This chronicles our adventure in building, kind of in the vein of CPartist's "Absolute Final Plans" thread. A little over six years ago, we started considering building a duplex with our DD (our only) and DSIL in a Colorado mountain town/ski area where they live. Here's my first post when our thoughts were in their embryonic stage.

http://ths.gardenweb.com/discussions/2294135/where-to-start

Three years later, we found the perfect creekside lot for our needs and timed it right, the lagging market had not started recover on lot priced yet, but the lot prices started going up about six months after we closed and now all have been sold. In fact the lot next door, very slightly bigger (.08 acre larger), but with a weird building envelope due to a minor wetlands issue, resold earlier this year for $245,000 MORE than we paid, so we timed the market just right).

http://ths.gardenweb.com/discussions/2265543/multigenerational-house

Then we began the process of with an architect to develop plans that preserve privacy for each generation and keeps our side one level daily living. While space/building envelope didn't permit full one story living and, in fact each side is three stories, everything DH and I need -- garage, open living and dining, kitchen, laundry, pantry, master bed and bath and office/small spare bedroom and deck are on the main floor barrier free. On our side, just the primary guest suite is upstairs. The "kids'" side has a the living/dining/kitchen and guest bedroom with bath on the main floor and their master suite , laundry and a second bedroom/bath upstairs.

We broke ground the end of July, 2016 and although nobody knew it at the time, including DD, but they definitely will need that second bedroom because about a week later DD discovered she was expecting. Luckily the house was designed with that possibility in mind. Our DGS made his appearance on April 4. He's five months old and adorable:

Our side is about 2600 square feet and the kid's side is about 2500 (we have a bit of wasted space in the entry hall). That's downsizing by about 30 % for us and upsizing a bit for the kids. But both sides also have large walk out 1600-1800 sq. ft. basements. Initially, the basements will be unfinished, but heated, with plumbing stubbed, and windows and exterior doors in, ready to add a rec room and upto two more bedrooms and baths per side. If we do finish the basement, we're actually upsizing a bit.

What we like about this type of multigenerational plan is that separate sides preserve privacy, in fact, you can't even really see much of one side from the other except from the decks and the sides have no obvious interior connection. However, the sides do have connecting doors at the stair landings so that the kids can use our guest suite for overflow without intruding on our main level privacy (DSIL is from a large family). On the main level, the sides connect through a large pantry that connects to each of our kitchens. The pantry will be used for silver and China storage, oversized pots, and things we don't need to duplicate and will share, like a kitchenaid mixer on a cart. We also will probably put in an overflow refrigerator with freezer in the panty. To save money we're going to DYI IKEA cabinetry that DD and I designed and ordered this week. The access will be nice because they work and we will be semiretired and will cook family dinners several nights a week and they can pop over to eat. It will also be great to send the DGS over to us now and then to get a little break.

The house is scheduled be finished mid-October and the kids will move in at that time. We are semi retiring in November and will move from our home in the south to Colorado then. DH has already found a 2 day a week part time job very near our new build (walking distance) with a great dental practice that needs the help and experience of a seasoned dentist and my law firm will allow me to work part-time remotely (I will need to travel back home to the office 3-5 weeks a year, but that will be nice because I'll miss the people I have worked with for almost 30 years and I have some close friends and family at "home" that I'll get to see).

Yes, there have been snags and bumps along the way and we will end up probably 5-10% over budget, but so many other things have fallen into place perfectly. Most importantly, the birth if our DGS when I had almost given up on ever being a grandparent. but also DH sold his dental practice quickly in the Spring of 2016 (actually much faster than we thought) and has been working on a contact basis two days a week. We sold our vacation home that the kids were living in near where we are building relative quickly at a fair price painlessly and the kids found a great rental nearby. We sold our primary home without even putting it on the market at a very fair price (to friends!) and were able to find a very nice rental for four months. DH's new job even grew out of a chance meeting between our DD and a local dentist at a concert! Talk about serendipity! And DD and I have had a blast working on furnishings together, in part, with the help of two great designers that work together. Even my 86 year old Mom has agreed to move to a very, very, nice senior living facility less than 4 minutes from our new house (she is blind, but otherwise pretty independent so far, but I want/need to be close to her).

The only bad news is that we probably won't be out there again until the big move.

Ok now for the most recent pictures (I may need to add another post since this is so long!

View of the front of the duplex (DH and my side is to the right and the kids' side is to the left. I thought I had a photo showing the kids' entrance but can't find it right now.)

Rear views (stairs from the decks still need to be done)

I'll add a few interior shots in a bit -- need to take a little break for a while.