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I want to see if it's allowable to add on to my existing home {mom-suite} or detached cottage for mom. Prefer the detached option as the current layout of my home would be a challenge to accommodate the addition. I'm in a non-HOA neighborhood, city sewer/water and my lot is just over half acre at 0.54; so I'm assuming I would have to check with Wake County Building Department to see if this is allowed?
Who/Where do I call to see if this is doable? The addition and/or cottage would be 600SF or less. Do I have to hire an architect first to draw up plans, etc and then submit to the building department for the permit? I would like to find out first if I can do this before going through the expense of the architect, plans, etc.
Any advice/guidance?
Also, has anyone gone through this, if so, any builders/contractors you would recommend to oversee and complete this type of project?
Do you live outside any city limits? if so, you can call the Wake County Permitting and Inspections Office at 919-856-6060 and see if they will meet with to discuss. Or you can just find a reputable contractor, and ask him/her about the feasibility of your project.
If you are within City Limits my first call would be to the City planning department and if in the county start with the county planning department. First order of business is to find out what exactly your land is zoned as and whether it allows for more than one residence on a lot of that size (will determined whether a detached cottage is even allowable). The planning departments should be able to help you and point you to the other people you need to speak with. Good Luck!
you won't be allowed to build an entire guest cottage - bath and kitchen facilities. there shouldn't be anything stopping you (except old neighborhood restrictive covenants possibly) from building within the current setbacks, which should be 20' off the back line and 10' off the side lines.
When you talk to Wake County - make sure they consider the additional impervious surface provided by that additional 600 sq ft. of roof as well as the usual set backs, etc. Otherwise, we'll have another CD thread about you!
Having a copy of your lot survey with a sketch of what you want to add might be useful.
Well after being shuffled around for weeks and leaving numerous messages on voicemails, I finally received an answer last night at 4:58pm {an actual live person}.
An addition is permitted based on lot set-backs but a detached cottage is not permitted anywhere in the City of Raleigh.
I will have to review options as far as an addition, I could possibly finish {with permits} the walk up attic space for mom, perhaps put in an elevator if it comes to that as she can't do stairs. My home/layout/backyard is too nice to put an addition off the back. A detached cottage would have been perfect since most of my backyard is wooded, cottage could have been placed nicely amidst the woods...back to the drawing board.
Well after being shuffled around for weeks and leaving numerous messages on voicemails, I finally received an answer last night at 4:58pm {an actual live person}.
An addition is permitted based on lot set-backs but a detached cottage is not permitted anywhere in the City of Raleigh.
I will have to review options as far as an addition, I could possibly finish {with permits} the walk up attic space for mom, perhaps put in an elevator if it comes to that as she can't do stairs. My home/layout/backyard is too nice to put an addition off the back. A detached cottage would have been perfect since most of my backyard is wooded, cottage could have been placed nicely amidst the woods...back to the drawing board.
Thank you everyone for your input and guidance.
A good architect should be able to provide you with an "attached detached" cottage, if your lot will handle it.
Honestly, there are designs that provide a single story space and it includes quite literally all the necessary utilities. I've long joked with my wife that if she ever kicks me out I'll buy a tiny home, place it in the backyard and save us both the expense of paying for two homes.
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on where to start. 
