Maybe you need a place for an aging parent without moving them across town. Maybe your adult child needs somewhere affordable to live. Or perhaps you’ve looked at an unused portion of your property and wondered whether it could become an entirely separate living space. An accessory dwelling unit (ADU) can accomplish all of those things without requiring you to leave the home and neighborhood you already enjoy.
And for many Lakewood homeowners, the answer to “Can I build one?” is yes. Colorado law requires qualifying jurisdictions to allow one ADU alongside a single-family detached home where that type of home is permitted, and Lakewood’s zoning code provides for ADUs as well. However, that doesn’t mean you can simply start building wherever you have extra yard space. Your property and proposed project still need to satisfy applicable local requirements.
Table of Contents
- Why Are Lakewood Homeowners Building ADUs?
- Can You Build an ADU on Your Lakewood Property?
- What Requirements Does Your ADU Need to Meet?
- How Do You Actually Get an ADU Built?
- Planning Your ADU With Confidence
Why Are Lakewood Homeowners Building ADUs?
An ADU is essentially a smaller, independent living space located on the same property as a primary home. Depending on the design and property, it can be attached to the existing house or built as a detached structure.
The important part is what that extra space allows you to do.
For some homeowners, an ADU means having an aging parent 30 feet away instead of 30 minutes away while still giving everyone privacy. For others, it’s a comfortable place for adult children, guests, or extended family.
An ADU also creates flexibility as your needs change. The space you build for family today could potentially serve a different purpose years down the road, subject to applicable local rules.
That’s one reason an ADU can be more useful than simply adding another bedroom. You’re creating a separate living area that can adapt alongside your family and property.
Can You Build an ADU on Your Lakewood Property?
Lakewood’s current zoning code permits an ADU as an accessory use to a single-unit detached dwelling wherever the city allows single-unit detached homes. The code generally permits one ADU per lot and limits an ADU to 1,400 square feet of gross floor area.
That’s good news, but don’t interpret it as permission to start drawing up a 1,400-square-foot detached house in your backyard tomorrow.
Your specific project still needs to comply with applicable zoning, dimensional, architectural, building, and other requirements. Exactly what works can depend on your property and the ADU you’re proposing.
Before investing heavily in plans, confirm your property’s zoning and the requirements that apply to it. Lakewood provides an online zoning map where homeowners can enter their address and identify their zone district.
The city also specifically lists Accessory Dwelling Unit as a Zoning Review application through its eTRAKiT system.
In other words: ADUs are allowed, but your particular ADU still needs to be designed and approved correctly.
What Requirements Does Your ADU Need to Meet?
This is where good planning can prevent expensive surprises.
Start with the fundamentals: Where will the ADU go? How large will it be? Will it be attached or detached? How will utilities reach it? How will people access it?
Then consider how the new structure fits the property itself.
Lakewood’s zoning code subjects ADUs to architectural design standards, and an ADU above a garage or on the second floor of an accessory building may use a separate exterior staircase.
The city also provides an ADU-specific development handout and application resources to help property owners navigate the process.
This is why it pays to resolve feasibility questions before construction begins. Discovering that your original concept needs major changes after you’ve already invested in designs can cost both time and money.
How Do You Actually Get an ADU Built?
A successful ADU project starts long before anybody pours concrete.
First, determine what you actually need from the space. A private home for an aging parent may require different accessibility, layout, and privacy considerations than an ADU intended primarily for guests.
Next comes property evaluation and design. Your available space, existing home, zoning requirements, utilities, budget, and intended use all need to work together.
From there, plans can be developed around those constraints and submitted through the appropriate Lakewood review and permitting processes.
Only then does the project move into construction.
That’s also why choosing the right ADU contractor in Lakewood, CO matters. You’re not just hiring somebody to build walls. You’re trusting a team to help turn an idea into an addition that actually works with your existing property.
When it’s finished, the ADU shouldn’t feel like a random structure squeezed into whatever space was available. It should feel intentional—comfortable for whoever lives there, visually connected to your home, and useful for years to come.
Conclusion: Is an ADU Right for Your Lakewood Home?
For many Lakewood homeowners, building an ADU is absolutely possible. The bigger question is what kind of ADU makes sense for your particular property and family.
Before deciding, think beyond simply maximizing square footage. Consider who will use the space, how their needs could change, how the ADU will interact with your existing home, and what local requirements your design must satisfy.
Getting those decisions right at the beginning can make the difference between a stressful project filled with compromises and an addition that genuinely makes your home work better for the next stage of your life.
Thinking About Building an ADU in Lakewood?
If you’ve been looking at your property and wondering what you could build, you don’t have to figure out the entire process yourself.
Envisions Remodeling and Additions can help you plan and build an ADU that fits your property, your needs, and your vision for the finished space.