Building a backyard unit in Berkeley is now easier since the city pre-approved an accessory dwelling unit, or ADU, from the local homebuilding company, Type Five this fall. Type Five’s technology and systems allow homeowners to design the home to their needs, vastly simplifying the process, and getting a backyard home built in as little as 5-6 months.
Earlier this year, Jeroen Dewulf and family built a cozy ADU in their South Berkeley backyard, making it easy for his in-laws to visit and enjoy longer stays with the grandchildren. The unit doubles as Dewulf’s home office.
“We love Type Five’s design, which includes large windows and doors that could also serve as windows, so there’s plenty of daylight inside the ADU,” said Dewulf. ”This was a big plus for us. I need that because I need to read books and write a lot of articles for my work.”
The family just had a baby, and was able to transform his office in the main house into another bedroom.
Jeroen Dewulf, a professor at UC Berkeley, works in his new home office, an ADU in his backyard. Courtesy of Type Five
Simplifying the design and build process
Any construction project can be daunting, especially when it’s an entire home. From finding an architect, to managing the permitting application, and coordinating with contractors, the end-to-end process can be overwhelming.
Type Five has been building a platform to simplify and streamline how homes can be designed and built. They’ve taken a software-first approach, pairing architectural design with automation so clients can design the home that fits their needs and budget. Homeowners can customize the shape, size and interior features from windows to cabinetry, selecting from a set of high-quality finishes. With Type Five, families have the opportunity to be their own architects for a home that fits their needs, timeline and budget.
Type Five’s proprietary homebuilding operating system bridges the gap between the expensive, traditional architect-led processes and the restrictive nature of prefab construction. It offers a middle ground that delivers both customization and affordability. Their customizable homes are also a cost-effective option for homeowners who can’t buy a prefab unit because of site constraints.
The company’s co-founder, Aleksis Bertoni, was born and raised in Berkeley. He started the company to solve some of the biggest challenges in making home ownership accessible, especially for younger people.
“ADUs are a smart ‘middle housing’ solution that fit seamlessly into existing neighborhoods and give homeowners an attainable way to help address California’s housing shortage” said Bertoni.
Berkeley’s first pre-approved ADU
Berkeley continues to be one of the leading cities in the state committed to making housing more accessible to its residents. This year, the city passed the Missing Middle Ordinance to help accelerate the development of multi-family missing-middle housing. This summer, the city’s planning and development department made it easier to get ADUs permitted, reducing the time and costs for residents to build their backyard homes.
Walk through a Type Five backyard home on Rose Street in North Berkeley. Courtesy of Type Five
In 2023, the California State Assembly passed Assembly Bill 1332, requiring cities to develop a program for the pre-approval of ADU plans. Type Five became the first applicant to receive approval for a pre-approved ADU plan in Berkeley.
“I’m grateful for local startups like Type Five for embracing our beloved community from the ground up — from providing an affordable pathway to first-time homeownership and intergenerational living,” said Berkeley City Councilmember Igor Tregub.
Berkeley’s first pre-approved ADU plan by Type Five is a 575-square-foot one-bedroom home, designed for the typical Berkeley backyard. This plan offers a flexible, multifunctional space with a full built-in kitchen, a modern bathroom with laundry, and a roomy bedroom with built-in cabinetry.
This exact plan was built for another Berkeley homeowner (not Dewulf), on Martin Luther King Jr. Way.
The city of Berkeley’s support for residents building ADUs paired with Type Five’s approach, is what convinced Dewulf and his family to build their ADU with Type Five.
“We were lucky that Berkeley made it easier to build ADUs a couple of years ago. Before that, I don’t think it would have been possible to build this in our garden, which is not very big,” Dewulf said.
“What I really appreciated about Type Five was the fact that we didn’t just discuss the building of the ADU in itself, but the broader picture of the entire space, like how the ADU would fit in the backyard, what would be the best position in relationship to the house, and even how we could improve our backyard space through the building of the ADU.”
Now, it’s not uncommon for his 3-year-old daughter to run across the backyard, hug her grandparents and join them for breakfast.
The kitchen and dining area of a Type Five backyard ADU. Homeowners can customize the shape, size and features. Credit: Adam Rouse
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