Possible issues with turning a SFH into two units be renovating basement

Aurora, Colorado
House Hacking
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Possible issues with turning a SFH into two units be renovating basement

Benjamin Crowell
Member since 2022 · 2 posts · 1 vote

Hi BP forums,

First time buyer here! I'm looking to purchase a home near the Anschutz medical campus and convert the basement to it's own 2 bed 1 bath unit with a separate entrance. I'm going to have a contractor do most of the work with me doing some of the labor of demo and installing cabinets and counter tops etc. Are there any issues doing this from a permitting standpoint or things I may not be aware of?  I know it doesn't count as an ADU with it being the same structure, I'm struggling to find info on this subject in the Aurora zoning codes if it would be allowed. Thanks for any help!

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Chris SeveneyBusiness Member
Moderator
Investor · VA · Member since 2015 · 21k+ posts · 19k+ votes
3y

@Benjamin Crowell

You will need to get a permit and this required to create plans - get a small architect firm to do plans and confirm it’s code compliant

Last thing you want to do is unpermitted work and get caught.

Contractors also a good resource but also alway get another opinion

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  • Chris SeveneyBusiness Member
    Moderator
    Investor · VA · Member since 2015 · 21k+ posts · 19k+ votes
    3y

    @Benjamin Crowell

    You will need to get a permit and this required to create plans - get a small architect firm to do plans and confirm it’s code compliant

    Last thing you want to do is unpermitted work and get caught.

    Contractors also a good resource but also alway get another opinion

    7e investments53 Reviews
    WebsiteView Page
    3Reply
  • Melissa HartvigsenBusiness Member
    Real Estate Agent · Beaverton, OR · Member since 2020 · 190 posts · 158 votes
    3y
    Quote from @Benjamin Crowell:

    Hi BP forums,

    First time buyer here! I'm looking to purchase a home near the Anschutz medical campus and convert the basement to it's own 2 bed 1 bath unit with a separate entrance. I'm going to have a contractor do most of the work with me doing some of the labor of demo and installing cabinets and counter tops etc. Are there any issues doing this from a permitting standpoint or things I may not be aware of?  I know it doesn't count as an ADU with it being the same structure, I'm struggling to find info on this subject in the Aurora zoning codes if it would be allowed. Thanks for any help!

    I was interested in doing something similar at my home. I live in Oregon, and reached out to the local building department for my municipality.

    They were able to look up at my property specifically and let me ask my questions directly to a city planner. I came home with a very straightforward plan and understanding of what I could and couldn’t do. For more complex situations they offered something called a pre-planning meeting that will cost about $500. 

    It was well worth my time, and I recommend you reaching out to the building department for Aurora.
    1Reply
  • Theresa HarrisPro Member
    Member since 2019 · 15k+ posts · 11k+ votes
    3y

    Talk to the city about the guidelines. They are usually quite helpful and can point you to the right information.

    0Reply
  • Ben Einspahr
    House Hacking Specialist · Denver, CO · Member since 2016 · 411 posts · 396 votes
    3y

    @Benjamin Crowell Love the strategy! This is very similar to one of my first post mad 4 years ago. (Link here). Answer your question, depending on the scale of renovations you are looking to do will determine how much the city will need to get involved. 
    Also, just because your separate living space is not separate from the home (Detached ADU) does not mean that it is not considered and ADU. All depends on the cities terminology.

    Is this a property you are looking to buy or already have and want to build?

    If this is a property you are looking to buy, I would recommend finding something where the previous owner has already done all of the work. Going back to my original post linked above, that is what I did. My wife and I wanted privacy so we found a SFH with a little 1 bed/ 1 bath separate income suite above the garage. We lived in the main house and rented out the rest. Will DM you to youtube video walkthrough I did not context.

    Best of luck!

    1Reply
  • Kenny Smith
    Real Estate Agent · Denver, CO · Member since 2022 · 356 posts · 228 votes
    3y

    @Benjamin Crowell

    Congrats!!  That is an awesome idea..I have a few of these in the Westminster area and can shed some light on things.  As others have attested to, it really depends on what you're planning on putting downstairs.

    If you are adding a full kitchen downstairs, it's important to understand what Aurora's zoning requirements are.  Typically, where there becomes an issue is when you add a second stove/oven downstairs as this needs to zoned as a R2, or a duplex to have 2 stoves.

    If you have a door connecting both units and just keep that door locked off without a stove downstairs, it may be acceptable by the city.  It could be grey area, but it may be considered as just renting out a portion of your home.  As soon as you "wall off" the upstairs from the downstairs, it would become 2 separate units, and the city would likely call that multi-family.  If it's only zoned R1, then you would have a problem.

    Feel free to reach out directly and we can chat more!

    2Reply
  • Ryan ThomsonBusiness Member
    Real Estate Agent · Colorado Springs, CO · Member since 2018 · 1k+ posts · 1k+ votes
    3y

    @Benjamin Crowell You can make this work! It's done all the time in Denver. We do this all the time with house hackers in Colorado Springs.  @Kayla Givens would be a great investor and agent to connect with about how to make that happen in Denver.  

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  • Kayla Givens
    Lender · Denver, CO · Member since 2021 · 243 posts · 253 votes
    3y

    Thanks for the shoutout @Ryan Thomson! @Benjamin Crowell would be happy to help - I work with plenty of investors that do the same thing you're looking to do! I'll send you a DM :)

    1Reply
  • Benjamin Crowell
    OP
    Member since 2022 · 2 posts · 1 vote
    3y
    Thanks for the replies and DMs everyone! I ended up doing more digging and finding what streets are zoned R1 and R2 in my target neighborhood.


    0Reply
  • Ben RhodinBusiness Member
    Realtor · Denver, CO · Member since 2020 · 338 posts · 331 votes
    3y

    Hey @Benjamin Crowell! Most people have already touched on most of your concerns here, but I would encourage you to find a property that's already got a finished basement, and you simply have to add the finishing touches. As far as the city is concerned, you only should worry about permitting when you are making major changes to layout, square footage, plumbing, or electrical. If you are just doing cosmetic updates, don't bother with the city. If you are adding a full kitchen, then it's the same answer, The main issue that you'll run into is what everyone else already stated, it's the stove that is the issue. Depending on what strategy you are using, you may not need a full kitchen. I have quite a few clients around Anschutz that are currently doing this, and a lot of them were able to find properties that were fully turnkey. 

    Ill reach out and Im happy to share some of my client's success.

    [email protected]
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