Description

We’re on site with Tony to tour his newly built accessory dwelling unit (ADU) in Wheat Ridge, Colorado—a project that began as a simple garage and evolved when the city legalized ADUs. We unpack the real-world timeline (design do-overs included), what changed structurally from “just a garage” to a conditioned dwelling, and the big calls that move the budget—radiant heat, insulated doors, and a sewer ejector pit—so you can scope your own ADU with eyes wide open. Tony also shares how he’s weighing rental strategies (medium-term vs. short-term vs. long-term), why finish quality matters when it’s in your backyard, and the features that make the space livable for residents and useful for his home-based business.

Highlights:

• Why the shift from garage to ADU: Once Wheat Ridge approved ADUs, adding water/sewer/power anyway made a full unit make sense for rental income and property value.
• Permitting & design timeline: ~4–5 months with a couple of stop-starts after redesign; smoother than horror stories but still iterative.
• Structure & envelope upgrades: Deeper foundations, full insulation, and R-17 foam-packed garage doors with side-mount motors (about $12K total) to keep conditioned space tight and clearance high.
• Budget reality: Low $300Ks possible on a lean spec; this build landed ~$450K with high-end choices (radiant, solid-core doors, finishes, ejector pit).
• Rent strategy thinking: Leaning medium-term (traveling professionals, 30–90 days) for lower turnover than STRs and more flexibility than year-long leases.

Homeowners, small developers, and designers weighing a garage-to-ADU conversion; anyone curious about Wheat Ridge/Front Range ADU realities—costs, code, utilities, and rental strategy.

Connect with Zeke Freeman:
Instagram: @zekefreeman_rootarchitecture and @rootarchitecture
YouTube: @rootarchitecture
Facebook: @RootArchitectureandDevelopment
LinkedIn: Zeke Freeman
X/Twitter: @zfreemanroot

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