I was lucky enough to buy this house in 2005 for a decent price. It is centrally located in the Tree District of Laramie. The original house is old – we have some evidence it dates back to 1870-80. A small addition was built in the 50s along with a small cottage sharing a walkway. 

This was an attractive house for any first-time buyer. The cottage brings in some rent to help out with the mortgage. We lived in the house until we needed more space. Our oldest child was living in the storage closet and before long we were forced to relocate. 

I have always been attracted to the idea of sweat equity. I love building projects and physical labor. I work with a local contractor on building projects. So I was enamored with the idea that I could build wealth (equity) with my own labor. In 2022 I started to learn about the real estate development process. I spoke with a representative at the City of Laramie, and she encouraged me to check out the Incremental Development Alliance.

We are now considering whether to continue investing in the property. There is a three-car garage on the alley that is used for storage. I have always thought about converting it into living space, but when I applied for a permit – this was probably around 2017 – I was denied. 

But then, in 2022, the City of Laramie passed a suite of housing reforms. You can find the new regulations here and here.

I was still not sure if my unit would qualify, since I had a principal structure AND an accessory dwelling already on the property. So I spoke with the City of Laramie to confirm that my project could go forward.

(Confirmation from city planning)

The conclusion? We are free to convert this garage into housing. It’s a potentially low cost solution to add housing to the neighborhood. You can follow along with this project to learn more about ADUs, the costs and design considerations, financing and more.