to make cooking easier for the person living there. Take into consideration everything you need during the day for cooking and implement it into the mother-in-law suite.

Bathroom

A toilet, sink, and shower is needed for everyday living as well. Make sure to get plumbing hook ups to finish the basement or add an addition.

Living Area

A living area isn’t necessary, but if you have the room for it the person living there will definitely appreciate it! Adding a TV, coffee table, chairs or a couch, and a desk will make a nice little living area.

Make it as comfortable as you can, and think about what you make you comfortable living there!

Other Options

If a family member or a loved one wasn’t living there, there are other options for an addition. You can also use it as a space to rent out. People do this to help pay their mortgage or as for another stream of income.

No matter what you want to use it for, it’s always a good idea to have an extra area for people to stay. This can bring in a nice stream of income or give someone you love a place to stay for a little while.