Seattle Capitol Hill

A 1920s detached garage on a Capitol Hill lot converted into a full-time AADU with kitchen, full bath, and sleeping loft.

Size

520 sq ft

Investment

$118k

Build time

4 months

Seattle Capitol Hill — Garage exterior in Seattle, WA

— The Build

How this one came together.

The existing 22×24 garage had good bones — concrete slab, alley access, and 8-ft walls — but rotted siding and a leaking roof. We kept the foundation and framing, replaced everything else.

Permits cleared in 3 weeks under Seattle's ADU pathway. Construction was 4 months including a 2-week pause for an electrical panel upgrade required to add the AADU service.

The finished unit has a full kitchen, 3/4 bath, queen sleeping loft, and a Murphy bed in the living area. It rents at $1,800/mo and has a 10-day vacancy average.

What's inside

✓Existing slab + framing retained
✓Sleeping loft (no second-story tax)
✓Mini-split heat pump
✓Murphy bed + built-in storage
✓EV charger on shared service

— Gallery

Site walk-through.

Finished garage ADU interior — After: full kitchen + sleeping loft

Original 1920s detached garage — Before: 1920s detached garage

Capitol Hill garage exterior — Refaced exterior, alley access

Owner

"I priced a new DADU at $240k. The garage conversion came in at $118k and gets the same rent. No regrets."

S. Okafor · Homeowner, Capitol Hill

— Questions

About this build.

Is a garage conversion cheaper than a new DADU?+

Usually 40–60% cheaper if the existing structure has a sound slab, framing, and roof. We inspect before quoting — if the bones are bad, new-build is often the better value.

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