Building Accessory Dwelling Units in the Greater Seattle Area
Top Volk Construction, based in Bellevue, WA, works as an ADU contractor serving homeowners throughout the greater Seattle area. The company turns unused backyard, garage or basement space into a legal, independent home — whether the goal is rental income or housing for family members. Washington State now allows up to two ADUs on most residential lots, and Seattle's pre-approved cottage plans can reduce permit review time to a matter of weeks rather than months.
Top Volk Construction handles the project from a single point of contact: site assessment, design drawings, SDCI or local city permits, utility connections, construction and inspections through final approval. Clients receive a written timeline before work begins, and the contract includes a $100 credit for each day the project runs past the agreed deadline.
ADU Types and Configurations
- Detached ADU (DADU): A stand-alone backyard cottage with its own entrance, kitchen and bathroom, up to 1,000 sq ft in Seattle. This is generally the most private option and the strongest rental product, making Top Volk a backyard cottage builder as well as a detached ADU builder.
- Attached ADU (AADU): An addition built onto the main house or a converted basement level with its own locking entrance and full kitchen, sharing a wall with the primary residence.
- Garage Conversion: Reuses an existing foundation, roof and electrical feed, which typically makes it the fastest and lowest-cost path to a legal unit — a service area where Top Volk works as a garage conversion contractor.
- Basement ADU: Involves egress windows, a separate entry, waterproofing, and a new kitchen and bathroom, suited to older homes on sloped lots.
These configurations also serve homeowners looking for an in-law suite builder or granny flat builder solution, giving family members or caregivers a private home on the same lot.
Process and What's Included
Projects move through four stages: a free site assessment that checks lot size, setbacks and utility access; design and permitting, using either a Seattle pre-approved DADU plan or a custom design submitted to SDCI or the relevant city; construction, which generally runs 10–16 weeks after permit issuance; and inspection and handover, with Top Volk coordinating every required city inspection through final approval.
Each estimate is structured as one line item covering the full unit, including:
- Design and permit drawings
- Permit submittal and plan-review handling
- Foundation-to-finish construction
- Full kitchen and bathroom
- Mini-split heating and cooling
- Utility connections for water, sewer and power
- Coordination of all city inspections
- A written workmanship warranty
Starting prices are preliminary planning figures for the greater Seattle area; final pricing depends on site conditions, utility connections and finish level, and is confirmed after the free site assessment and a signed scope-of-work agreement. Top Volk Construction is a Washington State licensed and insured contractor, working directly with clients on each project from design through final finishes.
