"We hired MNBE to build our ADU in Bellevue, and the entire experience was amazing. They handled everything from foundations and framing to kitchen, siding, windows and HVAC."
Zena Heywood
Bellevue, WA · Attached ADU
4.8 STAR RATED40+ CUSTOMER REVIEWS
LICENSED · BONDED& FULLY INSURED
Backyard Cottage Builder for Seattle
A backyard cottage is the everyday Seattle term for a DADU, a standalone small home in the backyard of a primary residence. MNBE designs, permits, and builds them end to end across Seattle, Bellevue, Kirkland, Redmond, and the Eastside. King, Snohomish & Pierce County.
Same as a DADU
Up to 1,000 sq ft
Founder supervised
The Term
A backyard cottage and a DADU mean the same thing.
Backyard cottage is the everyday Seattle term for a DADU, a freestanding small home in the backyard of a primary residence on the same lot. Seattle homeowners and Eastside agents use both terms interchangeably: DADU is the technical zoning code abbreviation for Detached Accessory Dwelling Unit, while backyard cottage is what the building actually looks like and what most homeowners type into a search bar when they picture the project. We are a backyard cottage builder serving Seattle and the Eastside, from Bellevue and Kirkland to Redmond, Sammamish, and Mercer Island.
The building is the same. The Seattle SMC code chapter is the same. The HB 1337 state law applies the same way, and the permit timeline, cost structure, and construction sequence are identical to any detached unit. Homeowners build one for long term rental income, for multigenerational living with a private front door, for future flexibility on a two home lot, or to age in place on a single level. Whichever the term, we design, permit, and build it end to end, and after a free feasibility visit we tell you exactly what your lot supports.
Researching the rest of your options? Compare the backyard cottage with our full ADU and DADU services, including the detached DADU, the attached AADU, and a basement ADU conversion.
Schedule Free Estimate
4.8 STAR RATED40+ CUSTOMER REVIEWS
LICENSED · BONDED& FULLY INSURED
Backyard Cottage Facts · 2026
What a Seattle backyard cottage actually looks like.
Same building, same code, and same numbers as a detached ADU.
1,000sq ft
Standard max size
Gross floor area, with a 1,200 sq ft bonus floor on qualifying lots.
18-22feet tall
Max height
Depending on the zone, which is why two story configurations are allowed.
6-10months
Typical timeline
From signed contract to certificate of occupancy on a typical cottage.
1
Private front door
A standalone home with its own kitchen, bath, and entrance.
What does a backyard cottage cost?
Priced to your lot.
A backyard cottage carries the same cost structure as any detached ADU, priced to your specific lot rather than a generic per square foot number. Slope and soils, utility connections to the main house, lot access for crews and materials, and your finish level move the total far more than floor area does, so we walk your property first. After a free feasibility visit you get a written fixed price that covers design, permits, and construction, and the number we sign is the number we build to.
Every MNBE backyard cottage includes
- Architectural drawings and design
- Structural engineering coordination
- Permits, plan check corrections, and inspections
- Full construction by our own licensed crew
- One fixed price contract, founder supervised
How It Works
From feasibility visit to keys, one team.
No handoffs and no surprises. Here is exactly how your backyard cottage goes from idea to a finished, rentable home, typically 6 to 10 months end to end.
01
Free feasibility visit
We walk your lot, confirm it supports a backyard cottage, and talk through your goals before you commit to design.
No cost
02
Design & feasibility
Architectural drawings, structural coordination, and a written bid, so you know the number before permits.
3-5 weeks
03
Permits
We submit to Seattle DCI or your Eastside city, answer every plan check correction ourselves, and schedule inspections.
2-4 months
04
Build
One licensed crew, founder supervised, from foundation to finishes, on the fixed price we signed.
3-5 months
05
Keys
Final inspection, certificate of occupancy, and a finished cottage ready to live in or rent.
Move in ready
Reviews
What Seattle homeowners say about building with MNBE.
Verified five star reviews from owners who built their backyard cottage, ADU, or renovation with us.
"We hired MNBE for a full renovation of our 100 year old home and the results exceeded expectations, structural upgrades, new insulation, a luxury bathroom, a high end kitchen, a new roof and mini split AC."
Dave Gierok
Sammamish, WA · Whole home renovation
"We hired MNBE for a major exterior renovation: a 900 sq ft custom deck with metal railings, full exterior painting and new siding. From start to finish the experience was exceptional, responsive, meticulous and patient."
Santosh S.
Redmond, WA · Deck & exterior
Schedule Free Estimate
4.8 STAR RATED40+ CUSTOMER REVIEWS
LICENSED · BONDED& FULLY INSURED
FAQs · What Clients Ask Us
Backyard cottage questions Seattle homeowners ask.
Six practical answers from a builder who builds backyard cottages every year. Call us if yours isn't here. We answer the phone Monday through Saturday.
A backyard cottage is the colloquial Seattle term for a Detached Accessory Dwelling Unit, or DADU. It refers to a small standalone home built in the backyard of a primary residence on the same lot. Same legal classification as DADU under Washington state law and Seattle SMC. The term comes from how the structure looks, a small cottage in the backyard, rather than from any code distinction.
Yes, in Seattle and across the Eastside. Backyard cottage is the everyday term. DADU is the technical and legal term used in zoning code, permits, and architectural drawings. The structure, the rules, the permitting process, and the build are identical. Some homeowners search and ask about backyard cottages, others about DADUs. Same building.
Up to 1,000 sq ft of gross floor area under Seattle's current code, with a 1,200 sq ft bonus floor available on qualifying lots. Maximum height is typically 18 to 22 feet depending on the zone. Two story configurations are allowed in most zones, which is how a 1,000 sq ft footprint becomes a comfortable two bedroom unit. Bellevue, Kirkland, Redmond, and most Eastside cities allow the same maximums.
6 to 10 months from signed contract to certificate of occupancy for a typical Seattle backyard cottage. The breakdown is roughly 3 to 5 weeks of design, 2 to 4 months of plan-check at Seattle DCI, and 3 to 5 months of construction. Our crews build faster than the regional average, and we hold the schedule we put in writing.
Yes, both short term and long term rentals are allowed in Seattle and most Eastside cities. Seattle requires short term rental operators to register and limits short term rentals that aren't your primary residence. Long term rentals of 30 days or more are generally unrestricted across the region. We confirm your city's specific rules during the consultation.
For the full service breakdown on the same building, see our DADU service page, or browse the complete FAQ library for expert guidance.
View all FAQs
Contact Us · Free Estimate
Tell us about your project.
We'll get back to you within one business day with a clear next step.
Contact information
Thank you for considering MNBE for your backyard cottage project. We respond within one business day, Monday through Saturday.
(206) 637 0044
info@mnbe-wa.com
2014 Fairview Ave Unit 2308, Seattle, WA 98121