2022 ADU Tour Project Profiles

Quick links to the ADU project profiles

1) Oregon Homeworks

2) Naomi E Campbell

3) Thomas Hudson

4) Community Vision

5) Jessica Scofield

6) Benn Kovco

7) Deb Delman

8) Stewart Hulick

9) Michelle Stephens and Quaine Day

10) Shelley and Adam Zucker

11) Danni Duggan & Bud Garrison

12) Terri Valiant and Jerry Spivey

13) May Leong

Maps

• Map of ADU Tour locations
• Google Map of Site Locations
• Bike Route Google Map (It’s 16 miles, end-to-end, with 13 stops along the route)

Quick Facts

1) Oregon Homeworks

 

We are utilizing Portland’s ADU and Middle Housing building code to offer greatly needed for-sale homes at attainable price points throughout Portland’s great walkable neighborhoods.

Tour organizer note: This project has two identical ADUs located side by side on adjacent properties. The units are all condoized for independent sale. Furthermore, the primary homes have basement suites that could have been built as ADUs.

Type of ADU	Detached New Construction
Architect/Designer	Matt Daby, modabydesign.net
General Contractor	Oregon Homeworks, oregonhomeworks.com
Heating System	All-electric ducted heat pump mini-split.

When did you start the design work?	5/2018
When did you submit the plans to the City?	10/2021
When did you start construction	2/2022
When did you get your certificate of occupancy?	6/2022

Total Square Footage

800 sq ft

Total Cost (including sweat equity)	$290K
Cost/Square Foot	$362

Sweat Equity estimate (part of the “Total Cost” listed above)	$0
Other special project costs	The elevated location far removed from the street added extra costs associated with hand-delivery of building materials (lumber, roof trusses, drywall, etc.).- $7.5K Condoization – $20K (not included in total)

How are you using the ADU now, or how will you be using ADU once it’s complete?

We will be offering it for sale.

What did you do to prepare for the ADU development process?

This is Oregon Homeworks’ primary focus as a local developer. We have researched the ADU and Middle Housing code and developed a number of house plans that provide a great mix of flexibility, architectural interest, high-end finishes and full-size features, all at attainable price points for Portland buyers.

Describe your experience working with BDS to get your project approved.

No issues.

How do you think about the ‘return on your investment’ for this ADU?

We will make a profit after selling the ADU.

Besides its small size, what green features did you include in your design?

The ADU will be Earth Advantage Platinum certified and also Net-Zero Ready. Some of the specific features include additional insulation, high-efficiency all-electric heat pump and water heater, and low-flow plumbing fixtures. The ADU has a projected annual electric bill of only $600 (an average of $50/month), and will be Net-Zero if solar panels are installed.

What design aspect of your ADU are you most happy with?

Despite having only 800 sq ft, the ADU lives, feels and looks like a full-sized house. This is achieved in part via the covered front entry and vaulted living room. In addition, the ADU features a full-sized kitchen and main bathroom and several generous storage areas.

What element of your ADU, or part the development process and outcome, are you most proud of?

We are excited to offer the ADU and our other projects to families that otherwise wouldn’t be able to afford new construction homes with private yards in Portland’s great close-in neighborhoods.

What design aspect of your ADU are you least happy with?

None. We have built this plan several times now.

What would you do differently, if you were to start over?

Nothing! We are excited to sell it to a great buyer.

What was the most surprising thing you learned during your design/build process?

That we have views of Mt. Hood from the upper floor. That was a nice surprise!

What advice would you offer someone else building the same kind of ADU?

While it’s great that Portland building code allows ADUs to be built, the details can be tricky, so we highly encourage anyone interest to talk with a contractor with specific ADU expertise. We are happy to share our knowledge and experience in building ADUs and other Middle Housing options in Portland to anyone that would like to learn more.

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2) Naomi E Campbell

Once I had finished renovating my own home and putting an apartment in the basement, I wanted another real estate/renovation project. I decided on an ADU over buying another home to sell or rent because a number of costs, like taxes and maintenance, would be greater with owning another property rather than building on my own. I also preferred the lower risks I would have by building on site and living on site vs gambling on the housing market with a flip or renting another property out.

Tour organizer note: This is the first ‘kit’ home featured on the ADU Tour. Though, as the host will explain, a kit is actually more just like a framing package than anything. Also, the primary house has a 500 sq ft basement suite that could be built as an ADU, which will be available for viewing.

Type of ADU	Detached new construction
Architect/Designer	Naomi E Campbell Mandala Homes Mandalahomes.com, Nelson BC The exterior design is a Mandala Homes package which they customized to my specifications and added the bedroom wing.  The interior was my design.   This was a kit home and the kit included the customized  panelized outer framing, siding, doors and windows, and necessary lumber for any thing else exterior, as well as the lumber needed for the roof. They also assisted with creating some of the initial plans required by the City of Portland. They provided a tech that could draw up professional  interior plans based off of my less professional looking plans  via remote sessions.
General Contractor	Self general contracted. With help from Lifetime Builders LLC – lifetimebuildersnw.com and Fine Grain Construction
Heating System	Minisplit and gas fireplace

When did you start the design work?	1/2018
When did you submit the plans to the City?	6/2018
When did you start construction	9/2018
When did you get your certificate of occupancy?	10/2019

Total Square Footage	483
Total Cost (including sweat equity)	$284K
Cost/Square Foot	$588

Sweat Equity estimate (part of the “Total Cost” listed above)

As the GC on this project, I often wasn’t able to service clients and earned less that ¼ than I normally would. I could look at that cost or estimate the hours and either way, the cost is 100’s of thousands of dollars. I like to think some of that is cancelled out by education gained that’ll make the process MUCH easier next time.

Other special project costs

The kit, coming from Canada, made the framing and siding materials much less than buying locally. (Lumber imported from Canada is taxed, whereas products made from lumber are not. Even though much was a pile of lumber, it was taxed as a product. HOWEVER, due to the irregular shape, a number of things were more expensive as a cost and/or in my hours used like the foundation.   Foundation quoted for square plans – $8K Foundation cost of the 16 sided home with a wing – nearly $20K

How are you using the ADU now, or how will you be using ADU once it’s complete?  

Short term rental. www.instagram.com/sunhousepdx/

This coming year the ADU will continue to be a guest rental/short term rental. Currently it is listed on Airbnb. Initially I was planning to live in this ADU. Over time my situation changed and I decided to use it as a short term rental starting in October 2019 when the build was completed and the occupancy permit was granted. In March 2020 I didn’t want to encourage travel during the early pandemic and switched to long term renters. In 2021 it returned to being a short term rental when the long term renters moved out and into a home they bought. When family visits, I block the calendar for them. Its nice to have plenty of separate room for everyone during their visits.

The basement apartment was a short term rental on Airbnb from 2011-2020. During the pandemic neighbors and friends were able to quarantine away from their household there (it does not share venting). For now it is used for friends and family as a short term rental, arranged through me. In the future it could become a long term rental or go back on a platform like Airbnb for short term rental. No plans, but plenty of options.

The basement apartment is currently used for neighbor’s visiting family and friends and friends of friends that are in town for short to mid-length stays.

What did you do to prepare for the ADU development process?

I took Kol’s classes, went on ALL of the ADU tours (they’re so fun), talked to people with ADU’s, created Pinterest boards, collected contacts, stayed in unique Airbnb’s, studied elements of my property, saved money, found loans…

For the basement apartment, I decided to just permit it as additional living space because at the time (2010-2011) we were only permitted to build one ADU. Building the basement space prepared me for the detached ADU through successes and lessons learned. 

Describe your experience working with BDS to get your project approved.

I came into BDS with plans from other kit home companies that make 8 or 16 sided homes. BDS asked for modifications that the kit companies couldn’t or wouldn’t make. Mandala was able to make the modifications (they were willing to change the roof pitch and a couple other small details). An employee at Mandala commented that Portland was the second most tricky city they had worked with throughout the permit process (after Berkeley). Mandala does this around the world. Much credit to them for working with this.

How do you think about the ‘return on your investment’ for this ADU?

As a year round long term rental, it has around a 6% cap rate. As a short term rental, it has around a 12% cap rate. To sell the house and ADU together right now I would still experience a loss (three years into renting), but as an income generating asset that I hold on to, it has a solid cap rate.

I believe the unique shape in part is the reason the home has a very high occupancy rate as a short term rental and was easy to fill with amazing tenants as a long term rental. So perhaps the premium I paid to achieve the shape pays off monetarily. That was not an incentive to me when I was choosing the shape, but is potentially informative to anyone deciding if they should spend a little more on design obstacles that will enrich the occupant’s experience. Creating builds that create a better dweller feel/experience pays on numerous levels.

Besides its small size, what green features did you include in your design?

Since I planned to either live in or rent out the space for years to come, I was fiscally incentivized as well as ethically determined to build green. We went well over the code requirement for insulation. In addition to rockwool filling the 2×6 framing wall cavities, there’s 2” foam insulation on the outside with a rain screen between the foam and the siding. The heat pump, on demand water heater, ERV, and other appliances are high efficiency and the plumbing fixtures are low flow (although somehow maintain that ideal high shower pressure). Many of the City of Portland’s requirements that make it more difficult to build here ARE efforts to require builders to build more green.

What design aspect of your ADU are you most happy with?

I love that when I walk into the ADU, I instantly feel more relaxed. I’ve studied trauma-informed design and believe everyone can benefit from it. I love the feeling created by the ADU’s shape, the wood ceiling, the skylights, the many windows revealing mostly native plant landscaping, the careful lighting plan, the near minimalism, and its features make me feel. I love offering that experience for long term and short term renters as well as personal visitors. 

What element of your ADU, or part the development process and outcome, are you most proud of?

I’d spent a lot of time in a yurt and wanted to create the feeling a yurt’s circle provides but in an urban environment. To create this with proper permitting, I was initially met with a fair amount of resistance. The less usual shape required extra stubborn determination from me to permit and build it. Now that it’s done and really captures the calm feeling of being in a yurt, I am so proud that I stuck to it and didn’t switch back to a rectangle. Serious type 2 fun. 

What design aspect of your ADU are you least happy with?

In considering this answer, I’m really happy to realize I can’t think of anything I’m really unhappy with. I plan to plant some privacy plants by the fence on the main house’s yard side to give a little extra privacy. But the main house and ADU are pretty private from one another already.

What would you do differently, if you were to start over?

I paid a designer and then a design builder before deciding to go with a Mandala Homes plan. I didn’t vet either of the first two well enough. I was impatient and wanted to get going. I don’t regret what ultimately came to be, but if I could go into this again, I’d do so with much more patience and tolerance for longer timelines.

What was the most surprising thing you learned during your design/build process?

My first surprise was that architects have no legal responsibility to design a home anywhere near the budget you ask them to consider in their design. When I shopped the first architect’s design with contractors, it was going to cost twice my budget to build. The architect was going to charge for a complete redesign (same fee I paid for the first design). This is how it works. That surprised me.

I’ve renovated a number of homes down to the studs that I lived in and/or flipped, so I thought it’d be pretty close to my knowledge and skill set to build a kit home exterior and finish the interior as I had in past renovations. I didn’t realize that most of the kit was a pile of lumber and plans. There was a steep learning curve and I ended up hiring out more carpentry help than I had planned.

It was interesting to have to use trig rather than simple measurements that traditional rectangular buildings require. When figuring out things like where plumbing would come up in the slab foundation before the concrete pour, I ran calculations and measurements over and over and then just did a hail Mary. Fortunately I got it right, whew.

What advice would you offer someone else building the same kind of ADU?

Be patient. If the designer and/or builder you like can’t be scheduled until a date way out, go with that date. It’s all going to take time anyway. If you’re going to hire someone for this work, someone that knows what thery’re doing is worth a wait. I made that mistake, hired less experienced and recommended people, and had to go back to the drawing board twice before deciding to do it myself. I love what the final result is. I love getting to have the experience of building my first ground up project. But if I had waited for the original people I wanted to work with, I would have started later than I had wanted, but would have been done, with a great ADU long before I did and with a lot less stress over the years.

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3) Thomas Hudson

I built a basement ADU because I thought it was a good use of space, I thought it was a good investment, I also thought it was an ethical investment, and I was interested in living in it myself one day. The existing basement was great for storage in general (especially bike storage) as well as laundry but other than an occasional project it generally was vacant of activity. I recently remodeled the house and created space for a stackable washer/dryer upstairs. Then in the basement ADU design I incorporated a small shed that could be used for bike storage. So other than the drastic loss of storage space I was able to justify the conversion to more living space. I’m excited to achieve a return on investment from the ADU but another motivations for building was to continue to divest savings from the financial services sector. Some of the money used to build the ADU was previously tied up in stocks, digging gold mines in Chile, and may have been contributing to questionable corporate practices all over the world. When you spend that money locally it goes into the community. It’s easy for me to feel good about my investment when that money goes towards the livelihood of my builders. Finally I’m excited to try the new space out and live in it one day! I tried to design the space, finishes, and layout to accommodate current and future life styles.

Tour organizer note: This property also has a detached ADU. So, this is one of the first properties in Portland to have two ADUs. Also, this ADU is NOT yet complete. It’s still under construction. So, it may not be of interest or suitable for all attendees.

Type of ADU	Basement and attached garage conversion
Architect/Designer	Thomas Hudson, Willie Dean, Das Chapin
General Contractor	Self general contracted
Heating System	electric radiant heaters

When did you start the design work?	10/2020
When did you submit the plans to the City?	12/2020
When did you start construction	5/2021
When did you get your certificate of occupancy?	7/2022

Total Square Footage	610
Total Cost (including sweat equity)	$140K
Cost/Square Foot	$229

Sweat Equity estimate (part of the “Total Cost” listed above)	$50K
Other special project costs	Electrical Service upgrade (added an electrical meter, upgraded exterior meter pack, added an electrical panel)-$9K Four basement windows cut into the concrete-$9K New Water meter with SDC charges (missed the $3,000 SDC savings because I added the meter before I pulled the ADU permit) – $11K

 How are you using the ADU now, or how will you be using ADU once it’s complete?

I think I’d like to try it out as a primary residence. I might move out of Portland and sublet the room during periods when I’m away…. Maybe try not living in Portland for the winter. 😉

What did you do to prepare for the ADU development process?

Portland has a great community of designers and builders. I definitely tried to reach out early and see who might want to help and how best to engage with them.

Describe your experience working with BDS to get your project approved.

I started the project with roughing-in plumbing and electrical upgrades under the FIR program (special program for City of Portland construction projects). This program does not allow ADUs but once the FIR contractor was on board for the partial scope of our project things went smoothing. Upon resubmitting for the final basement ADU design I only got one comment back from the city of Portland reviewer team but the process still took close to 2-months.

How do you think about the ‘return on your investment’ for this ADU?

Great use of space, acceptable return of investment of around 10-15%.

Besides its small size, what green features did you include in your design?

Dual flush toilet, quartz countertops, low VOC finishes, extra insulation around the doorways and where allowable.

What design aspect of your ADU are you most happy with?

Large basement windows

What element of your ADU, or part the development process and outcome, are you most proud of?

Large windows

What design aspect of your ADU are you least happy with?

Not sure yet!

What would you do differently, if you were to start over?

Nothing.

What was the most surprising thing you learned during your design/build process?

Everything and nothing

What advice would you offer someone else building the same kind of ADU?

Storage is key, so having an architect review your intended plans to maximize storage closets and storage space seems well worth the time. After you are issued your drawings, and before you start too much construction, call in an inspection an inspection for mechanical/plumbing/electrical rough-in inspection. Review with the inspector all your underground work and other details. What the inspectors want to see is often very different than the plan review process so it’s good to have a ‘consult’ with the inspector so you know what they are looking for…. especially before you are paying a trades person $100/hr! Best everyone is on the same page. The following items are probably more specific towards basement ADUs. I think you save money by installing inexpensive windows and spend that money on trim around the windows. Large sill plates look great and allow space for plants. A six foot slider window is only $200 and meets egress. Slider windows are less expensive than casement windows but a little bit more expensive to install as there is a bit more concrete cutting for installing into basement walls. Some contractors will install the windows with a 2″ steel header (in lieu of 2×6 headers). This will allow a taller window in the basement and allow more light into the space. Have a plumber come in early and identify what types of underground plumbing you need and how they can achieve that with the existing plumbing system to meet your intended space layout. Specifically kitchen and bathroom waste lines. Typically you want your range exhaust to exit the basement immediately above and behind your range….. but your operable windows and doors need to be 3-feet away from this discharge so plan accordingly. Use surface mount LED light fixtures that mount directly to a cheap 4″ ceiling receptacle/box. These reduce the need for additional fire-proofing around CAN type light fixtures. These are cheap on Amazon and visually appealing. They’re also BRIGHT so plan to use a dimmer light switch for places like living rooms and kitchens. Along the same idea, if you have exhaust ductwork in the joists (say for bathroom exhaust fans, dryer exhaust fans, or the like) it needs to be rigid metal ductwork (no flex ductwork) a minimum 26 gauge.

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4) Community Vision, Jennifer Knapp Executive Director, Joe Wykowski Housing Consultant

The ADU will be a long-term affordable rental for an individual experiencing a disability .As a local non-profit we educated ourselves by attending and participating in the Metro Build Small Coalition . We reviewed relevant materials, and attended local ADU tours in past years, and had numerous conversations with local architects and builders completing the work on a day to day basis. We feel our communication and networking with others will lead to additional community members wanting to build in affordable ways that will help meet the need for affordable housing ,while benefiting both the homeowner and individuals with disabilities.

Type of ADU	Garage conversion
Architect/Designer	Mitchell Snyder Architecture http://www.msnyderarch.com
General Contractor	Andrew Morphis, Roost Homes LLC, http://www.roosthomespdx.com
Heating System	Ductless mini-split

When did you start the design work?	6/2018
When did you submit the plans to the City?	7/2020
When did you start construction	10/2020
When did you get your certificate of occupancy?	2/2022

Total Square Footage	576
Total Cost (including sweat equity)	$210K
Cost/Square Foot	$364

Sweat Equity estimate (part of the “Total Cost” listed above)	$2K
Other special project costs	Asbestos abatement = $3K Property line survey (arguably not necessary given the historical, established location of structure) = $2K Foundation perimeter insulation/cladding detail (not a cost-effective retrofit code requirement) = ~$3K Lumber price inflation between time submitting permit to building structure = ~$5K

How are you using the ADU now, or how will you be using ADU once it’s complete?

The ADU will remain affordable over time to assist one individual to live on their own , the basic use of the ADU will not change.

What did you do to prepare for the ADU development process?

As a local non-profit we educated ourselves by attending and participating in the Metro Build Small Coalition . We reviewed materials, and attended local ADU tours in past years, and had numerous conversations with local architects and builders completing the work on a day to day basis.

Describe your experience working with BDS to get your project approved.

The requirement for the exterior perimeter of the foundation be insulated to R-15, when we had already spec’d full R-15 under slab insulation. Due to the construction partially converting an existing garage with a small section of exposed stem wall between the slab floor and the wall bottom plate, the plan reviewers at BDS required us to add a cost-intensive insulation and cladding detail to the exterior of the foundation. The only way to achieve this detail is to add rigid insulation to the exterior of the foundation which requires flashing / waterproofing and a durable exterior finish that is costly extremely difficult to detail well. Thousands of additional construction dollars were spent in order to reduce the operational energy costs over the lifetime of the building by an amount likely in the hundreds of dollars. The operational energy savings of this requirement is negligible for our moderate climate zone in the Portland Metro area under long-established evaluation and reporting methodologies. The cost to achieve this detail would be better invested in other more productive energy efficiency methods or waived as means to facilitate affordable housing development. Also, garage conversions / additions to ADU should qualify for the FIR program which would greatly improve the permit approval process, as anything that can reduce the time spent in permitting will lead to an overall reduction in project cost. In general, the staffing issues, inefficient and siloed processes within BDS, and poorly thought out policies have added significant time and cost to the permitting and development process for sustainable, affordable infill middle housing over the recent past.

How do you think about the ‘return on your investment’ for this ADU?

It is a good return on investment because of the social good being created by virtue of building a long- term affordable living option for an individual with a disability.

Besides its small size, what green features did you include in your design?

Added on to existing garage to minimize waste and re-utilize existing materials as much as possible.

What design aspect of your ADU are you most happy with?

We worked with the architect and contractor to create a visitable unit that could be converted to full accessibility as needed. Although built at a modest price we feel the finishes , colors etc. are very esthetically pleasing.

What element of your ADU, or part the development process and outcome, are you most proud of?

We are proud that all of our upfront work and communications with others in the Portland community lead to a viable end product that supports individuals with disabilities to live in an affordable manner.

What design aspect of your ADU are you least happy with?

Due to the east side facing an alley we had to limit windows to one window higher up above the kitchen sink, this was a practical consideration for privacy. We are not unhappy as much as having to understand the reality of the site and design.

What would you do differently, if you were to start over?

We would potentially re-consider completely demolishing the existing garage and building an all new structure.

What was the most surprising thing you learned during your design/build process?

Although the ADU is much smaller than a single-family home the permitting process still took a while to complete , there is not fast track to permitting ADUs.

What advice would you offer someone else building the same kind of ADU?

I would check the new updates for garage conversions, in relation to permits and ADUs, it seems requirements are constantly being updated. It’s also very important to remember that each site is very specific to your ADU site. Which factors influence what you can build need to be thoroughly vetted before costing the project.

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5) Jessica Scofield

I wanted to convert my detached garage into an ADU in order to have a job (running an airbnb) that I could do from home and around my child’s schedule.

Type of ADU	Garage conversion
Architect/Designer	Mitchell Snyder Architecture http://www.msnyderarch.com
General Contractor	Andrew Morphis, Roost Homes LLC, http://www.roosthomespdx.com
Heating System	Ductless minisplit

When did you start the design work?	10/2017
When did you submit the plans to the City?	2/2018
When did you start construction	2/2018
When did you get your certificate of occupancy?	6/2018
Total Square Footage	198 sq ft
Total Cost (including sweat equity)	$80K
Cost/Square Foot	404

Sweat Equity estimate (part of the “Total Cost” listed above)	$0K
Other special project costs	$0K

How are you using the ADU now, or how will you be using ADU once it’s complete?

I rent this ADU out on Airbnb.

What did you do to prepare for the ADU development process?

I interviewed an architect (Mitch Snyder) who advertised that he specialized in ADUs. If Mitch didn’t have the storefront on Alberta with models I’m not sure this would ever have occurred to me.

Describe your experience working with BDS to get your project approved.

There were no issues as this was back in 2018.  Because it was a garage conversion with minimal structural changes it was approved the same day over the counter.

How do you think about the ‘return on your investment’ for this ADU?

This has been very valuable to me over the past four years. It has been my primary source of income.

Besides its small size, what green features did you include in your design?

Upgraded building shell insulation and air sealing package.

What design aspect of your ADU are you most happy with?

I love the amount of natural light it gets from the sliding glass doors and the skylight. I love the wood floors and the tile work in the kitchen and the shower and the bathroom floor.

What element of your ADU, or part the development process and outcome, are you most proud of?

I’m proud of the remnant stone countertop and the wood floors that Andrew sourced. They were deals because they were leftovers. I also found Pratt and Larson tiles for the kitchen backsplash at the Rebuilding Center. When you’re decorating a small space, you can get really high quality materials at an affordable price.

What design aspect of your ADU are you least happy with?

There isn’t anything I’m unhappy with.

What would you do differently, if you were to start over?

I would do it sooner!

What was the most surprising thing you learned during your design/build process?

Honestly I don’t think I was surprised by any part of it, because I didn’t know anything about the process going into it.

What advice would you offer someone else building the same kind of ADU?

Hire Mitch and Andrew! Focus on exactly what you want to use the ADU for, and design and build with that in mind.

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6) Benn Kovco

First decided to build an ADU by spending a lot of time hanging around with this guy called Kol 😉 I’ve long had an interest in small housing that was sparked in my teenage years while backpacking and skiing to old cattleman’s huts in the Australian high country – these are structures built from the lumber that could be harvested onsite and whatever luxuries (a few panes of glass and some corrugated metal for the roof) could be packed in by horse. A ‘large’ one of these huts might be barely over 300 sq ft and many were as small as about 120 sq ft. This spark led to working on a few natural building projects (cob, strawbale, light straw-clay) which always lean towards the smallest size that is necessary due to the large amount of labor required. Fast forward a few years and I’ve moved to Portland Oregon, don’t own any property but have an unstoppable urge to build a house from the ground up, enter tiny houses on wheels. The first THOW build led to ideas of finding a property that would work to build an ADU and host a THOW. Smaller housing makes sense to me for so many reasons and expanding an urban growth boundary to install McMansions does not. The ADU model allows for some very creative and beautiful housing to exist in some otherwise generic urban spaces and expands the use of valuable land that is in many cases heavily underutilized. Before building here, the .22 acre property was roughly 5% asphalt, 7% house and 88% lawn. The lawn percentage is still a little high for my liking but we’ve definitely tipped the scales. I have heard the cries of ‘excessive density’ but it seems the benchmark for that is only what Portland was before, not what is actually needed right now in terms of housing and certainly not to what density means in other popular cities around the US and the world. For comparison, I have a brother who is a builder in Melbourne Australia and he was starting a project right around the time we began the ADU build. The property was the same distance from the center of Melbourne as we are from Portland downtown and slightly smaller. He was building 14 attached town houses. The code would have allowed up to 20 units. Not saying that is what we should aim for, but Portland has a long way to go in making sensibly sized housing of all types more available and we can do better than the growing cities that have come before us.

Tour organizer note: Please note that none of the units are available for interior viewing at this site. Rather, it is the site itself that important to visit. This site was developed with three independent buildings: one as an ADU in the back, and two on the sides as detached accessory structures with living space. These two are detached bedrooms, which are legally considered to be a part of the primary home. However, it would be relatively simple to do convert one of these two detached bedrooms to an ADU. Or, the owner could convert the whole development to a cottage cluster under House Bill 2001’s new code coming into effect on July 1st, 2022.

Type of ADU	Detached, new construction
Architect/Designer	Communitecture https://www.communitecture.net/
General Contractor	Shelter Solutions https://www.shelter-solutions.net/
Heating System	Ductless minisplit

When did you start the design work?	3/2017
When did you submit the plans to the City?	11/2017
When did you start construction	6/2018
When did you get your certificate of occupancy?	10/2019

Total Square Footage	490 sq ft
Total Cost (including sweat equity)	$165K
Cost/Square Foot	$336

Sweat Equity estimate (part of the “Total Cost” listed above)	Completed most of the interior work – full bath and kitchen fit out including tiling and cabinets, flooring, light fixtures, interior trim and doors, exterior decks, some HVAC, passive radon extraction in foundation. Roughly $40k.
Other special project costs	Had to upgrade the water meter, $7K

How are you using the ADU now, or how will you be using ADU once it’s complete?

Long term rental.

What did you do to prepare for the ADU development process?

Built a tiny house on wheels and made lots of mistakes. Fixed some of those. Helped with building work on some other houses in various stages. Bought a house that had a high possibility of being unsalvageable without having the opportunity to determine whether or not that was really the case. It was not. Exhaled. Did a full renovation of that house inside and out (not in any version of the original plan) Thought I would do most of the building work on the ADU myself. Made what was (in hindsight) one of the smartest decisions of my life to hire professionals to do most of the building work. Found an excellent design team. Freaked out. Spoke with calm people. Worked out how many silly methods of financing we could come up with to make the project viable. Note: Most of this list should be used as things to NOT do in preparing to build an ADU 🙂

Describe your experience working with BDS to get your project approved.

No problems.

How do you think about the ‘return on your investment’ for this ADU?

I do not think about it. All debts were refinanced in to a single mortgage at the end of the project and the ADU will remain a long term rental for the foreseeable future. I’m not able to imagine the scenario where the property would be sold in the next 10 years, and likely not in the next 20 years.

Besides its small size, what green features did you include in your design?

The ADU has a 1 1/4″ layer of external insulation – this is insulation that sits between the siding/trim and the exterior sheathing, creating a thermal break which (in theory) boosts the insulation value of the walls.

What design aspect of your ADU are you most happy with?

The way the ADU relates to the other structures on the property and the seeing the landscaping fill out is beyond what I could have imagined.

What element of your ADU, or part the development process and outcome, are you most proud of?

The fact that a sensibly sized unit of housing now exists in a beautiful urban landscape that was before a piece of grass (and dandelions).

What design aspect of your ADU are you least happy with?

The cold concrete slab. On a do-over I’d never go without in-floor radiant heat.

What would you do differently, if you were to start over?

Probably not too much. The financing for the project was in hindsight quite ridiculous but was all we were able to do at the time. The size of our ADU was limited by the size of the primary residence which is only 730 sq ft. This wasn’t an issue for us but might be something for people purchasing a property with the intent of building an ADU to keep in mind.

What was the most surprising thing you learned during your design/build process?

You can take a loan out on your 401k – who knew?!

What advice would you offer someone else building the same kind of ADU?

Talk to as many people as you can find who have been through the process and are willing to share their triumphs and failures.

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7) Deb Delman

Tour organizer note: This site has no ADUs. However, it features a tiny house on wheels, which are now allowed in the City of Portland as a legal from housing. Learn more here. Additionally, the owner has converted the garage to living space. This is not an ADU, but as you will see, it is quite close to being an ADU.

Type of Dwelling	Tiny House on Wheels
Architect/Designer	Abel Zimmerman Zyl, zylvardos.com
General Contractor	Abel Zimmerman Zyl, zylvardos.com
Heating System	DDDD

When did you start the design work?	11/2014
When did you submit the plans to the City?	N/A
When did you start construction	12/2015
When did you get your certificate of occupancy?	3/2016

Total Square Footage	160 sq ft
Total Cost (including sweat equity)	$54K
Cost/Square Foot	$375

Sweat Equity estimate (part of the “Total Cost” listed above)	None
Other special project costs	None

Type of Dwelling	Garage Conversion to Living Space
Architect/Designer	Das Chapin, daschapin.com
General Contractor	Self general contracted, Tyler FuQua was the builder, tylerfuquacreations.com
Heating System	Ductless minisplit

When did you start the design work?	9/2021
When did you submit the plans to the City?	10/2021
When did you start construction	12/2021
When did you get your certificate of occupancy?	5/2022

Total Square Footage	352 sq ft
Total Cost (including sweat equity)	$74K
Cost/Square Foot	$210

Sweat Equity estimate (part of the “Total Cost” listed above)

I’d say I’ve lived and breathed creating the Sweet Sunshine Suite for the last five months, since December 2021. It’s really hard to estimate the number of hours I’ve put into it! I’ve been involved in every aspect of the design and build, from working with the architect in the design to working alongside my builder/friend Tyler throughout the entire process. As the GC, I’ve hired and communicated with all of the tradespeople (including a female HVAC installer:) and have been the point person for the inspections with BDS. Thankfully, I hired my architect to take care of the permitting process. I’ve sourced all of the materials, and furniture, and have driven for hours to purchase things from Craigslist and Facebook Marketplace. I also designed the landscaping, chose all of the materials and worked alongside my landscaper (although he did all of the grunt work!) The most time intense project was the massive mosaic tile wall in the kitchen and surround of the skylight, which included multiple trips back and forth to the Pratt & Larson Seconds room, breaking endless pieces of tile, laying out the design, thinsetting the pieces, attaching the tile to the hardibacker, installing the pieces on the walls, and grouting. The shower tile project was just as time intensive, but in a different way as I was working with larger pieces of completes tiles. It took many hours of figuring out the design on my living room floor, where the tile lived for about two weeks(which my dogs and cat didn’t appreciate!) Sanding and staining the live edge counters, bar, and mountains also took many hours. I hired a friend to help with lots of these projects, which was an enormous help. I’d say that I put at least 360 hours over the five months(roughly 20 hours/week), so at $50/hour my sweat equity would be- $18K

Other special project costs

None

How are you using the ADU now, or how will you be using ADU once it’s complete?

Tiny House on Wheels – Furnished rental

Pacifica tiny house was originally custom built and designed in 2016 for Caravan- The Tiny House Hotel. Pacifica is not an ADU- it is a tiny house on wheels (THOW). It was one of the six tiny houses at Caravan and was there from 2016-2021. I did not know at the time that I would end up using it on my residential property as a monthly rental. Pacifica was built in Olympia, Washington by Abel Zyl Zimmerman. One specific reason we commissioned Pacifica was to have a wheelchair accessible tiny house at Caravan so that we could serve customers who use wheelchairs. In terms of scope of use, that was one huge benefit to our guests and it allowed us to take on the challenge of helping design a tiny house, which is- tiny, in such a way that it would be big enough to navigate in a wheelchair. It was a good challenge to take on. We made design decisions that included making it 10ft. wide, as opposed to the standard 8’6″, making the bathroom ADA compliant, having the bottom stair flip up, having a pull-out bed downstairs, wheels on the coffee table, and more. We also bought a ramp that we stored underneath it. Setting up the ramp for guests who used wheelchairs was a bit of an operation that required us to reconfigure the courtyard furniture, but it was 100% worth it. Now that Pacifica is located on my home property, I use it for folks who are looking for 1-6 month stays, like traveling nurses. It’s a perfect place for that, as it has it’s own private entrance and yard. It has all of the amenities a monthly tenant would need for a shorter stay, but doesn’t have a dishwasher, washer & dryer, etc that a larger rental might have. It works well with the *Sweet Sunshine Suite*, my garage conversion that is used as an AirBnB. I also have another rental property that is used for long-term housing. At that property, I also have a garage conversion that I purposely make affordable, so between my four rentals, I run the gamut of affordable, long-term, monthly and nightly options.

Garage Conversion to Living Space- Short term rental and occasional guest room for friends and family

What did you do to prepare for the ADU development process?

I’ve been living in and promoting small housing for most of the last 20 years.

Since Pacifica is not an ADU and is a tiny house that was built three years after we opened Caravan, we didn’t need to do much to prepare for Pacifica specifically. That being said, we spent a year and a half going through the permitting process to become the first tiny house hotel in the country. There were a LOT of hoops to jump though, but in the spring of 2013, we did it. For Pacifica, we worked closely with the builder, Abel Zimmerman Zyl, in the design process. We had decided that we wanted to work with a builder who would build a wheelchair accessible tiny house so that we could serve guests who use wheelchairs.

Describe your experience working with BDS to get your project approved.

For the THOW: At the time that we commissioned Pacifica, tiny houses on wheels were not legal to live in. Because it was located on the Caravan lot and only used for under 30 days at at time as a hotel room, we did not have to permit it. That being said, the original location of Pacifica at Caravan was the result of a year and a half of working with the City to open the first tiny house hotel in the world. That was a LOT of work!

For the garage conversion: Just some back and forth with the engineer about the plans

How do you think about the ‘return on your investment’ for this ADU?

For the THOW: Well, at an average of $175/night at Caravan, the ROI, at least in hard costs, probably happened in the first year and a half. At this point, all rental income is income, as the tiny house has been paid off. I do not anticipate ever living in Pacifica, but I intend to hold onto it for years to come. Tiny houses tend to not depreciate very much, and since we paid such a low price for it because it was Abel’s prototype model, even with the use it’s had over the years, I imagine that I could sell it for more than it originally cost.

For the garage conversion: I spent $56,000 on the project, so at $145/night after AirBnB fees, it will take me just over a year, at 100% occupancy to recoup the money I spent on the garage conversion. As much as I did everything I could to save money (for example, the exterior lights were $10 each at the ReBuilding Center!), I made the decision to make every square inch of the space colorful, artistic, and high quality so that I could rent it out on AirBnB at a decent rate. I saw this process as a part-time job (that I absolutely loved doing!) and an investment into my future. I knew that I had to spend money to make money, so I saw this process as getting me closer to the next chapter of my life.

Besides its small size, what green features did you include in your design?

For the THOW: Well, a tiny house on wheels is inherently green because it is, tiny. Pacifica is really well insulated, but we did not make any specific choices about green materials because it was so small.

For the garage conversion: The majority of the finish materials I used, as well some of the art, amenities, and appliances were repurposed and sourced from Craigslist, FB Marketplace, the ReBuilding Center, Hippo Hardware and thrift stores, including Goodwill. For instance, after searching floor weeks for bathroom flooring, I found one box of the perfect blue color of Armstrong floor tiles buried in the basement of Hippo Hardware! We literally ended up with exactly the amount needed for the bathroom floor. The exterior lights ere $10 each at the ReBuilding Center, although if you factor in the amount of time we spent cleaning them, they’d be valued a lot higher:) I found the beautiful stained glass chandelier on FB Marketplace and cost me $30. Keeping things out of the landfill feels great. I also try and support local artists and use local products like Oregon soap. But the space is so small, as was my budget, that things like blown in fiberglass and solar panels just weren’t necessary.

What design aspect of your ADU are you most happy with?

For the THOW: I really, really love Pacifica. I love the shape and the way it feels airy and open. I absolutely love the stained glass windows and door, especially at night when the lights are on and it glows. It’s pretty magical. I think the layout works well and with or without deciding to make it wheelchair accessible, I think having the width be 10ft instead of 8’6″ make a huge difference in the feel of it. Of course I am biased about the tile counter, because I made it:). But even if I hadn’t made it, the Talavera tiles, sink, and dishes make for a colorful and festive vibe, which I think adds a lot to a small space.

Garage Conversion: Seriously, every square inch. I just really love it all. But… the kitchen mosaic and the shower are pretty great:)

What element of your ADU, or part the development process and outcome, are you most proud of?

For the THOW: The fact that we helped design one of the fist wheelchair accessible tiny houses out there, at the time, was very satisfying. At that time it may have been one of the first, but I believe and hope that there are more options now for people who use wheelchairs.

For the garage conversion: This project was born out of a receiving a settlement from a car accident that caused me to have to get spinal surgery. I guess if there’s anything I’m proud of related to the Sweet Sunshine Suite, it’s that through the process of recovering from surgery to being featured in this ADU Tour, I have reconnected with and deepened my love for creating colorful and unusual small spaces. This space, more than any other I have created, feels like an expression of the joy and love I have for transforming space.

What design aspect of your ADU are you least happy with?

For the THOW: Is it OK to say nothing? I just love it all.

For the Garage conversion: N/A 🙂

What would you do differently, if you were to start over?

For the THOW: Barely anything. It is a beauty! I guess we may have put the canopy over the front door at the beginning, rather than discovering that we needed to add one due to water seeping in the front door. When I moved it to my property, I ended up replacing the built-in sofa bed with a comfy couch because it was very hard to pull out, but that never came up as an issue when we had guests stay there at Caravan. As we learned with all of the tiny houses, having a window that an A/C unit fits into is critical, especially with the increased temperatures because of the climate crisis.

For the garage conversion: I would GC’d it myself from the beginning. Long story, but I highly recommend doing it yourself IF you have the time and are passionate and excited about the process. I am so grateful that I knew from the beginning that it would take longer than expected, so I tried to stay in the present and just enjoy every step of the way. It is so much fun to watch it all unfold. Everyone involved in the build was so great to work with, and as I was the GC, I was able to pace things in a way that allowed me to be artistic, make changes in the moment, and undo or redo things if they didn’t look or feel just right. The good vibes of the process were in large part to my builder/friend Tyler, who is one of the most easy going, flexible, patient people I’ve ever met. He allowed me to change things, like popping out a few tiles after they had been grouted because a cloud didn’t look quite white enough:)

What was the most surprising thing you learned during your design/build process?

For the THOW: Not much else to say, but in some ways, by the time we designed Pacifica, we had learned most of the ins and outs of tiny house design, so it didn’t feel like there were many big surprises. On the other hand, every tiny house is different, and the process for each of the eight different tiny houses we had at Caravan over the years had its’ own unique challenges/ surprises/ obstacles.

For the garage conversion: No big surprises for me this time.

What advice would you offer someone else building the same kind of ADU?

1.Enjoy the process! 2. Build for the hottest hot (A/C) and the coldest cold. 3.Tiny houses on wheels are not travel trailers or RVs. They can move from point A to point B, but if you are envisioning a life on being on the road, there are better options. 4. It’s now legal to have a THOW on residential property, so jump through the hoops to do it legally. It’s worth it. 5. Make it colorful:)

Hire me:) *Debel Rebel Designs* will help you design and manifest a sweet, one-of-a-kind space.

8) Stewart Hulick

Investment property. Will likely live in this ourselves down the road when we plan to live part time in Portland and part time elsewhere.

Tour organizer note: This is the first container home ADU that has been featured on the ADU Tour.

Type of ADU	Detached new construction- Part shipping container and part site-built.
Architect/Designer	Relevant Building Company
General Contractor	Relevant Building Company relevantbuildings.com and Structure-Build (no website)
Heating System	Ductless minisplit/ cadet heaters

When did you start the design work?	12/2020
When did you submit the plans to the City?	5/2021
When did you start construction	2/2022
When did you get your certificate of occupancy?	5/2022
Total Square Footage	480 plus 80 sq ft loft
Total Cost (including sweat equity)	$220K
Cost/Square Foot	$458

Sweat Equity estimate (part of the “Total Cost” listed above)	Site prep work, digging holes, framing, flooring, painting, lots of running around for supplies etc. $15-20K.
Other special project costs	Upgraded water line: $4K

How are you using the ADU now, or how will you be using ADU once it’s complete?

Long term rental

What did you do to prepare for the ADU development process?

This is the 3rd I’ve built but started the journey in 2014, learning from the man himself, Kol Peterson.

Describe your experience working with BDS to get your project approved.

Was a little unclear how the intersection of State of Oregon and City of Portland inspections worked. Seemed to be new to everyone involved but we’ve figured it out.

How do you think about the ‘return on your investment’ for this ADU?

About 10 years for a full recoup of funds. Potential plan to condoize house and ADU for cash out refinance on each for future projects. Then a space we can either rent or live in ourselves.

Besides its small size, what green features did you include in your design?

Well first of all, it’s made out of single use shipping containers. Should be very efficient based on size and ample insulation.

What design aspect of your ADU are you most happy with?

Love the fact that its built out of 1/4 inch thick steel metal and will have a metal roof. I think over time this place will prove to be super low maintenance.

What element of your ADU, or part the development process and outcome, are you most proud of?

That its something people are going to be really excited to live in. I love thinking about how there’s someone out there who doesn’t know at this moment that in a couple months, they’ll be living in a shipping container home.

What design aspect of your ADU are you least happy with?

Wish I had gone with real wood floors as opposed to the vinyl ones we installed. Will probably make that change if/when we live there.

What would you do differently, if you were to start over?

Currently not 100% sure on the ability we’ll have to finance as we’ve learned that homes built from shipping containers can be difficult to finance. This would have given me pause had I known this before. This may mean that we refi the condoized house to access funds and just keep this one as a paid off rental.

What was the most surprising thing you learned during your design/build process?

How they moved the containers from flat bed trucks to the foundation. It was a crew who normally move mobile homes. IT WAS SKETCHY!

What advice would you offer someone else building the same kind of ADU?

If its at a rental property you don’t live in, this is a super great option because so much of the work is done off site so less disruptive to tenants. Even better than this model is the one that’s completely built off site sop besides a little site work, it shows up finished and will be an easy thing for a tenant to deal with.

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9) Michelle Stephens and Quaine Day

We wanted to help provide people with lower cost housing. We also plan to use this for aging family members in the future.

Editorial Note: Here’s a description of the not for profit program that helped to develop this ADU:

BackHome ADU (BHADU) is confronting the affordable housing crisis and creating positive community change, one ADU at a time.

BackHome has teamed up with Craft3, a local non-profit lending institution, several developers of affordable Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs), and a property management company to bring homeowners this unique program.

BackHome’s ADUS are affordable. The “all in” pricing of ADUs in the program range from $115,000 to $150,000, and come in Studio, One- and Two-bedroom sizes. They have partnered with two manufactured ADU developers and one “site-built” developer to provide buyers several options to choose from.

They also offer highly competitive financing. Through lending partner Craft3, participants can borrow up to $150,000, and no down payment is required. The ADU loan can cover design, permitting and construction. The interest rates are fixed (currently at 3.49%) for the life of the loan, which can be up to a 20 year amortization. Currently they are offering this lending program to residential property owners in Multnomah, Washington, and Clackamas Counties.

BHADU also arranges professional property management. They have partnered with Living Room Property Management to provide property management services at a reduced rate of 8% for program participants.

The program helps with every step of the process. BackHome ADU staff guide homeowners through each step, from an initial site visit and feasibility study, to obtaining the certificate of occupancy and placing a tenant. They are here to answer questions, navigate the complex details, and ensure that the process goes as smoothly as possible.

BackHome ADUs are affordable rentals. All BackHome ADUs must be rented to an individual or family earning no more than 80% of the Area Median Income for 8 years.

For more details visit us at http://www.backhomeadu.org.

Type of ADU	Detached, new construction
Architect/Designer	R&B Architecture Studio, http://rnbarchitecture.org
General Contractor	NW Tactical Designs, https://www.facebook.com/NWTDesigns
Heating System	Ductless minisplit

When did you start the design work?	3/2021
When did you submit the plans to the City?	5/2021
When did you start construction	9/2021
When did you get your certificate of occupancy?	5/2022
Total Square Footage	361 sq ft
Total Cost (including sweat equity)	$142K
Cost/Square Foot	393

Sweat Equity estimate (part of the “Total Cost” listed above)	$5K
Other special project costs	Old septic system decommission- $4K New water line to the property in case 2nd ADU is added- $10K

How are you using the ADU now, or how will you be using ADU once it’s complete?

It will be used for low income housing when complete.

What did you do to prepare for the ADU development process?

Mainly researched online and when the new laws in Oregon came into effect we looked at what those new laws allowed and how that would help the process.

Describe your experience working with BDS to get your project approved.

No issues

How do you think about the ‘return on your investment’ for this ADU?

Only time will tell. Lots of variables. We will at least have a place for aging family members going forward.

Besides its small size, what green features did you include in your design?

Advanced 2×4 framing, ZIP System® R-sheathing (all-in-one structural panel with built-in exterior insulation with integrated moisture, air and thermal protection), blown in cellulose insulation, Energy Performance Score certification, Earth Advantage® Gold certification (pending at time of publication), metal roofing, solar-ready, all-electric (no fossil fuels), high-performance windows, tankless water heater, MetroPaint recycled paint throughout, natural linoleum flooring.

What design aspect of your ADU are you most happy with?

The eco friendly nature of the building and construction.

What element of your ADU, or part the development process and outcome, are you most proud of?

Energy efficiency of the building.

What design aspect of your ADU are you least happy with?

It’s close proximity to the main house building.

What would you do differently, if you were to start over?

Order all materials, cabinets, appliances and such earlier in the process.

What was the most surprising thing you learned during your design/build process?

The length of time it took once financing was available.

What advice would you offer someone else building the same kind of ADU?

Map out where exactly the building is going to be placed. Order materials as soon as financing is released.

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10) Shelley and Adam Zucker

We decided to build our ADU for several reasons. First off, our existing garage was nearing a state of disrepair; needing a new roof, siding, paint, and rodent proofing. Since 2005, Shelley began working from home and Adam began working from home in 2018 when he started his own business. The final motivation to begin the project was when we learned that the Laurelhurst Neighborhood Associations was moving forward with a historic district designation.

Type of ADU	Detached new construction. ADU with studio/garage space on the main level and living space on the second floor.
Architect/Designer	Jack Barnes, https://www.jackbarnesarchitect.com
General Contractor	Self general contracted
Heating System	Ductless minisplit

When did you start the design work?	2/2019
When did you submit the plans to the City?	6/2019
When did you start construction	8/2019
When did you get your certificate of occupancy?	12/2019
Total Square Footage	692 sq ft
Total Cost (including sweat equity)	$266K
Cost/Square Foot	384

Sweat Equity estimate (part of the “Total Cost” listed above)	Getting permits, participating in demo, site planning for drainage and installing dry wells – $22K Additional painting, cleaning up after contractors, removing tags from windows, installing appliances correcting issues related to city inspector’s concerns, mostly related to the on demand hot water exterior install – $5K
Other special project costs	We have an oversized deep lot. We maximized the lot to place the ADU in the back corner, with large setbacks. This required the installation of a retaining wall-~$5K extra cost to run utilities over 100 feet – ~2K Concrete flatwork to the side and back section to improve accessibility, storage and create a back patio. Separate water meter -~$10K in permit fees

How are you using the ADU now, or how will you be using ADU once it’s complete?

We currently use the ADU as a home office for both Zucker Engineering and Alternative Realty. Renting space for our businesses would likely cost over $1,500/month (about $18K) per year. Since we use a portion of this structure as our home office, we are able to write-off the depreciation (about $5,800 per year for next 25 years) from our taxable income. It has served as a fabulous space during COVID with kids doing distant learning. The concrete hardscaping has allowed us to have an outside patio and better exterior storage options. Having a heated “garage/workshop” allowed us to host Thanksgiving and other events when inside space was not an option for our family. In the future, we envision using our main house’s basement storage and living in the ADU as a landing pad in Portland. We would possibly rent out our main house. We built the ADU with utilities as detached as possible from the main house. It is likely we could sell off the ADU or main house, if we ever desired. Currently, we don’t have plans to rent either space and enjoy a fabulous detached office space.

What did you do to prepare for the ADU development process?

Shelley grew up around construction, rentals and coordinated a variety of large remodels on homes and rentals in the Portland area. Adam is a civil engineer and has worked frequently on design and drainage work for over 20 years. Both Shelley and Adam have attended ADU tours over the years. Shelley has attended many courses and presentations related to ADU’s, green energy, zoning and predicted changes in the Portland Metropolitan area and served on the Buckman Historic District committee when exploring the pros and cons of the neighborhood becoming a historic district. We interviewed serval different recommended contractors when we made the decision to demo our garage, which needed a huge amount of work, including new roof, siding, rodent barriers, etc. We did a cash out refinance on a rental property, which provided the majority of funds needed to create the ADU. We also drew from savings and wages. The impetus for our timing and obtaining the demo permit was the Laurelhurst Neighborhood’s fast process to create a historic district, which at the time, would have significantly increased the cost and time required to demo our old garage and rebuild with an ADU.

Describe your experience working with BDS to get your project approved.

We choose to install a new water, electric, and gas service to the property. This increased project cost and time to coordinate with the different sub contractors using the deep trench in the driveway. Separating the sewer and gas was complicated as the main house needed updates and some transitions were impacted by tree roots in the street to run power underground. The overhead service initially was slated to be on the opposite corner of the property. After several additional meetings with the city, we were able to move the power head the to driveway side, a straight shot to the ADU. This required relocation of the power meter serving the house to the front of the house based on current code. Our cost of running electrical to the ADU also involved resupplying our existing house meter from the new location. We avoided complications with historic district demo review by getting our garage demo permit prior to Laurelhurst Neighborhood becoming a historic district.

How do you think about the ‘return on your investment’ for this ADU?

We feel like there is a multi-faceted return on investment. There is the added value to the property, but also realizing the value of the underused bit of property and my being able to do the design services. Also, having my mother-in-law live with us has been a great help over the years which is hard to put a value on.

Besides its small size, what green features did you include in your design?

We used spray foam insulation and maximized R Values as possible. We used double layers of 5/8″ sheetrock and insulation to separate the upper ADU from the below workshop. We installed energy efficient mini-split units and an on demand hot water tank. The operable roof skylights on the vaulted ceiling and operable windows allow excellent air circulation and cooling for the ADU.

What design aspect of your ADU are you most happy with?

The space is light, with park and star views. I am inspired working in the space and enjoy meeting clients in the home office. With two business working from home, we appreciate the flexible use of the space for zoom meeting, client meetings and guest space. It has created a good boundary with work from home. We love the better usability of our yard and driveway. Through the build, we have better outdoor patios and storage. This was so helpful when hosting outside during COVID.

What element of your ADU, or part the development process and outcome, are you most proud of?

I love including a 1/2 bath in the garage/workshop and an exterior sink. We love the vaulted ceilings and skylights. Our main home is a bungalow. Walking into the ADU is a breath of fresh air. We tried to be very respectful of window placement and have blinds that help cover different parts of the views when neighbors are out. Privacy, natural light, and views are important with an urban ADU.

What design aspect of your ADU are you least happy with?

Another foot or two of width would have made a significant difference for the bathroom and hall layout. We had planned a long bookcase/storage along the top of the stairway. This was one of the fast decisions we made with the contractor as we were laying out the footing. We feared the structure would be too large. We would have made our roof rafter tails a little longer to better fit with our main house and also fit better with our rainy weather. Initially, our architect suggested stationary windows at the top of the stairs. We switched them out for double hung, However, the stubby windows are silly in this context and block the view and haven’t been used. These would have been much better as stationary windows as first suggested. I wish I asked more questions on why the first set of windows were recommended. We did pay extra to switch out another window which was also double hung to a casement as it made more sense with the view. As the garage basement toilet was being roughed in, it was off center. It still bothers me . The guys doing the job seemed to acknowledge the issue but the contracted plumber said not problem, he’ll add and “attachment”. We should have stopped and sent the workers home (who were fabulous) until we has a better plan as we have been around construction long enough to know the toilet plumbing should have been centered. We are stuck with a few awkward design issues due to working with this plumber on several issues.

What would you do differently, if you were to start over?

We would have better boundaries regarding onsite fast decisions regarding construction when workers were on site. We made a fast decision to reduce the length of custom made rafter tails. The additional foot overhang would have better match the houses. The use of custom rafter tails when so short had no impact matching primary house design as they are stubby and lack historic function. There were a few other details that could have been improved, if the home was a little wider to better fit into the historic nature of our house. We appreciate the expertise of sub contractors. We would have had a gas plumbing company install the gas lines vs having the plumber also contracted for the gas. We had unexpected frustrations with linking the two expertise.

What was the most surprising thing you learned during your design/build process?

There were stressful aspects of vetting different contractors we considered working with. I was very surprised by several contractors suggesting the build phase would last 9-12 months. Having coordinated some projects and contracting out other projects in the past, I was surprised that trying to narrow down the timeline wasn’t easy with a general contractor. I appreciate long relationships with some sub contractors and appreciated the ability work with a fabulous crew to go from demo of our garage in August to 98% completion in December. Working from home and being around construction is a huge distraction. I am impressed by the team of folk and ability to stick to timelines. Weather was in our favor for the fall build. I’m thankful for the professionalism and communication of the team we worked with.

What advice would you offer someone else building the same kind of ADU?

There are so many aspects to design and what ultimately is important to the owner. It was challenging to be asked quick decisions related to design. I realize, had we hired a contractor, there would have been a triangle as well as professional oversight as this was our first ADU build. I am glad we were able to make choices along the way as simple or as complex as they were. The cost of the labor was high. We wanted to go with higher end windows and some other choices. We had mixed experiences hiring contractors in the past and sometimes waited months for windows, as they were not ordered until they were needed. Things have changed significantly since 2019 when we had a decent supply and timeline for materials. We still faced issues with our shower pan and once in, was given/sold to someone else and couldn’t be tracked by George Moreland. There were some crazy delays for the shower pan. I recommend getting materials ordered and on site or ready to be delivered (but warning, don’t let them sit, even if paid for without picking them up, like our shower pan). We also had a mistake on size on our window order, which fortunately didn’t impact construction to much and we were able to board things up and reorder the one window.

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11) Danni Duggan & Bud Garrison

Danni’s mom moved in with us in 2019 after living independently in Florida for several years. While we have the space in the main house, it quickly became evident that in order for this new-found closeness to work long-term, we would all need a respectable amount of distance that would allow her to continue to live independently for as long as possible, while still being observable on a daily basis and very close. An ADU was a much more viable option that purchasing a home in the neighborhood, which simply was not economically feasible. We love the idea of a shared yard for the dogs and the people, while maintaining individual space we can all go to at the end of the day that is ”our own.” We decided to build a 2nd story above the ADU because it made the most sense to tackle that project all at once and give us additional square footage and a separate place to work from home that got us out of our dining room.

Our plans and build were approved prior to the residential infill project becoming law. At the time of our build, the upstairs was not permitted to be an ADU. It’s possible over time we may look into beefing up the kitchenette and making it an official ADU, but it functions for our needs perfectly today.

We love the idea of downsizing in place someday. We love our neighborhood, and we love that we now have the option of living in the back house and possibly renting out the front house. We also love knowing that when we have bigger remodel projects come up in the main house, we have a place to go that is not too far away while that work is done.

Tour organizer note: This project shows how a single detached accessory structure could have two ADUs in it. Although only half of the building is classified as an ADU, the other half was built so that could one day become a 2nd ADU, if desired.

Type of ADU	Detached new construction. Free standing building, potential stacked ADU. 1st floor is a 1 bedroom apartment, 2nd floor is additional living space for the primary residence
Architect/Designer	Lyons Hunter Williams of https://lhwarchitecture.com Karen Sedwick, Metke Remodeling & Luxury Homes (kitchen cabinetry, kitchen and bath finish selections), https://www.metkeremodeling.com/meet-the-team/karen-sedwick/
General Contractor	Corey Wall of Wall Design Build, Inc. https://www.walldesignbuild.com/
Heating System	Downstairs is a 2-head ductless minisplit Upstairs is a single head ductless minisplit Each floor is run on its own system/controller

When did you start the design work?	2/2020
When did you submit the plans to the City?	7/2020
When did you start construction	4/2021
When did you get your certificate of occupancy?	5/2022
Total Square Footage	ADU: 615 sq ft Additional living space above ADU: 653 sq ft. Total Building: 1,268 Sq Ft. The 653 sq ft attached space upstairs is a Peleton Room, full bathroom and living space for the primary residence.
Total Cost (including sweat equity)	$340K
Cost/Square Foot	$268

Sweat Equity estimate (part of the “Total Cost” listed above)

$35K – We trimmed out the windows and doors. We installed the LVP flooring. We installed the WEDI shower systems and tiled the bathroom showers and floors. We tiled the ADU kitchen backsplash and installed the open shelving in the ADU kitchen. We installed the cabinets, the kickplates, and trim panels. We installed all cabinet hardware, hung bathroom mirrors, and installed the ADU closet system.   We estimate our sweat equity at approximately $35,000. This is further confirmed by our GC, who estimates it would have cost us an additional $XX if we had asked them to complete the project. We recognize we would have completed the project 6 or so months sooner if we had allowed the contractor to complete the interior finishes for us, but we were at the end of our budgeted funds, so that was not an option at the time. We made it work!

Other special project costs

Upgraded Water Service: $7,700 Garage and garage foundation demo: $2,800

How are you using the ADU now, or how will you be using ADU once it’s complete?

We built the ADU for Danni’s Mom, Diane. She will enjoy the downstairs apartment in her retirement years. The upstairs is our “playground.” There’s the Peloton Room. Between spinning, strength classes, yoga, and meditation, Danni uses the Peloton platform 5 to 6 days a week. This space will provide a specific location in the home dedicated to doing just that. We deliberately left the front portion of the space open and changeable. Most of the furniture is on casters so that we can easily move tables and chairs around. We can be collaborative or individual. We are both busy Realtors, and we now have the ability to work from home but get out of our dining room. We often have friends and clients over for barbeques in the summer months. This space will help on those surprise evenings when it rains unexpectedly. This upstairs space is exactly the extra space we needed to extend the functionality of the main house.

What did you do to prepare for the ADU development process?

We are both Realtors, so we both became certified ADU Specialists through Earth Advantage. We have attended multiple ADU tours over the years, and we closely followed a neighborhood ADU build by the general contractor we also selected to build our ADU. We got a great architect recommendation through Danni’s alumnae connections. When we decided this was for sure the direction we were going, we had a family meeting with extended family, got everyone’s buy-in that we would sell Mom’s home in Florida to fund approximately 50% of the build. We had already secured a line of credit for our house prior to Bud’s retiring from his previous job at OHSU, so that money was sitting there waiting for us to tap into it. We also had to tap into some of Bud’s retirement funds to round out the financing of the total project. It was difficult to budget because we literally signed a contract in the middle of the pandemic while lumber and other prices were in a free climb daily. But our GC made it all happen. Any of the budgetary overages were related to our selection of higher end items (front doors, swing-open casement windows upstairs, for example.)

Describe your experience working with BDS to get your project approved.

We went to BDS prior to submitting any plans when we were still in the “thinking about it’ stage. They were receptive and helpful. We had questions about possibly building into the setback, so we wanted to talk through zoning variances. One of the biggest questions we had was whether SE 42nd Ave as it borders our property is a street or an alley. We saw a preliminary title report recently where the plat map indicated it was an alley, which really opened up our design possibilities, but we wanted to make sure. BDS confirmed with a PBOT employee that it is, in fact, an alley. So you can imagine our surprise after having our architect design this beautiful building and submitting our plans, and the one of the issues the City kicked back was that we couldn’t build to the street because 42nd is a street and not an alley. Our architect submitted our notes of previous conversations that both he and Bud had with different BDS personnel, along with the plat map, and photos of the commercial building behind us, and that issue thankfully went away pretty quickly once it was again confirmed by PBOT to be an alley.

How do you think about the ‘return on your investment’ for this ADU?

We look at this investment as necessary space for Mom and additional space for us to spread out and separate our home life from our day-to-day work life. We don’t necessarily have a plan to recapture the monetary investment by Date X. We expect if Mom is not living in the ADU, other family likely would use that space. We are caretakers, and we are there for family in a time of need. Being able to provide for family is probably the biggest return on investment we can hope for, so in that regard, the ADU will start paying off immediately on day one when Mom moves in.

Besides its small size, what green features did you include in your design?

The ceiling is insulated to R-45. Exterior Walls are R21 Advanced Framing We used some WaterSense certified products (Toto Aqua IV Dual flush toilets up and down, Delta faucet in ADU bath) EnergyStar appliances: Refrigerator, Dishwasher

What design aspect of your ADU are you most happy with?

We love the exposed beam upstairs. We love the tremendous amount of light that comes in all the windows. We are so glad we went with 10’ ceilings downstairs. It was essential that mom not feel “boxed in,” and I think this ceiling height really helps the ADU feel so much bigger. We also love the “dining nook” downstairs. We wanted a special place where mom could sit and drink coffee and have sunlight. We recognize that moving to Oregon from Florida is a huge adjustment for her. Having windows on 3 sides in this nook is a great way to take advantage of as much natural light as possible to make meals and coffee time pleasant and uplifting, even on our greyer days. We also love the overhang upstairs that creates the nook above the alley. This was originally designed to be a built-in bench seat, but as soon as we saw the space in person, we knew we wanted swivel chairs up there with the ability to step up to the windows unencumbered by a bench seat.

What element of your ADU, or part the development process and outcome, are you most proud of?

The fact that we were able to complete this project that should allow us to stay here in the neighborhood with our family for the foreseeable future.

What design aspect of your ADU are you least happy with?

We want the ADU to be fully enclosed within the envelope of a backyard fence. We want to discourage folks from sleeping on the front door landing, which happened a few times during the build. We were thankful that we were able to build up to the edge of the property line since that side of the property is technically an alley, but it comes with its own challenges on occasion, we expect. It is essential to us that Mom feels safe here.

What would you do differently, if you were to start over?

We would budget better to have the contractor complete the interior finishes. The time delay to occupancy has been unbearable at times. And even though we realize we are doing a terrific job on finishing the interior, we are not professionals, so we cannot know how to do certain things efficiently the way a professional can.

What was the most surprising thing you learned during your design/build process?

The city inspection process was the most surprising to us. We were under the naïve impression that the city supported and encouraged building of ADUs by city residents. Our inspection process did not support that belief in the slightest. There was no continuity of inspectors from one inspection to the next, so just when we thought we would breeze through a re-inspection, having perfectly adhered to the items called out in an initial inspection, a different inspector would show up, clear those items, but then raise a whole other host of items that were never called out originally, and cause additional delay. There was never any rhyme or reason. Every inspection felt like we were at the whim and whimsy of whatever day an inspector was having. It seems it would be more streamlined if the process were treated more like the city’s already existing FIR (Feld Issuance Remodel) Program where you can expect the same inspector throughout your project. Then at least everyone is working toward a similar goal of project completion rather than a “gotcha” atmosphere. Of course we want our build to be safe and code compliant, but some of the issues raised needed to be escalated to supervisors to be dropped as superfluous, overzealous, or entirely wrong.

What advice would you offer someone else building the same kind of ADU?

Now that the Residential Infill Project is in effect, you should be allowed to build a stacked 2 ADU configuration on a corner lot. I would for sure do that just for keeping all your options open on use of the land. Our garage was in terrible shape, so it was never in the cards to keep it. I think it really is the rare garage that you keep and convert rather than demo and start over, especially if you are building a 2-story structure. Building new afforded us the most creativity and control over the end product. We were able to nod to the original bungalow structure while taking the interior in a more modern direction.

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12) Terri Valiant and Jerry Spivey

We are a custom home builder and wanted to create passive income on our property here in SE Portland. Using our own sweat equity we decided to design and build our own ADU, taking advantage of the City of Portland SDC waiver program. Having an ADU allows us to age in place and provide greater flexibility in housing choices for ourselves and our family.

Type of ADU	Attached new construction
Architect/Designer	Self Designed
General Contractor	Better Builders of Oregon
Heating System	Radiant hot water in floor (electric)

When did you start the design work?	12/2016
When did you submit the plans to the City?	10/2017
When did you start construction	5/2018
When did you get your certificate of occupancy?	9/2020
Total Square Footage	1135 sq ft, which is a 799 sq ft ADU and a 336 sq ft Master bed/ba suite for the main house
Total Cost (including sweat equity)	$300K
Cost/Square Foot	$375

Sweat Equity estimate (part of the “Total Cost” listed above)	Our sweat equity was significant – approximately 1/2 the cost to construct. We built the ADU ourselves doing all the ICF and wood framing, install windows/doors, siding, roofing countertops, trim, concrete floor, radiant heat layout, painting. We subcontracted out plumbing, electrical, insulation, drywall, tile, gutters and concrete floor polishing.- $150K
Other special project costs	installed separate electrical meters installed $4K removed hazardous trees- $4K

How are you using the ADU now, or how will you be using ADU once it’s complete?

We are living in the ADU while we remodel the main house. We now plan on living in the ADU and renting the main house when it is finished.

What did you do to prepare for the ADU development process?

We reviewed zoning rules, drew up different layout/design options and researched materials. We decided to pay for materials in cash along the way, eliminating the need for a loan. Being a custom home builder we understood material costs before we began.

Describe your experience working with BDS to get your project approved.

We had to inform the plans examiner about the ICF wall system and how to attach the ICF wall system to the existing wood framed house wall. Otherwise there weren’t any issues.

How do you think about the ‘return on your investment’ for this ADU?

Our return on investment is huge given the amount of our sweat equity. The value of our property doubled and we’ll be paid back in a little over 4 years if we live in the ADU and rent the main house. This gives us options of living in the main house or the ADU but we are thinking we’ll stay in the ADU.

Besides its small size, what green features did you include in your design?

ICF wall system, high R value insulation in ceiling, passive solar design, radiant heat, all electric, local black walnut for kitchen countertops and surround, low VOC paints, high quality window and doors.

What design aspect of your ADU are you most happy with?

ICF walls, radiant floor heat, vaulted ceiling, and all the skylights. We love the windows and doors that face out onto the courtyard, giving the ADU a larger and light filled feeling.

What element of your ADU, or part the development process and outcome, are you most proud of?

We love the open light quality of the space. The vaulted ceilings, all white painted walls and ceiling give the space an open light feeling. The layout of the building on the lot and use of the remaining yard space makes the overall space really relaxing and private.

What design aspect of your ADU are you least happy with?

There really isn’t anything we aren’t pleased with. We love everything about this space, even after living in it full time for the last year+. Maybe that we aren’t out front with ‘eyes on the street’ to meet passers-by or neighbors as they walk by. But the quietness and privacy of being in the back and the courtyard is also really nice.

What would you do differently, if you were to start over?

Maybe put up a new fence between the neighbors property and ours as the old fence was put up by their contractor and doesn’t sit on the property line. We love our neighbors but doing it earlier would have been easier than doing it now that we’re moved in.

What was the most surprising thing you learned during your design/build process?

COVID was the big surprise! We are custom home builder so the design, permitting and construction process didn’t surprise us. Businesses closed during cover, supply chain issues etc. and rising material costs surprised us. But we were all surprised by COVID!

What advice would you offer someone else building the same kind of ADU?

Research the applicable zoning regulations for your lot; design with your lifestyle in mind, research your contractor to make sure they are licensed and insured (can check license through the CCB website) and you should ask for copy of their liability and workers comp insurance. Think about utilities and whether you need them split out for the ADU as this will add cost.

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13) May Leong

I wanted to have a separate space for friends and family when they come visit. I researched ADU/tiny house design, watched a lot of video tours of tiny houses on YouTube, and toured (in person) a few ADUs as part of the Portland Modern Home Tour and AIA Portland Homes Tour. I also spoke with several architects and builders.. Also, ADUs are cool! Building small forces you to be more creative with the design and make more efficient use of space. For the sleeping nook in my ADU, there is a built-in bed frame with drawers underneath for storage, and a built-in armoire. Maybe down the road it could be a long-term rental.

Type of ADU	Detached new construction
Architect/Designer	Willie Dean, Ground Up Design Works, http://www.groundupdesignworks.com/
General Contractor	Environs LLC, https://www.environspdx.com/
Heating System	Ductless minisplit

When did you start the design work?	10/2017
When did you submit the plans to the City?	2/2018
When did you start construction	6/2018
When did you get your certificate of occupancy?	10/2020
Total Square Footage	252 sq ft
Total Cost (including sweat equity)	$265K
Cost/Square Foot	$1,051

Sweat Equity estimate (part of the “Total Cost” listed above)	$0K
Other special project costs	None

How are you using the ADU now, or how will you be using ADU once it’s complete?

It is being used for friends and family visiting from out of town.

What did you do to prepare for the ADU development process?

Researched zoning code, looked at other projects, and met with planning staff at the City of Portland.

Describe your experience working with BDS to get your project approved.

No significant issues

How do you think about the ‘return on your investment’ for this ADU?

It definitely has income-generating potential and enhances the value of the property.

Besides its small size, what green features did you include in your design?

The skylights, windows, and glass door provide a lot of natural light, which makes the ADU feel larger than it actually is.

What design aspect of your ADU are you most happy with?

I love the backsplash windows in the kitchen which frame a view of the gorgeous blooming evergreen clematis in the spring.

What element of your ADU, or part the development process and outcome, are you most proud of?

I love the backsplash windows in the kitchen which frame a view of the gorgeous blooming evergreen clematis in the spring.

What design aspect of your ADU are you least happy with?

There isn’t anything I’m unhappy with.

What would you do differently, if you were to start over?

I would decide on all the design details and materials at the beginning, during the design phase, to reduce the risk of going over budget. I would also try not to change my mind once the budget was set.

What was the most surprising thing you learned during your design/build process?

Building small doesn’t necessarily mean spending small.

What advice would you offer someone else building the same kind of ADU?

Think about scale/size in relation to the primary house, and potential privacy screens between the two buildings (e.g. trees, plants, etc).

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