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Land use regulations governing D/ADUs are in a state of constant change. As Puget Sound and the nation in general struggle with the housing crisis, states and municipalities around the country are making changes to their D/ADU laws to facilitate the construction of more housing units. RSDB was very involved in advocating for changes to the Seattle laws in 2019 and we keep a close eye on changes in other cities as well as changes to the state law. 

Understanding the rules and navigating the permitting process can be very confusing. Whether you hire us to design and/or build your D/ADU or not, we can be very helpful in determining what is feasible on your lot based on the rules governing your area and the practical constraints on your lot such as steep slopes, sensitive areas, access to the sewer, etc.  

While a D/ADU might be feasible on your lot from a regulatory and practical standpoint, that doesn’t necessarily mean that it makes sense financially for your personal situation. With a background in real estate investing focused on the development of D/ADUs, RSDB can help you determine whether or not a D/ADU makes financial sense as a rental on your property. 

As a full service D/ADU company, we aren’t here to sell you on a D/ADU. If you want to hire us to assess the feasibility from a regulatory and financial standpoint, but hire an architect and general contractor to design and build, that’s perfectly fine with us. In fact, we are happy to recommend architects and builders that we think would be a good fit so you can get competitive bids. We will also be honest and tell you if we think a D/ADU doesn’t make financial sense on your property! 

While we are not licensed architects, we have designed several ADUs and DADUs (see our Projects page), and our focus on this unique housing type has resulted in an efficient process. If you are after an especially creative design, an architect can be helpful. That said, a licensed architect will likely cost you more and most of the time isn’t necessary on a relatively simple project like a D/ADU. Our rates tend to be cheaper, and our designs tend to be relatively cost efficient to build. Our background in real estate investing has taught us how to add a D/ADU efficiently and with an eye toward cutting costs and maximizing rental revenue if that is your goal. 

RSDB is a licensed and bonded contractor (RIGHTSD801M9) in Washington State and offers contracting services when we feel we are a good fit. We focus on green, high-performance building, but at the same time, we know how to cut costs where appropriate. We have a great network of subcontractors that have worked with us for years, and we are confident that we can provide a high quality product at a very competitive price. In an effort to avoid costly, polluting commutes, we generally limit our construction jobs to North Seattle.