“The lot check told us our garage wouldn't work and showed us why. The cottage they drew for the back instead is where my mother lives now.”
Sade V.Backyard cottage
Garage conversions and backyard cottages
Can your lot take a cottage? Start with a lot check.
Send us your address and what stands on the lot. We read the zoning, the alley and the utilities, and write back with what fits before you pay for a drawing.
The lot check
Six things we read on every lot
Most of the answer to "Can I build one?" is on a map, a plat or a utility drawing. We read these before we visit.
Your zone district
The city's zoning map says what an accessory dwelling can be on your block: how large, how tall, and whether a second building is allowed at all.
The lot itself
Width, depth and area. Many rules start with the size of the lot and with how much of it the buildings already cover.
Setbacks
How far a new building has to sit from each lot line, and from the alley. This is where most back yards win or lose.
The alley
Access, trash, fire trucks and which way a door can face. On many Denver lots the alley is the cottage's front door.
Utilities
Where the water and sewer service lines enter the lot, how big the electric service is, and the shortest honest run to the new building.
The paper on the lot
An easement, a homeowners' association, a historic district or a covenant can add rules the zoning map doesn't show.
Three ways to add a home
Convert it, build over it, or build behind it
Three routes on a lot that has a garage. Which one is open to you is what the lot check finds out.
| What you are deciding | Garage conversion | Unit over a new garage | Backyard cottage |
|---|---|---|---|
| What it is | Garage conversionThe garage you have, made into a studio or a one-bedroom home | Unit over a new garageA new garage with a home on top, facing the alley | Backyard cottageA new small house at the back of the lot |
| Best when | Garage conversionThe garage is sound and there is little room behind it | Unit over a new garageYou still need to park, and the alley allows a second story | Backyard cottageThe yard is deep enough to set a house back from every lot line |
| What decides it | Garage conversionThe slab, the walls, the ceiling height and the parking rules | Unit over a new garageHeight limits and the setback from the alley | Backyard cottageSetbacks, lot coverage and the utility run |
| What we check first | Garage conversionWhether the city lets the garage stop being parking | Unit over a new garageWhether the zone allows a second story at the back of the lot | Backyard cottageWhether the zone allows a second building at all |
| Utilities | Garage conversionUsually a short run from the house | Unit over a new garageA run along the side of the lot to the alley end | Backyard cottageThe longest run, and often the biggest line in the estimate |
Zoning first
We read the zoning before we draw anything
A set of drawings is the first thing that costs real money, so it comes second. First we read the code for your zone district and the plat for your lot, then we walk the lot with you. You get our answer in writing: build it, build it smaller, or don't build it.
What you get back
Your zone district and what it allows
Where a building can sit, marked on your plat
Which utilities reach the lot, and where
What we would need to confirm with the city
What we build
Garages, cottages and the paperwork between
Six kinds of work, one crew, one person to call.
Garage conversions
A detached or attached garage made into a studio or a one-bedroom home.
About garage conversions
Backyard cottages
A new small house at the back of the lot, on its own foundation and utilities.
About backyard cottages
Permits and zoning
The zoning review, the plan set and every answer the city asks for.
About permits and zoning
Utilities and site work
Sewer, water, power and the trench between them.
About utilities and site work
Pricing
How we price a cottage
No price list here: the lot sets the price, and the lot check is how we find out. This is what moves it.
What decides the price
A small house costs more per square foot than a big one, because the kitchen, bath and utilities don't shrink with it. The lot check tells us which of these apply to you.
Size, and how many stories
The utility run: distance, depth and what is in the way
The slab, foundation or garage structure we start from
Access: an alley, a gate, a crane or hand-carried lumber
Finishes, and how many windows and doors
What the estimate includes, and what it doesn't
The estimate lists site work, structure, the envelope, systems and finishes, each with its scope and allowances.
Included: scope by line, named allowances, who is on site, how long each stage runs
Not included: city fees, utility connection fees, survey and soil work, landscaping, furniture
The lot visit
Two of us, about an hour, after the desk check. Clear a path to the back of the lot and the garage, and tell us who will live in it.
The design agreement
Drawings and the permit application are a separate, written agreement with their own fee. We tell you that fee before any drawing starts.
When you get the number
In writing, after the drawings. A build price is firm for the period it names. Anything the drawings can't show, like what is under a slab, is an allowance, and we say so.
After the build
What owners say once it is done
“I wanted a studio over the garage. They explained the height limit on our alley before I paid for anything, and the plans changed because of it.”
Jianhua S.Garage with a unit above
“They marked the sewer line on a drawing and showed us the trench before it was dug. No surprises in the yard.”
Cori A.Garage conversion
Sample reviews.
Questions
Questions owners ask first
Can I build one on my lot?
It depends on your zone district, the size and shape of the lot, where the alley and the utilities are, and any covenant on the property. The lot check reads each of these and answers in writing.
Do I need a permit, and who pulls it?
Yes. Converting a garage or building a cottage needs a building permit from the city. We pull it under our contractor license, and we answer the city's questions.
How long does it take?
The city's plan review sets the start date, and the build follows it. We tell you where each stage stands as it happens, and we don't promise a date the city controls.
Can I rent it out?
Rental rules are the city's, and they can differ from the rules for building. Ask us what applies at your address, and confirm with the city before you plan around rent.
Was my house built before 1978?
If so, federal rules cover paid work that disturbs paint. Lead-safe work practices apply, and a certified firm must follow them. Our certification is listed on the license and insurance page, and we test before we disturb paint in an older garage or house.
What if you find something under the slab?
We stop, show you photos, and write a change order with its price before we go on. Nothing is billed that you haven't seen.
Where we build
Denver and the neighborhoods around it
Zoning is local, so we only build where we know the rules. If your address isn't listed, ask: we'll say yes or no first.
- Denver: Villa Park, Chaffee Park, Whittier, Cole, Five Points, Mayfair, Overland, Hale, Montbello, Athmar Park, Ruby Hill, University Hills
- Next door: Glendale, Dupont, Welby, Lakeside
We don't build outside the Denver metro area, in the foothills or on the Western Slope. We don't take whole-house remodels or roof-only jobs.
ZIP codes: 80205, 80211, 80212, 80216, 80219, 80220, 80223, 80238, 80246, 80113, 80022
Send us your lot
An address and a few answers are enough to start. We read the zoning and write back.