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Planning spring starts now: a lot check in winter leaves time for permit review.
Planning spring starts now: a lot check in winter leaves time for permit review.
Monday – Friday: 7:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. · Saturday: By appointment · Sunday: ClosedMonday – Friday: 7:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.General contractor · CO Lic. no. 000000(720) 555-0103
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In-law cottages

A home for a parent, close to yours

An in-law cottage is the same kind of building as any other, planned for one person's daily life: no steps from the car to the door, wide doorways, a shower you can walk into and a bedroom close to the bath.

Included

  • A step-free path from the drive to the door

  • Doorways and halls wide enough for a walker or chair

  • A shower without a curb, with blocking for grab bars

  • Good light at every threshold

  • A short, clear path to your back door

Start with a lot check
Small white cottage with a covered porch and Adirondack chairs on a lawn

What changes the cost

What moves the price of this job

What decides the plan and the price.

  • The path

    A level path from the car, over a lot with a slope, may need a ramp or a re-graded yard.

  • The bath

    A curbless shower takes care at the floor, and costs more than a standard tub.

  • One level

    A single floor means a larger footprint on the lot, and a cottage's coverage limit may decide it.

  • Distance to you

    Close is convenient, but setbacks and utilities decide how close it can be.

Not included: furniture, landscaping, and city and utility fees

How it goes

The stages

  1. 01

    Step 1: 1. Lot check

    Zone, setbacks, and the path from the car.

  2. 02

    Step 2: 2. A conversation

    Who will live there, and what a good day looks like for them.

  3. 03

    Step 3: 3. Drawings and permit

    A plan set, with the path drawn on the site plan.

  4. 04

    Step 4: 4. Build

    Site, structure, systems, finishes.

  5. 05

    Step 5: 5. Walk-through

    We walk it with the person who will live there.

Permits and rules

Permits and rules

An in-law cottage is permitted like any other dwelling. Some cities have separate rules for a family member, and some treat all accessory dwellings the same.

If you plan to rent it later, the rules for rental are the city's and may differ from the rules for building it. Ask us, and confirm with the city.

Questions

Questions about in-law cottages

Can a parent live in a converted garage?

Often, if the lot check says the garage can become a home. A step-free entry and a wide door are the first things we look at.

Do you build ramps?

Yes, as part of the path. The slope and length follow the code.

Can it be rented later?

That's the city's rule, not ours. We tell you what we find, and you confirm it with the city.

Is the house built before 1978?

If so, lead-safe practices apply to any paid work that disturbs paint on it.

Planning for a parent?

The lot check comes first, and it commits you to nothing.

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