We’re With You From Start To Finish.
Initial Feasibility
In Stage 1, we collaborate to identify the basic details of your backyard home. Based on your goals for the project and a zoning analysis of your property, we provide you with an initial site plan, floor plan, and project budget of your ADU.
Design
In Stage 2, we refine our initial designs so that your ADU meets your needs and your price range. We finish this phase with construction drawings that are ready for a building permit from the City of Evanston.
Construction
Once construction begins in Stage 3, we ensure that your ADU stays within budget and on track for completion in a timely manner. We communicate with you throughout the project, keeping you informed of progress until you move in.
Why Design-Build?
Traditionally, during an ADU project, homeowners hire an architect to draw up their plans, then they take those plans to a separate general contractor. We design and build your project. We start to think about the best construction methods and materials for your ADU early in the design phase, while constantly keeping your budget in mind. This coordination leads to a more seamless transition from blueprints to on-site work, ensuring that design specifications don’t get lost in translation.
Based on university research, design-build outperforms other construction models in both efficiency and cost. We are your “go-to” point of contact through your entire project, which saves you the time and money of hiring and interviewing multiple professionals.
We are the only design-builder in Evanston focused solely on ADUs. We are intimately familiar with the latest ADU zoning regulations in Evanston, and we help you optimize your design based on the current Evanston ADU code.
Honest Pricing
We are straightforward when it comes to project costs. We listen to your budgetary input early-on, and we work with you during the design phase on additions or revisions to your plans that line up with your price range.
Our numbers don’t change based on the budget you communicate to us. Based on a final permit set, we perform a detailed estimate of the total cost of construction, show you our general contractor (GC) rate, and relay the total expected cost. If the project finishes below the expected cost, we apply the same GC rate to a lower total number (and vice versa if the project finishes above the expected cost.)
The image to the left, from our Evanston ADU Guide, details the typical line items in an ADU budget.