The Blog

If you have been trying to reach Denver’s Community Planning and Development Department, you might have noticed a lack of response. No need to worry, this is temporary and intentional. In fact, the order comes down from the top officials who have decided this would be the best time of year for a blitz on the pending plans that need to be reviewed.

Developers, construction companies, and real estate investors are well aware of the increasing difficulty of bringing a multifamily construction project to fruition. In recent years, building codes have evolved and updated for the benefit of residents and neighborhoods. However, with the growth and additions made to Building Codes, the rigidity of the construction process has caused costs to rise in multifamily construction. These Building Codes are essential and very much necessary to ensure developers and construction companies provide quality and safe homes to the public; however, the implementation of newer regulations raises the difficulty and costs associated with bringing new multifamily construction to the public.

For the last couple of years or so, building an ADU in Denver has been a hot trend for homeowners, real estate investors, and would-be rental owners. An ADU or more formally known as an Accessory Dwelling Unit is a great idea to expand the livable square footage of a property. Property owners of all kinds have envisioned their homes to have a detached suite right in their backyard. The apparent benefits look promising, having a detached unit that can be rented out for long or short periods, having a detached property that can house family members or guests, and the increased square footage adds to the property value.
At a glance, building an ADU seems like a worthy investment for future rental owners but more times than not, it’s not the best investment. The reason for this is due to the ADU Cash Flow Conundrum property owners are faced with. Building an ADU requires a lot more time and money than other projects which makes them unappealing to those looking to cash flow as a rental.

“Sustainable farming in Denver” is quite the statement in itself, but add a little innovation and you find a very compact and efficient solution that uses shipping containers. For Ullr’s Garden, that is precisely what they have achieved when tackling a difficult problem with shrinking land resources and bio-availability. Ullr’s Garden grows sustainable farm crops in climate-controlled shipping containers in a Broadway used-car lot and only uses five gallons of water a day. Finding innovation in environmental sustainability is difficult in urban areas and even more so when pursuing lasting changes in future developments.

The holidays are a perfect time for families to return to each other and spend a little bit of quality time together. This is the perfect time for you as a homeowner or homebuyer to design and build your perfect space for the holiday festivities. If you have family and friends visiting, undoubtedly you will be in charge of hosting and entertaining your guests. Without designing and building a functional kitchen or a new dining room, the family holiday cheer can get a little Krampus (apologies for the terrible joke). Do you believe your home is ready for improvement? Do you know where to start? Ask us at Sustainable Design Build where we can build the perfect space for the holidays.