You have the property. You have the need. Let’s build a space that works for your family today and adds lasting value for years to come.
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You love your home, but there’s no room left. The guest bedroom became a home office. The home office became a playroom. A parent wants to visit for weeks at a time, and there’s nowhere private or comfortable for them to stay. You can’t keep giving up rooms you use every day just to accommodate the people who matter most.
You don’t want to move. You love your neighborhood, your neighbors, and the life you’ve built here. What you need is more space that’s independent, functional, and designed for the way your household actually lives.
An ADU doesn’t always mean starting from scratch. In many cases, an existing detached storage unit, a garage, or an underused outbuilding can be converted into a fully habitable space.
Depending on your lot and the condition of the existing structure, this is often less disruptive and less expensive than building new. Our team evaluates your property to identify the smartest path to the space you need.
We use Portland’s mild climate as a design asset. By thoughtfully connecting a compact interior with a covered outdoor living space, we can create an ADU that feels significantly larger than its square footage suggests. Every layout decision is made with livability in mind: how light moves through the space, where privacy matters, and how two people can share a bathroom without getting in each other’s way.
Your ADU might house a parent today, a renter in five years, and a returning college grad after that. We design with that flexibility in mind. That includes incorporating Universal Design principles so the space works for family members of all ages and abilities, now and as needs evolve. And if rental income is part of the plan, our in-house designer will help you select finishes that are durable, neutral, and appealing to a wide range of tenants.
Mortgage payments, utility bills, property taxes. The costs of homeownership keep climbing. Meanwhile, you’re sitting on a large lot where a significant portion of the yard goes unused most of the year. An ADU could generate rental income that offsets your monthly costs, or eventually recoup your investment entirely. The math is starting to make sense.
A garage conversion can be a smart way to add an ADU when the existing structure and site conditions are right. Our team evaluates your garage’s condition, location relative to property lines, and jurisdictional requirements to determine whether conversion makes sense for your situation.
Most garages sit too close to the front or side property lines to meet standard ADU placement requirements. Our team knows how to use every available jurisdictional tool to help clients gain permission for ADU development outside normal parameters, including Type II land use processes.
These are discretionary reviews that allow homeowners to formally request exceptions to standard zoning requirements. We explore every option before telling you something isn’t possible.
A rental ADU needs to hold up. Our in-house designer helps you select fixtures and finishes that are cost-effective, durable, and neutral enough for tenants to personalize with their own furnishings. The goal is a space that attracts quality tenants, minimizes replacement costs, and keeps your investment profitable for the long haul.
Rising costs of childcare, assisted living, and housing have many families looking for creative ways to combine resources without losing privacy. A parent wants to be closer. An adult child needs a landing pad. A caregiver needs to be on-site.
But your current home isn’t configured for truly independent, multigenerational living — there’s no separate entrance, no private kitchen, no space to entertain or unwind without walking through someone else’s home.
Whether we’re converting an existing basement, garage, or outbuilding, or building a new detached structure, we design a space that functions completely independently. The space has its own kitchen, bathroom, entrance, and areas for cooking, dining, and relaxing. Everyone stays connected without anyone sacrificing their privacy.
We incorporate Universal Design principles into every ADU we build, so the space functions safely and comfortably for family members of all ages and abilities. Wide doorways, accessible layouts, zero-threshold entries — features that make the space livable now and adaptable as needs evolve over time.
Two structures on one property can look and feel disjointed, or they can look like they were always meant to be together. We create design consistency between the main home and the ADU, and think carefully about the common spaces between them to create a property that facilitates connection without compromising independence.
Every ADU starts with a meaningful conversation and a thorough look at what your property can support. Here's how we take it from there.
We start with a short phone call to learn about your vision, timeline, and investment expectations. There’s no pressure and no obligation. If we’re a great fit, we’ll schedule a time to come see your space. If we’re not, we’ll tell you honestly and point you in the right direction. Either way, you’ll leave the call with more clarity than you started with.
We visit your home to understand how you live, what’s not working, and what your dream looks like. We encourage all decision-makers to be present so everyone is on the same page from the start. We take detailed measurements and talk through early feasibility and investment ranges — so you know what’s realistic before moving forward.
We present a detailed Project Development Agreement that outlines exactly what your project involves, how we work, and what to expect along the way. A $1,000 design retainer kicks things off to begin the design phase — and it’s fully credited back to your construction contract when you decide to move forward. This is where the partnership officially begins.
Our in-house designer creates conceptual drawings, renderings, and mood boards so you can see your possibilities before any decisions are locked in. We’d rather you fall in love with a direction than guess at it. This phase is all about making sure we fully understand your vision and give you the chance to refine it before we go deeper.
We take your chosen direction and finish it completely — refined renderings, full material selections, detailed specifications, and trade walkthroughs with every subcontractor. By the end of this phase, you’ll have a fixed-price contract you can count on. No guessing, no vague estimates. Just a real number for a fully designed project.
Once the contract is signed, we apply for permits, schedule our team, and order materials. We don’t break ground until everything is ready to go — which means your project runs on a real schedule. Your dedicated Project Director is with you every step of the way, keeping you informed with daily updates and photos through your private client portal. When we hand back your keys, the only thing left to do is enjoy it.
See how we've helped Portland homeowners create independent living spaces that add value, flexibility, and opportunity to their properties.
ADU pricing is based on construction type, whether you’re building new, adding on, or converting an existing structure. One important thing to understand upfront: an ADU contains everything a single-family home does, just compressed into a smaller footprint. That’s why the cost per square foot is higher than new home construction. You’re not building less — you’re building everything, just in less space.
Timeline: 12 to 16 weeks
Timeline: 16–20 weeks
Timeline: 12–16 weeks
All pricing includes one bedroom and one bathroom. Final cost is influenced by lot conditions, finish selections, jurisdictional requirements, and the complexity of utility tie-ins.
We're proud of the spaces we build, but hearing how those spaces have changed our clients' lives is what means the most to us.
Many homeowners use an ADU project as the perfect opportunity to make upgrades to the main home at the same time. Common add-ons include:
New siding, roofing, gutters, and exterior paint
Curb appeal and landscaping improvements
Additional insulation and energy efficiency upgrades
All new windows and exterior doors
Upgraded electrical, plumbing, and HVAC systems
New flooring, trim, and interior paint throughout
Covered outdoor living areas via roof extensions
That depends on your jurisdiction, the size of your existing home, the type of ADU you’re building, and whether it’s fully ADA compliant. In most cases, the maximum size falls between 600 and 900 square feet. Our feasibility study will tell you exactly what’s possible on your specific property.
That depends on the jurisdiction where your property is located. Most jurisdictions allow only a single ADU. We’ll confirm what applies to your lot as part of our feasibility study.
It can be, but it’s not always as straightforward as it sounds. Garages aren’t built to residential code, so the savings from using an existing structure are often offset by the cost of bringing it up to standard.
Additionally, many jurisdictions require ADUs to be located at the rear of the property — and depending on where your garage sits, a variance may be required. We’ll evaluate whether conversion makes sense for your specific situation.
Yes. In almost all jurisdictions, a separate entrance is required for the space to qualify as an independent living unit.
Most jurisdictions in the Portland area do not require off-street parking for an ADU, but requirements vary. We confirm this as part of our feasibility review.
An ADU contains everything a single-family home does (full kitchen, full bath, mechanical systems, utility tie-ins) compressed into a fraction of the space. The fixed costs don’t shrink just because the square footage does, which drives the per-square-foot cost up.
Real estate has a strong long-term track record, and ADUs are no exception. Rental income, whether short- or long-term, can eventually recoup your investment and then contribute to other financial goals.
ADUs can also serve as a vehicle for multigenerational living, aging in place, or keeping property in the family rather than liquidating it. We work with a local ADU financing expert who can help you evaluate the financial picture specific to your situation.
An ADU is designed for independent, long-term living. It has its own full kitchen, bathroom, and separate entrance. A guest cottage is primarily built for shorter-term stays and relies on the main home’s amenities. If you’re not sure which is right for your goals, we can help you think it through.
Let's find out what your lot can support and what it would take to build the space your family or your finances need.
