Settle DADUs - Top Trends in 2020

2019 brought sweeping new code changes to Seattle's Backyard Cottage/DADUs. Here's what we are expecting to see more of in 2020.

Columbia City Cottage

1. Family Sized 

Seattle’s newly adopted land-use code now allows cottages to be taller and larger – up to 1,000 sq. ft. in size. With this extra space many new cottages are being designed and built with 2 or even 3 bedrooms. Up until now, most cottages were designed for aging parents or as rentals to accommodate an individual or couple. These new larger cottages are often being designed for families with children — such as a 900 sq. ft. cottage we are designing in Ballard for a family of five and a 1,000 sq. ft. cottage for a family of four. In both cases the owners will move into the new cottages with their families and rent out the existing primary residence.

ballard cottage

2. Extra Units

The new code now allows a DADU and an ADU.  (previously only
one or the other was allowed). Many people who have existing ADUs are exploring the option of adding DADU to their properties.  There are limitations with the new rules to keep in mind. Adding a 2nd ADU to an existing single family residence will likely trigger extensive building code driven upgrades, including adding sprinklers to the entire structure.  If the new second unit is a DADU the DADU will need to meet green building standards or made affordable to and reserved solely for "income-eligible" households for a period of 50 years.

broadview cottage

3. Maximizing the value of your property

With housing prices and rents in Seattle still at all-time highs, many people including building developers are seeking to unleash the potential of their back yards.  For example, one developer is planning to add DADUs to their entire portfolio of existing rental properties. This is possible now that owner occupancy is no longer required. 

Builders of new residences are also adding DADUs and AADUs.  We are currently working on one project where the existing residence is being remodeled and an ADU added. The existing lot is then being divided and a new residence, with an AADU and DADU, is being built on the newly created lot.  This development is taking advantage of an over sized lot to create density in a desirable neighborhood while preserving and updating the existing historic home.

broadview DADU

4. Going Condo

The use of condominium agreements to sell the primary residence and the DADU separately is probably the biggest trend of 2019 and will only continue.  While creating a DADU adds value to a property as a whole,  an even higher value can be obtained by selling the primary residence and the DADU separately.

bryant DADU

5. Building Value


Building a DADU is a significant long term investment. Designing to achieve the maximum potential for the individual lot in light of zoning restrictions and the unique goals of their owners is and will continue to be the best way to achieve the highest value for this investment. Assisting to prioritize goals and achieve potential is in light of code restrictions and construction cost trade-offs is a challenge we enjoy and that we look forward to continuing in 2020. 

what is a DADU worth? - more than you might think

This backyard cottage recently sold for $529,000 in Broadview

Choosing to build a backyard cottage is an important long term decision. A good first question to ask when making that decision is how will I establish a budget for the cottage?  While it may be hard to put a value on how a well designed home makes you feel or the value of having a family member living nearby, some qualities are easier to asses.  If that family member is an aging parent who would otherwise be living in an assisted living facility, it is relatively easy to look at the costs of local facilities.  For others building a new cottage may be less expensive than remodeling their existing house to more closely meet their needs. For example, new cottages can incorporate universal design components to assist those with mobility impairments.  

Many people plan to use their cottages to generate rental income.  In this case, a careful consideration of the rents in your area and anticipated costs can help you establish a budget range.  And increasingly people are using condominium agreements to sell DADUs separately from the primary residence. These are five recent condominium sales of DADUs in Seattle. 

https://www.redfin.com/WA/Seattle/11040-1st-Ave-NW-98177/unit-B/home/168914668

https://www.redfin.com/WA/Seattle/4536-Eastern-Ave-N-98103/unit-B/home/160472609

https://www.redfin.com/WA/Seattle/8511-2nd-Ave-NE-98115/unit-B/home/168660388

https://www.redfin.com/WA/Seattle/3202-NW-70th-St-98117/unit-2/home/168674693   (The primary residence sold as well)

https://www.redfin.com/WA/Seattle/538-B-NE-92nd-St-98115/home/169451063

In the past real estate appraisers have struggled with how to value backyard cottages and other ADU's primarily because there were simply not enough comparable sales to serve as a guide. With the sales of DADUs as condominiums and the sale of houses with DADUs becoming more common, that task is getting easier.

DADU open house today Friday 11/1 from 4-6 pm

Join us for a unique opportunity to tour one of our most popular backyard cottages.

Austin and Patti created this wonderful house together, stripped down to the essence of what they value most. Their new dream house just happens to be located in the back yard of Austin's long time residence. This cottage lives large, providing an open floor plan with a second floor master suite and office plus a gracious kitchen for Austin, a former restaurateur. A rooftop deck looks out over the treetops giving a sense of connection to the outdoors where they are often to be found biking, skiing, or kayaking. 

more photos

new permit timelines and pre-approved plans

SDCI DADU permit times

Thank you to everyone who joined us at the Seattle Adu Fair last Saturday. It was great to meet so many of you in person.


We've fielded a lot of questions about Seattle Department of Construction and Inspections (SDCI)'s permitting times and how pre-approved plans for DADUs may affect them.  To answer these questions, we have been crunching the numbers. The good news - there's been significant improvement since DADUs were given a high priority this fall, reducing the amount of review and processing time to get a construction permit by 50% from this time last year.

What about pre-approved plans?

The Office of Planning and Community Development (OPCD)'s Pre-Approved Plans for Accessory Dwelling Units fact sheet states that pre-approved plans can receive a building permit in 2-6 weeks (pre-approved or standard plans have already been reviewed for ordinance, structural (O/S) and energy). The city's hope is that by having these reviews completed beforehand, permit review times will go down - which seems logical but unfortunately doesn't align with our experience which indicates the O/S and Energy reviews are not driving overall permit approval times.

To analyze this, we reviewed permit histories from similar DADUs both recently permitted (indicated in gray) and those from this time last year (indicated in yellow) to see what was driving permit timelines.  In the nine projects we examined, the O/S and Energy reviews only increased permitting time twice. And in those instances the delay was minor averaging only 3 days.

Removing the delays caused by O/S and energy reviews, the average review and processing time for a DADU permit is 46 days (excluding from submittal to intake). The review and and processing time including O/S and energy reviews is 49 days. Unfortunately, means that pre-approved plans do not significantly affect the time-frame. A realistic time-frame for pre approved plans being 7-10 weeks, significantly longer than the 2-6 weeks stated by OPCD.

There is good work being done to tighten permit timelines

The OPCD's Pre-Approved Plans for Accessory Dwelling Units fact sheet states that the typical DADU permit takes 4-8 months.  This includes the 4 months required to secure a permit intake date.  To improve this, SDCI recently announced the intake express which promises all intakes will take place within 2-3 weeks. Using the intake express time-frame, and the data on permit processing time shows us that there is no significant difference in review and processing time for pre-approved or custom designs.  A realistic time-frame for review and processing of custom designs being 7-10 weeks - significantly less than the stated 4-8 months.

king county reduces the sewer capacity charge for DADUs

King County levies a sewer capacity charge for all new sanitary sewer connections. This fee is paid monthly for 15 years or as a lump sum.

Until recently, backyard cottages (DADUs) were charged a sewer capacity charge equivalent to that of a new full sized residence. In efforts to in make fees more equitable, King County has reduced the fee to 60% of that of a new residence.  Where previously the sewer capacity charge for a DADU was $64.50 per month. The new rate is $38.70.  Representing a savings of approximately $4,644 for a new DADU. Attached accessory dwelling units (ADUs) also pay the sewer capacity charge if they make a new sanitary sewer connection.

King County Sewer Capacity Charge FAQ

A Backyard Cottage Thoughtfully Designed - Owner Built

Emily and her husband Jeff live in a 1920s Craftsman with their two small children in Seattle’s Broadview neighborhood. At 7,200 square feet, their generous lot was an inviting space for a backyard cottage. With 2 bedrooms, 1.5 baths, its own yard, and alley access, the cottage will be a prime rental property.

Since this interview was conducted, construction has been completed. Emily and Jeff have sold the cottage while retaining and renting the main house. They will use the proceeds from the sale for their next project, a new house in Magnolia. This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

What got you and Jeff thinking about having a backyard cottage?

Emily: We wanted to have some type of rental property. We’d owned a condo rental property before, and we wanted to step it up to a new build project. After looking around at the possibilities, our own backyard on our huge lot (72,000 square feet) made the most sense. And proximity for us was a big factor. Doing a new build with two young kids, being eight steps away from the project was key.

What hesitations did you have about diving into this project?

Emily: We've never done a new build project before this. So our big hesitation was, we don’t know what we're signing ourselves up for. But for us the intrigue was that our home lot was meant for this. It's got alley access. It's humongous. There aren’t many properties like [the cottage] for rent in the neighborhood. So we said, let's go for it, and then we can evaluate it once we've been through the process. 

How did you get connected with microhouse?

Emily: We went to a microhouse workshop at the Phinney Neighborhood Association, which was a little taste test for us to hear about backyard cottages and feasibility. Then we looked at some of the houses Bruce designed and we totally agreed with his designs and his efficient layouts. Working with an architect, you want their vision to come to life, too, and his design and aesthetic really hit the mark for us.

You’re in the last stages of building. So far what's been surprising to you?

Emily: I'm surprised how much the cottage naturally fits into the space. Maintaining the character of the neighborhood is important for us, so we wanted to make sure we could have something modern in the backyard that tied in with the existing house. Another surprise was at first when we thought about "giving away" some of our land for this cottage it felt like we’d be making sacrifices. But we still have a full front yard area enough for our dog to play in and our kids to run around in. And now we'll give someone else the opportunity to have a home with their own serene backyard with their own access, since it's on an alley.

You and Jeff are managing the project and Jeff is a contractor doing some of the work himself. How has microhouse supported your vision for the project?

Emily: The fact that Bruce was dedicated just to designing cottages was big for us. We wanted to have two bedrooms, and since the maximum allowable square footage for a backyard cottage is 800, and we wanted help with that. We wanted the bedrooms to feel like real size bedrooms. Just looking through Bruce’s designs and layouts we could tell that he's very efficient and very mindful about using every inch of that 800 square feet. Having it be a two bedroom changes the game in terms of tenants that could rent the space. This can now be a family dwelling unit, or for individuals sharing the cost of the rent.

What has been the most fun part of the process?

Emily: When the framing began and it started to come to life--after we spent a lot of time with the design--that's when it started to feel real. And now every stage after the framing is even more fun because you see all these small details that you thought about: how people are going to use the space, how they're going to walk around the kitchen, how they're going to use the bedrooms. You start seeing it all fall into place. That’s been really exciting. It's a lot of work in the beginning with getting everything lined up, but once the framing starts going up then you really see the progress.

What have been some challenges along the way?

Emily: Getting everybody choreographed was a challenge. There’s a timeline for construction and then everything can fall apart as one thing collapses on the other. Or it snows for an entire week and it changes your timeline. My husband works full time, I’m back in school getting my Masters, and we have two kids under the age of four. We’d look at designs after we put the kids to bed or Jeff would go out at night and get the electrical ready for workers coming the following week. It's finding those little pockets of time that's the most challenging. But we find our own messy way of making it work. Including a lot of calls to grandparents for extra hands! How long has the project taken?

Emily: If we finish in May, as planned, it will be thirteen months total. Four for design, two for permitting, seven for construction.

What are your favorite things about the cottage?

Emily: The windows. When you plan a cottage where you’ve lived on the lot for nearly nine years, you know where the light hits. You know how the trees bloom. You know that you can see the mountains and the water over the house in front of you. And literally you can say, I would like a window to frame that view that I know is there. So, when you know the south facing light is going to pour in you say, Let's put a French door on that side. And the windows all look out at a beautiful magnolia tree.

We also love that the renters will get their own yard space. If you live in the Pacific Northwest you want to put your feet in the grass. I think that’s what makes this particular rental unique. There’s so much possibility wrapped up in it, too. I love the thought of somebody living here who maybe couldn't afford to live in the neighborhood otherwise. I think housing should have a purpose and a heart to it. What advice would you give someone thinking about building a backyard cottage?

Emily: For us it was just a matter of going to a workshop with Bruce, then going on a tour of some of his backyard cottages. It is amazing when you start to just do those small steps to learn about the process and see if it's for you--see if the timing's right, or what model might fit with your particular property. That can really get the process moving and then you start walking the alleys in your neighborhood and you start meeting other people with backyard cottages. There is a community of people that are building these. And everybody has their own unique reason why and they're very intimately tied to that reason. It’s one of the things I think is so neat about backyard cottages as a housing option.

new DADU rules explained - workshop tonight

Curious if you can build a DADU in your back yard? The rules for backyard cottages have been radically changed. Join Bruce Parker from Microhouse and Stefan Hansmire from Hansmire Builders to learn what is possible under the new code and how to establish a realistic budget for your cottage

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dadu workshop at Phinney Center

Thursday September 12, 7:00 pm.
West Seattle Coworking, LLC
6040/A California Ave SW, Seattle, WA 98136 Space is limited - please consider joining us on November 21st at the PNA.

Thursday November 21st,  7:00 pm.  

Phinney Ridge Neighborhood Association

6532 Phinney Ave N, Seattle, WA 98103

Register Here

DADU for Sale

Are you thinking about building your own 800 sq.ft. cottage but want to skip the construction and permitting process and move right in?  

https://www.redfin.com/WA/Seattle/11040-1st-Ave-NW-98177/unit-B/home/168914668

This cottage will be open for viewing 

Friday 9/6 from 4-6 pm.
Saturday 9/7 from 11-1 pm.
Sunday 9/8 from 2:30 -4 pm.

DADU open house - August 8th

 11040 1st Ave NW - Thursday August 8th from 5-7 pm

Broadview Backyard Cottage

The new DADU code changes go into effect on August 8th.  To celebrate join us for a tour of one of our recently completed backyard cottages. This 2 bedroom, 2 bath cottage is nearing completion and it is for rent. Ownership of this cottage will ultimately be segregated from the primary residence using a condo agreement.

Entrance to the cottage is from the alley between 1st Ave NW and Palatine Ave N.

2447 5th Ave W - open house today from noon to 4:00 pm

Queen Anne backyard cottage

Considering building a backyard cottage? You can try living in one before you build.  This newly completed 2 bedroom 1 1/2 bath backyard cottage is located on the top of Queen Anne Hill. The owner is hosting an open house for prospective tenants today from noon to 4:00 pm.  If you want try living in a cottage but would like a shorter commitment, there are many cottages available as short term rentals including the Eastlake Cottage at 2352 Franklin Ave E and Wren's Cottage at 2603 19th Ave S.

city council to vote on DADU rule change today

A backyard cottage in Eastlake, adjacent to new town houses

Seattle city council is scheduled to vote at their 2:00 pm meeting today on a host of measures meant to increase the number of accessory dwelling units (ADUs) and detached accessory dwelling units (DADUs). The proposed code changes and amendments will be voted on individually.  Given the makeup of the city council and support from the Mayor, all of the measures in favor of increasing the number of ADUs and DADUs are likely to pass. Once they pass implementation will take place some time between August and November of this year.

In 2010 Colette and her family purchased her childhood Craftsman home in Seattle’s Eastlake neighborhood.  As Colette and Chris noticed similar houses nearby being replaced by rows of apartment buildings, they considered ways to preserve their own home and history. That meant improving and maintaining the original house, and also creating an income stream to secure their options for the future. A backyard cottage turned out to be just what they were looking for.

eastlake backyard cottage

How did the idea of building a backyard cottage come about?

Colette: My husband Chris and I moved back to Seattle in 2010 with our two children and were able to buy my childhood home from my family. The home needed extensive work so we did it at a very slow pace. Once the main house was close to being finished we noticed that many houses on our block were being sold to developers. What was once a quiet Craftsman lined street was turning into rows of apartment buildings.

That got us thinking about how to preserve my childhood home and invest and grow with the neighborhood. It was simple: build a backyard cottage and use it as a short-term rental to pay off the new debt, and later have a guest house. We also began to see it as a great investment into our retirement and something we can leave to our kids. We can live in the cottage when the kids are gone, or perhaps we can fly off to Italy and let the cottage and house support us in our next stage of life. The cottage suddenly gave us positive options for the future. 

entry looking towards the kitchen

What did you enjoy most about the process?

Colette: I loved every part of the process. Because our lot was small and there were only a certain number of ways to build our structure, the design part became quite easy. Bruce and Stefan [of microhouse] were great at listening to what we wanted and were always willing to change things to get them right. 

At one point in the build we had some large joists delivered that were used as our entryway ceiling and our loft floor. Garrick, our builder, set them up for me and loaned me his sander so I could work on them before they were installed. I really enjoyed that they allowed me access to work on projects for the cottage.

I was also able to design the inside of the cottage to fit furniture I was buying along the way. Walls were made to fit vanities and all the lighting was installed to my specifications for the fixtures I had bought. 

living room looking towards the entry What challenges did you face during the process?

Colette: My biggest challenge in this process was my neighbor. They didn’t like what we were doing. They objected to noise, dust, and anything that needed to go over their property line. It became quite ugly and it was a sad break to a 30-year friendship.

For me, living through construction was pretty fun. It was great to look out the kitchen window and watch walls go up. Garrick and I became friends and it was easy to have him around. He was missed when the project ended. 

How long did the process take?

Colette: It took about a year to get the plans down just right. The build began just before fall of 2017 and ended in the spring of 2018.

the master bedroom opens up onto a private patio

master bedroom on lower floor, bath beyond

master bath beyond

Is there anything you would do differently if you had to do it over?

Colette: If we ever decide to build again I would work with Bruce, Stefan and Garrick again. It was truly a pleasure. 

2nd bedroom located on the 3rd floor

What’s your favorite thing about your cottage?

Colette: I love the size of our cottage. It looks narrow and small from the outside, but when you enter it seems much, much larger. It feels like a trick of the eye. I love the shiplap wall we built as a focal point. I love that the appliances all fit into the kitchen I assembled. I love that I was very much a part of the build and that my ideas and creativity were used throughout. 

a full bath located off of the entry

DADU proposed code change amendments

a DADU used as a short term rental prior to grandfather's retirement

As city council prepares to vote on the proposed code changes to Seattle's single family zones even amendments have been proposed.  These include owner occupancy restrictions for short term rentals and allowance for bike parking. 

Here is what we think is important.

• The proposed code changes would remove the owner occupancy requirement. An amendment would add a 1 year requirement for the 2nd ADU. We believe that owner occupancy should be required for all properties with ADUS for a period of time.

The impact to removing the occupancy requirement is unknown. The environmental impact statement (EIS) prepared as part of the lawsuit doesn't appear to adequately predict the impact from removing this requirement. Detractors note that the EIS does not take into account the increasing trend to sell ADUs and their primary residence separately using a condominium or land-lease agreement. Owner occupancy for a period of time (3 years) is good and should minimize the destruction of naturally occurring affordable housing by speculative developers.  

• Owner occupancy should be required for all properties used as short-term rentals.

An amendment proposed by Lisa Herbold would prohibit short term rental use for new ADUs. It would be far better to maintain the owner occupancy requirement. Allowing owner's flexibility is crucial to long term planning for those contemplating building an ADU.  The higher rate of return for a short term rental (STR) allows more ADU's and DADUs to be built.  A majority of the homeowner's we work with plan to use their cottages as short term rental at some point.  The magnolia cottage pictured above was rented out as a STR for a few years, which paid for construction, prior to the owner's father moving in.

• SDCI should closely monitor ADU construction and report annually to City Council. 

Two proposed amendment would monitor ADU permitting and use.

• Garage Space should be included in FAR calculations. 

The current proposal would allow the exclusion of up to 1,000 sq. ft. of garage space for ADUs. This is effectively a parking subsidy. Consider limiting the exempted area to 200 sq. ft. or enough space for one car. One proposed amendment would allow 25 sq. ft. to be excluded for bike parking, seems unnecessary.  

Comments may be submitted to Seattle Council Member Lisa Herbold  <lisa.herbold@seattle.gov>

ADU Tour - consider biking

tangletown backyard cottage 

Joining us for the AIA ADU tour tomorrow? Consider biking, it is good for the planet and it will save you a lot of time looking for parking.  There are 900 registered participants which will make parking a challenge for most locations. It also makes this the largest ADU tour in the country.

• tour rules: no smoking, no strollers inside the ADU, no shoes on in the ADU. 

backyard cottage public hearing June 11th

This DADU was built for a grandparent in the Bryant neighborhood

Seattle City Council will hold a public hearing to discuss the proposed code changes Tuesday, June 11th at 5:30pm in council chambers. Discussion and possible vote on amendments and the proposed legislation will be held on June 28th at 2:00pm.

City council has proposed significant changes to the Seattle Land-Use Code with the aim of increasing the construction of backyard cottages (DADUs) and attached accessory dwelling units (ADUs). These changes, in the making for years now, have been delayed by a lawsuit and appeal brought about under SEPA regulations. What do these changes really mean for Seattle and for ADUs?

The proposed code changes include many items that are minor which could and should have been completed years ago. These include modest increases in size and height of allowed cottages, details about dormers, and the location of entries. The more significant changes proposed are as follows:

• Allowing two ADUs on one lot
• Removing the off-street parking requirement
• Removing the owner-occupancy requirement
• Increasing the household size limit for a lot with two ADUs
• Establishing a new limit on the maximum size of single-family dwellings equal to one half of the lot size (FAR = 0.5)

Owner Occupancy

Of these we believe the owner-occupancy requirement is most important. Currently the owner is required to live on the property for a minimum of six months of the year.

The impact to removing the occupancy requirement is unknown. The environmental impact statement (EIS) prepared as part of the lawsuit doesn't appear to adequately predict the impact from removing this requirement. Detractors believe that it will lead to the destruction of large numbers of existing homes and their replacement with duplexes and triplexes. They also note an increasing trend to sell ADUs and their primary residence separately using a condominium or land-lease agreement.

Our Recommendations:

• The original proposal to sunset owner occupancy after a period of time (3 years) is good and should minimize the destruction of naturally occurring affordable housing by speculative developers.
• Owner occupancy should be required for all properties used as short-term rentals.
• SDCI should closely monitor ADU construction and report annually to City Council.

The builder plans to maintain ownership of this DADU and sell the primary residence using a condominium agreement 

Floor Area Ratio Limits
The EIS finds that the most significant way to reduce tear-downs (i.e the removal of naturally occurring affordable housing) will occur by introducing a floor area ratio (FAR) limit. Currently the size of new houses is limited by setbacks and height limits. The trend in new construction is for very large houses (with correspondingly large price tags), which are typically beyond the means of median income earners. The FAR limit would reduce the size of what can be built but exclude ADUs and DADUs from the restriction. The goal being to prevent tear-downs and to encourage rather the construction of ADUs and DADUs.

Our Recommendations:

• Approve a FAR limit of 0.5 for new construction.
• Exemption of ADUs and DADUs from the FAR limit.

The City Council will hold a public hearing to discuss these proposed changes on Tuesday, June 11th at 5:30pm in council chambers. Discussion and potential vote on the amendments and proposed legislation will be held on June 28th at 2:00pm.

We encourage you to voice your opinion with your council members and look forward to moving ahead with sensible legislation.

Fisherman's Cottage in Ballard

ballard backyard cottage

When Sarah and Mark moved into their 1950’s 2-bedroom rambler in Ballard 20 years ago, they saw lots of potential. After first renovating the main house, they recently maximized the value of their property by adding a backyard cottage. Sitting atop a first story garage, the DADU’s open, airy top floor is a versatile living space that is perfect for the homeowners and their guests alike. The interview has been edited for length and clarity.

What first got you thinking about building your backyard cottage?
Mark: We bought this property in 1998 because of the potential. As a landscape architect, I've done quite a bit of land development and I saw instant value in this property because of the view. The original house was a 2-bedroom, 1950s rambler that we envisioned becoming a bigger house. Sarah is from Vancouver, Canada, where there’s a tradition of having accessory dwelling units or detached dwelling units. So I think that I'd always had a vision of having both the cottage and the bigger house up front. And so we were able to first build the house up front and then the backyard space became the “empty chair.”
Sarah: At first, I wasn't really on board with the backyard cottage. One way Mark convinced me was the fact that we don't have a basement in our house and we have two teenagers. So it would be a place that they could bring their friends and hang out. And our younger son has been doing that. We also have a lot of family and friends visit. It’s a great place to come and stay. I also love travel and meeting people and Mark convinced me that we could rent it out to people, so that was another thing that convinced me.
Mark: There are other visions too--having a renter back here, making it a subsidized rent so that we can help with housing affordability in Seattle. That's a good way for us to give back. And from a pure value standpoint, we maximized the value of our property.

What was in your backyard before you built the cottage?
Mark: There was a simple gable roofed garage built in the 1960’s. We couldn't use the CMU block wall [structurally], but it was an aesthetic that I didn't want to lose because I wanted to grow vines, and that's a really beautiful surface to do that with. So we kept that and just put in new interior walls.
Sarah: We also gained height in the basement level, so it’s a nice usable garage now. And Mark had this great idea--that he had to sell me on--that turned out to be a really great feature of the cottage. The wood in the kitchen is the tongue and groove cedar ceiling from the original garage.

What were your concerns as you started the project?
Sarah: One hesitation for me was normal construction stuff--we were going to lose access to our backyard and garage for a while.
Mark: Cost was also a concern. We went into it with an idea of the cost, but set aside some contingency funds. And in general there was just regular nervousness about doing a large-scale project, with some anxieties around permitting.

How did you overcome your concerns?
Mark: Bruce and Goeff [of Microhouse] helped us. They gave us a lot of confidence. Bruce is good at coaching you through the permitting process. He knows the legislation so well and he knows how the City is going to react to something. From the conceptualization and design through to getting the permits was a really accommodating and pleasant experience.
Sarah: Microhouse was always immediate and very attentive.

What most surprised you about your backyard cottage—good or bad?
Sarah: It’s surprising how much we fit into the small space. It’s functional, usable and aesthetically pleasant. We managed to squeeze all the appliances in. We went back and forth; we weren't sure we wanted a full oven, for example. But I'm so glad now that we have it. We've also got a small dishwasher and fridge. And actually the small dishwasher is really fun because unloading it is no big deal! There’s a washer and dryer. There’s a microwave in the closet, which is also the pantry.
Mark: I'm surprised at how much we love the place quite honestly. I'm also surprised at how much the guests like it when they come here. I think they really love staying here because they have their own spot. The bad — we didn't anticipate the neighbor to the north building a new house that would impact our privacy. Some of the neighbors’ windows face right at us.

What is your favorite thing about your backyard cottage?
Mark: The shell of the place: the vaulted ceiling, the exposed rafters and the wood. The roof peaks have different elevations. It's a curiosity. Some people say, “You know your roof is crooked.” The ridge beam actually travels 12 inches up from one end to the other. It shoots out and becomes a feature on the outside of the house. It’s details like that where we had a lot of fun. And I like that we made it more raw--exposing the rafters and putting on the spruce siding. There's no drywall, which is great.
Sarah: I love that it's light. Just the light and airy feeling that is in here is probably my favorite thing. It feels “beachy.”
Mark: Yeah, even on a gray day. It's got a lot of windows. The other thing is that it’s simple. It's a box with two rooms, a bathroom and a storage closet. It makes you feel like you're on vacation.

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