REHABBING A 1920'S BRICK HOUSE ON RAINIER AVE ADVISE

[Andy Pillinger]

Hi all,

I am partnering on a JV for rehabbing a 1920's 3400 sq ft brick house on rainier ave s. The house is in poor shape and needs a complete remodel. The roof and upstairs windows are new. However all the wiring and plumbing is not to code and there are signs of asbestos around ducting. It was recently used as a duplex(smaller unit in basement) but that was illegal and we are required by law to convert back. One question I have is what's the difference between a mother in law and a duplex. Or put another way how far can we go before a mother in law becomes a duplex?!.. for instance can we put a bathroom in?. We are trying to figure out what gets us the best return on our money, rehab the 1300 sq ft basement fully into a mother in law if legal or just add a wet bar and minor rehab like carpets new dry wall and a lick of paint etc?....

Can anyone recommend a contractor with a good reputation that could possibly quote on this project. If they are familiar with older buildings that would be a plus.

I would like to thank anyone in advance for their advice and expertise.

Regards

Andy

[Louis Chan]

To my knowledge in Seattle, mother-in-laws are considered accessory dwelling units (ADU) in Seattle whether they are attached or detatched (DADU). You need a permit for this to be legal and the property owner must live in either the main house or the ADU, then the other unit can be rented out. In addition to a permit, ADUs are limited to 1,000 sq ft in an SFR or zones for single families. Not sure what happens if an owner later decides to move and continue renting out. Typically, these share the same meter for utilities. A permit can be applied after the construction, but I do not know the details of applying for one.

Duplexes first require the area/property to be zoned for multi-family. If not, the property will need to be rezoned which I don't think it worth the hassle already. Typically, duplexes have separate meters for most utilities.