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.
