DADUs - Resiliency and Planning

Thinking about the long-term use of a home and designing for flexibility is an important part of preparing for an uncertain future. Adding a DADU or ADU to an existing home is an important consideration. ADUs allow people more flexibility to accommodate a growing family, changing work requirements, and to provide supplemental rental income.

DADUs and ADUs also provide an opportunity for elderly family members to live close and be a bigger part of their families lives while allowing them independence.  Congregate living has efficiencies with scale and the number of residence. The downsides to congregate living have become readily apparent with the spread of COVID-19. On the other hand, seniors living in a family DADU are more readily able to regulate personal contacts and to shelter in place with their families.

Building a DADU starts with planning and we are here to help

The first questions we usually answer for people planning to build a backyard cottage are about feasibility, cost, and design which are all interrelated. A preliminary site assessment, which we can do over the phone or via email, is the first part. At that time, we can discuss budget ranges for recently completed backyard cottages.

To get started, contact us with your address and the goals for your cottage. We’ll be in touch a schedule a phone meeting. 

DADU - photo of the week

ballard DADU

For DADUs rooms that serve multiple functions are a must. This small backyard cottage is about as versatile as they come.  The ground floor is an open floor plan with kitchen living and bath. The 2nd floor has a large bedroom and bath with kitchenette. A door separating the two floors allows them to be used together, as they typically are, or for the 2nd floor to be rented out independently.  And of course there is the "man wall" complete with weight rack, beer fridge and taps. The exposed wood joists were spaced to accommodate the clearance for the weights.

For more photos

DADU workshop April 23rd

Backyard Cottages for Fun and Profit
Thursday, April 23rd 7:00-9:00 pm

Backyard cottages can be used for many things, including housing a family member or as a short term rental. Join Bruce Parker from Microhouse and Stefan Hansmire from Stefan Hansmire Builds to learn what is possible and how to establish a realistic budget for your cottage.

Location: Online
Suggested Donation: $20 PNA members, $30 general public. All proceeds support the Phinney Neighborhood Association

Register

DADU open house re-scheduled for Sunday March 15th - postponed

Our next open house at 2433 1st Ave N scheduled for Sunday March 15th has been postponed. In the mean time we will be posting a video walk through. If you have questions about this DADU or building your own DADU please contact us through the contact widget.

This cottage features a lower level office with separate entrance and a garage, with a 1 bedroom, 1 bathroom unit above.  The DADU is 800 sq. ft. total in size. 

Photos coming soon.

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