Remnant Architecture

As more of the baby boomer generation enter their retirement years, they are thinking about where they will live as they get older. Often, the idea of living with their children, and possibly grandchildren, is brought up. Their child’s house might have an extra bedroom that a grandparent could have as their own. However, often a more private and well-appointed space is desired by the grandparent. So what options are allowed in Knoxville for in-law suites?

In-law Bedroom with Ensuite Bath

A second master suite is a universally acceptable option across Knoxville, which includes the City of Knoxville, Knox County, and the Town of Farragut. The grandparent could have their own bathroom and closet that is directly accessed from their bedroom. Some houses already have a second master suite. However, if your house does not have one, you could add an ensuite bathroom to an existing bedroom. Another option would be to add both a new bedroom and bathroom to your house, depending on what space is available on your lot. When adding a second master suite to your house, you will want to think about which existing space in your house is the best place for an entrance to your in-law suite, as well as how to connect the roof for the new bedroom to your existing roof.

In-law Bedroom with Kitchen and Ensuite Bath

If the grandparent wants a more self-sufficient space for their in-law suite than just a second master suite, you could add a second kitchen so the grandparent can prepare their own food when they are not eating with the rest of the family. You could also add their own washer and dryer, which makes it similar to their own apartment. The key to having an in-law suite addition like this approved in Knox County and Town of Farragut is to make sure it is connected to the existing house so it still is one house, not two. It is recommended to have the preliminary design reviewed by the building department since the building code does not clearly define the difference between an in-law suite and a second dwelling unit. The building official will make their own determination whether the in-law suite is part of the existing house or not. You do not want to get too far into the project without knowing that your design will be approved. Since the City of Knoxville allows accessory dwelling units in residential zoning, this type of in-law suite will be allowed under most circumstances.

Detached In-law House

If the grandparent wants to have a detached house as their in-law suite, it will be most acceptable in the City of Knoxville. With a bedroom, bathroom, kitchen, and laundry, it would be considered an accessory dwelling units, which are allowed in the City. If you are wanting to build a detached house in Knox County or Town of Farragut, there are limited zoning districts where that will be allowed. You can read more about where accessory dwelling units are allowed in this previous blog article.

Aging In Place & Multi-Generational Houses

In-law suites are a great way for grandparents to age in place since they will have the support of their kids nearby. In turn, the grandparents can help care for their grandkids and take some of the burden off their children. Having multiple generations in one house was once popular, and I think it will be more popular in the future as our population gets older.

When designing an in-law suite, it is important to think about future accessibility for the grandparent. Inside the space, you will want to think about leaving enough room for a walker or wheelchair to get around. On the exterior, you will want to think about the path the grandparent will make from getting out of a car to being in their in-law suite. If there are a lot of steps up on the route from the car to the in-law suite, a ramp could be a possible solution. Having a separate entrance to the in-law suite could be another solution if stairs inside the house would make access difficult.

Need help designing an in-law suite? Fill out the new client application to work with Remnant Architecture.