Backyard cottages
A small house, built behind yours
A backyard cottage is a small, complete home with its own foundation, kitchen, bath and heat, set at the back of your lot. It is the longest utility run of the three kinds of work, and the one with the most freedom in the plan.
Included
Its own foundation, framed and insulated to code
A kitchen, a bath and a closet's worth of storage
Its own electric service from your panel or a new one
A porch or deck, if the lot's coverage allows
Water and sewer connected, with a cleanout
What changes the cost
What moves the price of this job
The cottage's price follows the lot as much as the plan.
The utility run
Distance, depth and anything in the way: a tree, a patio, a neighbor's easement.
Foundation
Frost depth and soil decide how deep the footing goes.
Size and shape
Small houses cost more per square foot, because the kitchen and bath stay the same size.
Access
An alley or a wide gate lets us bring materials. A narrow side yard means hand-carrying.
Windows and doors
Large glass looks open and costs more than a wall.
Finishes
Cabinets, floors and fixtures are allowances you choose.
Not included: furniture, landscaping, and city and utility fees
How it goes
The stages
- 01
Step 1: 1. Lot check
Zone, setbacks and the utility path.
- 02
Step 2: 2. Walk the lot
Where the cottage sits, and how we reach it.
- 03
Step 3: 3. Drawings and permit
A plan set, with a site plan on your plat.
- 04
Step 4: 4. Site and foundation
Locates, trench, footings and slab.
- 05
Step 5: 5. Frame, systems and finishes
Framing, roof, electric, plumbing and heat, then the inside.
- 06
Step 6: 6. Walk-through
Final inspection, then the keys.
Permits and rules
Permits and rules
A new house needs a building permit, and often a separate permit for each utility connection. The zone sets how large it may be, how tall, and how far it sits from each lot line and the alley.
Many cities also say who may live in it, and whether it can be rented. Those rules are the city's, and they change, so we confirm them with you at the lot check.
Questions
Questions about backyard cottages
How small can it be?
As small as the code allows for a dwelling. A cottage has to have a kitchen, a bath and a safe way out of every bedroom.
Can it share my utilities?
Often, but not always. A new service can be cheaper in the long run if your panel or sewer line is old.
Will it be seen from the street?
That depends on the lot and the rules. The zone may limit height, and the plan can set the cottage behind the house.
Is the house built before 1978?
If so, lead-safe practices apply to any paid work that disturbs paint on the old house, such as a new connection through a wall.
Does your yard have room?
The lot check comes first, and it commits you to nothing.