Laura and Dana

My name is Laura, and this is my husband Dana. Ever since we bought this home fifteen years ago, we had talked about the possibility of building an ADU. As our kids grew up, life changed—our middle daughter got married, became pregnant, and needed a little extra support. We wanted her close, but we also wanted her to have their own little place.

We wanted her close, but we also wanted her to have their own little place.

For us, it was about balancing independence with family support. We explored other options like mobile homes, condos, and studios nearby, but nothing made sense financially or emotionally. The cost of nearby condos was at least 40% more than what we invested into the ADU, and unlike those options, this is a property she’ll truly have long-term value in.

The cost of nearby condos was at least 40% more than what we invested into the ADU

What made Backyard Estates stand out was the way every single person treated us. Everybody was very friendly, very open, and dedicated to helping us make good decisions. Adam especially made us feel understood. He made you feel like, ‘I get you. I understand what your family needs.’ That personal connection made the whole project feel possible.

Everybody was very friendly, very open, and dedicated to helping us make good decisions.

We asked a lot of questions because we didn’t want surprises or mismatched expectations. Even when there were normal permitting issues with the city, Backyard Estates stayed on top of everything and kept us informed the entire time.Their online portal made it easy to log in, check updates, and follow the progress.

Backyard Estates stayed on top of everything and kept us informed the entire time.

And once construction started, everything moved even faster than expected. It actually moved much faster than the schedule.

The finished ADU exceeded our expectations. It’s beautiful, comfortable, and thoughtfully designed—from the washer and dryer to the extra storage space we didn’t even expect. I never lived anywhere this nice when I was starting out.

I never lived anywhere this nice when I was starting out.

Most importantly, it gives our daughter and her growing family a safe, independent place to begin this chapter of life—while still being close enough for us to help and stay connected. They’re right next to you, but not on top of you… independent, but still safe and nearby.

We would still end up with Backyard Estates.

And if we had to do it all over again?
We would still end up with Backyard Estates.