All Forum Posts by: David Edwards

Hey James, 

You have a few steps before you can go to a contractor if you are intending to build a DADU in Seattle. A couple of options are looking at the preapproved plans the city has to offer (though they will likely need to be adjusted for your site) or having one designed for your site. Once you have that squared away you'll be able to get actual quotes from builders. anything you get before that will just be a ballpark figure. I can say that I've seen bids come back for a 1000sf DADU as low as 300k and as high as 600k without anything out of the ordinary included in the building. Happy to chat about it further if you want to reach out.

@Rachael Scott MHA fees are based on total square footage not just the lot coverage. Here's a link to the Tip sheet https://www.seattle.gov/DPD/Pu... you can also find more specific information for the payment option in the Seattle municipal code section 23.58C.040 it should also be noted that there is a performance option they could go with which requires them to create a percentage of affordable units as part of the project that info is in 23.58C.050. 

@Alex Powell what are they basing their numbers on? Do you have a set of plans and details that they can reasonably determine their scope of work and develop their bid from? If its an open ended or semi ambiguous project you're going to end up getting either cost plus or inaccurate bids where they will claw back the difference in change orders.

Hey @Robyn Chien

If you are looking for consultation services only then I think you could work with either for the aesthetic portion of the project. It would be a good idea however to work with an architect or building science (waterproofing) consultant to make sure the detailing of the exterior finishes is handled appropriately which is what I think you were eluding to. 

If you are just looking to scrape and paint and aren't removing the existing cladding, you could probably find a student on fiver or some other service to help you come up with the palate.  

Best, 

Dave

@Krupa Poobala-chandran Your architect should be able to come in and do those measurements themselves. If they do not offer this service I would suggest reaching out to surveying companies to see if they provide existing conditions surveys. Terrane is a good local surveyor and if they don't provide interior surveys they may be able to point you in the right direction. 

Best,

@Ethan Daniel Dacar

I'd start by reaching out to the permit department to ensure that you need a permit for the work you are completing. 

Since its residential work you should be able to submit yourself providing you are able to produce the appropriate drawings and follow the prescriptive requirements of the IRC. If what you are doing is not pretty straightforward and / or if you anticipate having trouble with the process or believe your time could be put to better use then I would reach out to a design professional. Could be an architect or an engineer or a draftsperson who could help you through the submittal process.

Good Luck!
 

@Juan Carlos mesa collab design build is a new design / build outfit near you that could be worth reaching out to. 

collabdesignbuild.com

hope that helps 

@Sujay C. I completely agree with @Natalie Schanne's take on your new approach. I tell all of my clients that the best way to get off on the right foot with the AHJ is to let them know that you know that they hold the keys to the kingdom and that you are looking to work with them in navigating a process they are experts in.  

It seems like you didn't know that you weren't doing things the way your jurisdiction requires so you wont even have to feign ignorance. Going through the process wont be free but as mentioned above sometimes reviewers will waive certain penalties if you're good to work with.

Good Luck!

@Senthil Velu Axis Surveying out of Redmond appears to be another good option and has been recommended by some of my colleagues.

@Alvaro Rodriguez The best place to start in your search will be to understand if you need any of the drawings will require a professional stamp, residential work has a decent amount of leeway on who can produce your drawings but commercial work is typically held to a higher standard. The state & municipal code should lay this out pretty clearly.