DESIGN TIME!

Well, my financing came through and I have the money to get this party started!  I was able to take money from the equity of my house as I had already paid off half of the original mortgage from 2006.  Now I owe the bank pretty much what I bought the house for but...I did refinance and was able to get a 15 yr. fixed 2.5% interest rate!!!  My mortgage did go up $700 per month now that I owe more but that is affordable and I can get a renter in there paying at least that much so I am feeling solid and safe.  I'm telling you guys this so you have an idea of what options are out there in case you want to join the DADU party bus for your own property!

So, the one poopy thing is that my design team is wayyyy too expensive.  There is a design they are affiliated with that I love but they are unable to build it within the budget I have so...oh well.  I'm sad as their design is kick ass - drive along West Marginal Way (heading into West Seattle) and on your left, across from the garbage/dump on the Duwamish, you will see 3 very small old run down cottages.  Remember those?  They were part of an old Croatian fishing village along the river.  Well two retired tugboat captains bought them and are fixing them up.  One is a colleague of my design team, Ten Penny Studios, and I love what they have done with the places.  They call them The Three Little Pigs.  The completed one is 300 square feet on top of 300 square feet and is super cozy and beautiful and what I could legally put on my lot.  But, alas, too expensive.  I am still going to see if I can by the plans and then shop them around to other contractors.  My dream is to have Louise from Weezie's Plumbing do my build as she did my kitchen remodel and is on time, great rates and quality work!  We shall see.

However, Neighbor Tova did send me a link last year informing me that the City of Seattle has created a website with pre-approved DADU designs!  I checked it out at that time and was not loving the designs as they are quite modern and I have done modern in the past and I am now looking for a 'Norway cottage in the winter time' kind of a feel.  Here is the link so you can check out all of the pre-approved designs along with other design submissions:  https://aduniverse-seattlecitygis.hub.arcgis.com/pages/gallery  

I have a pretty big crush on the Central Collective model:  https://www.seattle.gov/Documents/Departments/OPCD/OngoingInitiatives/EncouragingBackyardCottages/DADU_Submission029.pdf     

My footprint can only be 490 sq. ft. so this could work and it looks like a Viking longhouse.  It also comes with a cost analysis breakdown which is pretty fantastic!  

That's it for now.  Will post update when there is news.