Everything You Need to Know About the Mother-in-Law Suite

Anyone who has ever had a baby knows the value of having parents or in-laws come to spend a few days helping out around the house. And anyone who has ever had parents or in-laws come to spend a few days helping out around the house knows the value of having a door to shut to keep those same parents or in-laws away for a few hours.

Let's face it: There's a reason the old expression "fish and houseguests start to stink after a few days" is so commonly known. It's not easy to share your space with adults who have their own lives, habits, and opinions. This is where the mother-in-law suite shines.

For those unaware of what a mother-in-law suite is, it goes by many names. Mother-in-law suite, in-law suite, additional dwelling unit, or - my personal favorite - the granny annex. Whatever name is being used, the premise is the same: a fully functional, self-contained unit on a property which also has a primary residence. 

Varieties of In-Law Suites

Depending on how close you want to be to your in-laws, both physically and emotionally, the in-law suite can take many forms. However, they fall into three main categories.

1) Attached units: Imagine building an addition onto your house with its own kitchenette, bathroom, exterior entrance, and a door to the rest of the house. It allows for some level of separation and privacy while still keeping whoever is in there nearby. Variations of the attached unit would be a basement suite or an attic suite for in-house versions. Obviously an exterior door is a little easier to come by in a basement unit than an attic unit.

2) Interior modified units: A little more complex than simply adding a room or rearranging a basement would be converting something like a garage into a living unit. In most cases a garage would be wired already, but they're not always insulated, so there's a sort of middle ground of labor needed here between building something new and retrofitting something within the house. The real modification comes into play with something like an above-garage unit, which would require a high level of professional help. (Note: In all of these cases, consulting with a builder or contractor is mandatory, sometimes even legally mandatory depending on where you live).

3) Detached units: As the name implies, detached units are, well, detached from the main building. A lot of older homes in cities have coach houses or carriage houses, which are perfect examples of detached in-law suites - they exist independently, they're just not as big or spacious as the main houses.

Whether a mother-in-law suite is right for your specific situation is a personal matter, but keep in mind that there's more upside than just having a nice place for your guests to spend a few nights. Particularly in the cases of detached units, these buildings can be rented out for additional income. (Note: you can charge your in-laws rent too, but... it's probably best to just let them stick around free of charge). Individual municipalities will have their own rules about renting/being a landlord, so be certain to check your local guidelines before doing this, of course.

The mother-in-law suite is a versatile addition to any property. Depending on the type that makes the most sense for you, it can be a relatively small commitment at the outset, or it can be a major construction project that takes you from having a home to having an estate. In either case, talk to a professional before making any hard-set plans.