This article appears in print in the March 2020 issue. Click here to subscribe.

As Seattle loosens its grip on residential zoning laws, Bellevue-based MyKabin makes it easy to maximize the potential of your own backyard. The new company simplifies the experience of building a detached accessory dwelling unit (DADU), or mother-in-law apartment, completing the process, from permitting to inspection, for one flat fee. Using MyKabin’s free online property evaluator, you can plug in your address and find out immediately if your property qualifies for DADU permits. The company’s construction process uses a foundation that meets the structural regulations known to keep DADU dreams stuck in the permitting phase, and the method for laying the foundation is easy on the environment. Yet most of the structure is still fully customizable, so long as it meets the building code. “Even though no two cabins will ever look the same to the human eye, they will look the same to the structural engineer at the city planning department,” says MyKabin cofounder Tom Todaro. Units range from 250 to 1,000 square feet, include a full bathroom and functional kitchen, and utilize local, renewable resources for lighting and insulation.