Orchards ADU Builder

The feasibility check comes before the floor plan

The hardest part of building an ADU usually isn't the construction — it's confirming what your specific lot actually allows. JDI Construction is a family-owned, Vancouver-based design-build remodeler, and we approach every accessory dwelling unit as a second, independent home on your property, which means the zoning and the utilities set the terms before the design does. So we confirm what your Orchards lot permits first, then design to it. Orchards is unincorporated east Vancouver, a blend of mid-century streets and newer subdivisions near SR-500, and the range of lots here means the ADU answer really does change parcel by parcel.

Our designers and trades work as one team, so the unit you approve rests on what the site and the code will genuinely permit — we don't hand a hopeful floor plan to a separate crew and find out later it won't clear review. Here's the range of ADUs we build, what decides what's possible on your lot, and what to expect on cost and timeline.

What decides what you can build

Before a single line is drawn, a handful of factors set the boundaries of what your Orchards lot can hold. These are the ones we confirm first:

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   Zoning & size limitsWhat your lot's zone allows for a second unit — in size, height, and placement.
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   Setbacks & coverageHow close to property lines and how much of the lot a unit can occupy.
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   Parking & accessWhether parking is required and how the unit is reached from the street.
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   Utilities & feesSewer, water, and power connections, plus the system development charges that come with them.

A few decisions worth making early

The decisions that make or break an ADU land well before design. The first is feasibility. ADU rules — the categories of size, height, placement, parking, and fees — are set by the jurisdiction, and because Orchards is unincorporated, the governing rules are Washington's and Clark County's, not Portland's or Oregon's on the other side of the river. What a lot allows over there tells you nothing about your parcel here, so we confirm your specific site before anything is drawn. The second decision is type and use — a garage conversion, a basement unit, an attached addition, and a detached cottage each carry their own site demands, and whether the unit is meant for rental income, family, or a home office guides the plan. The third is budgeting for the parts you can't see: the sewer, water, and power connections and the system development charges that ride along with a new dwelling. We put all of it on the table up front so nothing catches you off guard after design.

What Orchards homeowners build ADUs for

Most ADUs we're asked about in Orchards fall into a few uses: a rental for reliable income, a private space for aging parents or adult children who want to stay nearby, or a quiet office or studio separate from the main house. Each use nudges the design a different way — a rental favors durability and a private entrance, a multigenerational unit favors single-level, accessible living.

Because Orchards sits in unincorporated Clark County, the applicable rules are Washington's and the county's, which differ from those across the river — another reason we begin by confirming what your parcel allows rather than assuming. Whatever the use, we design a compact footprint to live larger than its square footage, with the light, storage, and ceiling height that keep a small home from feeling cramped.

What does an ADU cost in Orchards?

ADU cost is driven first by type: a garage or basement conversion that reuses an existing structure generally costs less than a detached cottage built from scratch. After that come size, finish level, and — the piece homeowners tend to underestimate — the site and utility work. Running sewer, water, and power to a new dwelling, managing grading and access, and covering connection fees can account for a meaningful share of the budget, which is exactly why we scope it early. With design and trades both in-house, we give you an itemized estimate once we know what your lot allows and which type fits, so the number reflects your project rather than a generic per-square-foot figure.

How long does an ADU take to build?

An ADU runs on three clocks: feasibility and design, permitting, and construction. Permitting for a second dwelling can take longer than a remodel because it involves both zoning and utility review, so we build that time into the plan rather than promising a fast turnaround. Once permits are secured, construction depends on type — a conversion moves quicker than a ground-up cottage. We give you a realistic schedule after the feasibility check, carry the permitting ourselves, and keep you updated through our client portal as the unit comes together.

Why homeowners in Orchards choose JDI

An ADU rewards a builder who understands the rules as well as the construction, because the project can stall at the permit counter long before the first wall goes up. As a single accountable design-build team, we handle the feasibility, the design, the utility connections, and the build under one roof, so nothing gets lost between a zoning question and the crew on site. We manage the permitting, keep you informed through our client portal, and stand behind the work with a five-year workmanship warranty. Being just a short drive west in Vancouver, we're close enough to stay responsive throughout a project this involved.

JDI Construction — "Built by family. Trusted by neighbors." Design-build remodeling and ADU construction based in downtown Vancouver, WA, serving Orchards and the greater Portland–Vancouver metro since 2007.