Ken

For a young couple starting out, living in this area would be unaffordable. Building an ADU became a way for them to stay in Norco, enjoy the community, and still be near us. My name is Ken Mortensen, and this whole project began as a family discussion.

Building an ADU became a way for them to stay in Norco, enjoy the community, and still be near us.

The first time Sandy and I met Adam was at an open house, and his enthusiasm made us feel comfortable about what we were considering. Being able to walk through the homes helped us understand the space. Going from 1,800 sq ft down to 749 sq ft was intimidating, but the open houses showed us how well the space could be used—it didn’t feel small at all.

The open houses showed us how well the space could be used

A major question for us was experience in Norco. Some companies opted out, but Adam and Tom had built ADUs here before and were willing to take on our project. Backyard Estates came out for an initial survey, helping us understand the regulations and locating our utilities. They even confirmed that we didn’t need a sewage pump, which was a huge relief.

They worked seamlessly together

I was really impressed with the subcontractors. They worked seamlessly together, familiar with each other and committed to quality. Walking through open houses and seeing the finishes also reassured us that the finishes weren’t going to feel small or cheap—they matched the quality of our own home.

The finishes weren’t going to feel small or cheap—they matched the quality of our own home.

But above everything, the care that occurred in the building of the house stood out. Dusty, the subcontractors—everyone involved seemed to genuinely care about the work. They wanted to build a solid home for us, on time and for the right price.

Everything aligned: the quality, the cost, the experience.

In the end, everything aligned: the quality, the cost, the experience. It was simply a perfect fit for what we wanted.