Adding an In-Law Suite

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Job loss and broken retirement nest eggs may encourage more Americans to  consider moving in with their adult children. It’s important, however, that this new living space allows privacy and independence for all residents. Bob talks with Howard Brickman who was in the process of adding space to his home to make room for his mother-in-law in Season Two of Bob Vila. Combine Households Jamie Gibbs, principal of the New York-based interior design and landscape architecture firm of Jamie Gibbs and Associates, says people are inviting relatives to co-habitate for many reasons. Some of the benefits include: combining incomes to maintain a single household; shutting down homes in the off-season to save on utility and maintenance costs; and creating a sense of permanency for seniors instead of them feeling as though they must rotate among children to avoid inconveniencing any one household. And, as the old saying goes, two can eat as cheaply as one. Data compiled by the AARP shows an increase in multigenerational households from 5.0 million, or 4.8 percent of all households, in 2000 to 6.2 million, or 5.3 percent of all households, in 2008. From its research, AARP notes that: •  24 percent of Baby Boomers anticipate that their parents or in-laws will move in with them; •  About one-half say they would be happy to have their parents or in-laws move in; •  51 percent say they would feel obligated to help in their parents’ retirement; •  17 percent would be “eager” to find their parents or in-laws another living arrangement; and, •  8 percent of Baby Boomers would charge their parents rent. Define Priorities and Make Plans There is no strict definition of an in-law suite, but it is generally a private living area within a house. Most experts say it should have a private full bathroom and a door that separates it from the rest of the home. Some suggest that, if possible, it should also have a separate entrance and kitchen, especially if the living situation will be long-term. The first item on a suite project list is to check local planning and subdivision regulations. Requirements for multigenerational family living spaces can vary drastically across the country. The next consideration to make is accessibility. “Many people have been making provisions for first-floor housing to make visits by aging relatives easier for some years,” says Gibbs. “Now we see those quarters being used for much longer stretches of time, perhaps permanently. Forty percent of my new-construction clients request incorporating first-floor guest accommodations, usually suites. Sixty percent of my renovation projects request first-floor bedchambers and full baths, additional closets and, in some cases, full guest suites.” If a first-floor suite is not an option, consider an elevator to make all floors accessible or a chairlift added to the main or secondary stairs. A third item is privacy. Not providing enough privacy is a common pitfall, says Diana L. Patterson of Tucson, Ariz., president of American Society of Interior Designers (ASID)-Arizona South. “This is a big and sometimes difficult transition.” “Not only do the homeowners that live in the house want to maintain their privacy, but they don’t want to know everything about their parents either,” says Marlene Buckner of Portland, Ore., owner of The Urban Realm LLC and president-elect, ASID-Oregon. “Respecting others’ space and privacy has been important to all families I have worked with.” Find Space Assess your home to determine the best possible space for the in-law suite. The garage or a porch area that can be enclosed and evolved into living space are two possibilities, says Patterson. Basements can also be used with adequate outside egress.

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