
Licensed, bonded & insured · Free estimates
ADU Builder in Rainier, WA
Backyard cottages, guest houses and shop apartments for family or rental. Get a free estimate.
Serving Rainier and every town within 100 miles — Western Washington
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- Free estimates
- Licensed, bonded & insured
- 33 years of experience
- Work directly with Greg
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ADUs, Guest Houses & Shops with Living Quarters
ADUs, Guest Houses & Shops with Living Quarters built by Greg
Families build ADUs for all kinds of reasons: a parent who needs to live close, a grown kid saving for a place, a guest house for visitors, or rent that helps with the mortgage. On acreage, a lot of owners want a shop with living quarters upstairs so they can live on the land while the main house is built. An accessory dwelling is a small house in every way that counts. It needs its own permit, foundation, insulation, kitchen and bath, and a layout that feels bigger than it is.
ADUs are one of the services Greg Myers offers, and one of his builds is a two-story timber barn: carriage doors with red trim on the ground floor, and an upstairs living space that opens onto a balcony. That shop-with-quarters setup works well on rural land. Greg handles the whole project: checking what your lot allows, plans and permits, site work, the foundation, framing, roof, siding, windows and the interior finish carpentry. You work with Greg directly from the first sketch to the final inspection, with no middlemen in between.

What's included
ADUs, Guest Houses & Shops with Living Quarters: what's included
- 01
Detached backyard cottages
A standalone small home with its own entry, kitchen, bath and bedroom, placed to keep privacy for both households.
- 02
Shops with living quarters
A garage or shop on the ground floor with an apartment above, like the two-story timber barn in Greg's photos.
- 03
Apartments over garages
A new two-story garage with a finished unit upstairs, or a unit added over an existing garage when the structure can carry it.
- 04
Layouts that feel bigger
Vaulted ceilings, built-ins and careful window placement so a small floor plan feels open and bright.
- 05
Lot and permit review
We check setbacks, size limits, parking and septic or sewer capacity before design, so there are no surprises at the permit counter.
- 06
Foundation through finish
Slab or crawlspace foundation, framing, roofing, siding, windows, doors, flooring and trim, built and finished by one builder.
Real work · not stock photos
Greg's adus, guest houses & shops with living quarters work
Photos from Greg's own jobs around Western Washington.
How it works
How an adu job works
- 1
Free on-site estimate
Greg looks at your lot, where an ADU could sit and how it connects to the driveway and main house, and asks who will live there.
- 2
Plans and permit
We design a layout that fits your lot's rules and your budget, then submit the plans to the county or city.
- 3
Build the unit
Site prep, foundation, framing, roof and exterior go up, followed by insulation, drywall and the interior.
- 4
Finish and final inspection
Cabinets, trim and finish work go in, the final inspection is passed, and the unit is ready to move into.
Customer reviews
What customers say about Greg
“He is a quality person to deal with and does excellent work. I would recommend him to anyone.”
Don B.
An addition to an existing structure · HomeAdvisor review
“He is a man of integrity. He does what he says and says what a does.”
Tom W.
A project with Greg · HomeAdvisor review
“He does good work.”
Bill
A project with Greg · HomeAdvisor review
Local pages
ADUs, Guest Houses & Shops with Living Quarters by city
Local details and nearby towns for each of our core cities.
- ADUs in Rainier
- ADUs in Yelm
- ADUs in Tenino
- ADUs in Lacey
- ADUs in Tumwater
- ADUs in Centralia
- ADUs in Olympia
- ADUs in DuPont
- ADUs in Eatonville
- ADUs in Chehalis
- ADUs in Graham
- ADUs in Lakewood
- ADUs in Puyallup
- ADUs in Tacoma
- ADUs in Shelton
- ADUs in Federal Way
- ADUs in Auburn
- ADUs in Kent
- ADUs in Bremerton
- ADUs in Longview
- ADUs in Seattle
- ADUs in Aberdeen
- ADUs in Bellevue
- ADUs in Everett
- ADUs in Vancouver
Also serving Bucoda, Roy, Elk Plain, Rochester, Spanaway, Napavine, Frederickson, Steilacoom, Parkland, Mossyrock, Midland, South Hill and more →
Questions
ADUs, Guest Houses & Shops with Living Quarters FAQs
How do you keep a small ADU from getting damp or moldy?
A small space with a kitchen and shower puts a lot of moisture into the air, and our winters don't let it dry out on its own. We plan insulation, vapor control and ventilation from the start, keep the foundation dry with drainage and a vapor barrier, and detail the windows and siding against wind-driven rain. A tight, well-vented ADU stays comfortable and keeps its framing sound.
What does it cost to build an ADU?
It depends on the size, whether it is detached or over a garage, the foundation, how far utilities have to run and the level of finish inside. Lot conditions like slope or clearing add to it. Greg gives a free estimate after looking at your property and your plans, with a price for your project instead of a ballpark.
Can I build an ADU on my property?
In many cases, yes. Washington has pushed cities and counties to allow more ADUs, but the details still vary by jurisdiction, including size limits, setbacks, parking, and septic or sewer capacity. Greg checks the rules for your address during planning so the design fits what will be approved.
Can you build a shop with an apartment above it?
Yes. A garage or shop downstairs with living quarters upstairs is one of the most practical builds on acreage. You get space for vehicles and equipment plus a place to live, which can house family or, where the county allows it, serve as your home while the main house goes up.
Is a tiny home on a foundation the same as an ADU?
When a small house sits on a permanent foundation and has a kitchen and bath, it is generally permitted as a dwelling, and often as an ADU if there is already a main house on the lot. That gives you a permanent building that adds to the property rather than an RV-style unit. Greg builds small homes on site this way, start to finish.
Related
Often done together

Detached Garages & Shops
Detached garages, two-story shops and RV garages.
See detached garages & shops
Garage Conversions
Garage conversions into bedrooms, offices, family rooms and in-law suites.
See garage conversions
New Home Construction (Build on Your Land)
New homes on your land, ramblers and two-story homes.
See new home construction (build on your land)

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