https://www.myidahoadu.com/ Building an ADU in Idaho - documented from Day 1. en-us Thu, 03 Sep 2026 08:00:00 -0700 https://www.myidahoadu.com/adu-water-sewer-hookup-post-falls/ https://www.myidahoadu.com/adu-water-sewer-hookup-post-falls/ Thu, 03 Sep 2026 08:00:00 -0700 In July the city told me an ADU has to share the main house's water and sewer. In August Tisha Gallop, a city permit tech, told me that isn't true. Separating runs about $11,000, needs a Planning approval that isn't automatic, and there's a cheaper way I didn't know about. https://www.myidahoadu.com/the-young-man-selling-pest-control/ https://www.myidahoadu.com/the-young-man-selling-pest-control/ Tue, 01 Sep 2026 08:00:00 -0700 A young man in his mid-twenties came to my door selling pest control. He turned his life around doing it, he wants to own a home, and he's thinking about leaving Idaho, because here the numbers don't work. Same math my own sons are doing. https://www.myidahoadu.com/adu-gas-electric-meter-avista/ https://www.myidahoadu.com/adu-gas-electric-meter-avista/ Thu, 06 Aug 2026 08:00:00 -0700 Avista quoted about $1,000 to $2,000 to trench for electric and nothing for gas. Then my other lot in the same city got a completely different answer. https://www.myidahoadu.com/arguments-against-more-housing/ https://www.myidahoadu.com/arguments-against-more-housing/ Tue, 04 Aug 2026 08:00:00 -0700 I've been making the case for building more homes in Kootenai County. So I wrote down every serious argument against it, including the ones I lose. Nine of the twenty-two are still open. https://www.myidahoadu.com/adu-permit-cost-post-falls/ https://www.myidahoadu.com/adu-permit-cost-post-falls/ Thu, 30 Jul 2026 08:00:00 -0700 Post Falls' fee schedule pointed at $13,000 in water and sewer hookups. For an ADU on a lot that already has a house, the real answer is $1,000 to $2,000. https://www.myidahoadu.com/hermit-crabs-and-housing/ https://www.myidahoadu.com/hermit-crabs-and-housing/ Tue, 28 Jul 2026 08:00:00 -0700 Hermit crabs line up by size to trade shells, and one new shell moves the whole line up. People do the same thing with houses. Why one more small home helps a family who will never live in it. https://www.myidahoadu.com/why-im-doing-this/ https://www.myidahoadu.com/why-im-doing-this/ Thu, 23 Jul 2026 08:00:00 -0700 Why I'm building an ADU from zero. My sons can't reach a home of their own, and a lot of us are feeling the same thing. The first in a series on why. https://www.myidahoadu.com/build-tracker-launch/ https://www.myidahoadu.com/build-tracker-launch/ Mon, 13 Jul 2026 08:00:00 -0700 The new Post Falls ADU build tracker: nineteen questions with sourced answers, a cost ledger with real numbers, and a time ledger for the whole build. https://www.myidahoadu.com/four-free-adu-plans-kootenai-county/ https://www.myidahoadu.com/four-free-adu-plans-kootenai-county/ Wed, 08 Jul 2026 08:00:00 -0700 The Housing Solutions Partnership publishes four free ADU plan sets, already reviewed by building departments across Kootenai County. Here's what's actually in each one, and the fine print worth knowing before you pick one. https://www.myidahoadu.com/every-question-an-adu-builder-needs-answered/ https://www.myidahoadu.com/every-question-an-adu-builder-needs-answered/ Mon, 06 Jul 2026 08:00:00 -0700 Every question I could think of that an Idaho ADU builder needs answered before they spend a dollar, sorted into four buckets. Now I want to know what I missed. https://www.myidahoadu.com/idaho-law-vs-post-falls-code/ https://www.myidahoadu.com/idaho-law-vs-post-falls-code/ Sat, 04 Jul 2026 08:00:00 -0700 On America's 250th, a side-by-side read of Idaho's new ADU law (SB 1354, § 67-6541) and the current Post Falls city code, and the three places they don't agree yet. https://www.myidahoadu.com/day-1-starting-from-zero/ https://www.myidahoadu.com/day-1-starting-from-zero/ Wed, 01 Jul 2026 08:00:00 -0700 The first post. July 1, 2026, the day Idaho's new ADU law takes effect and the day I start documenting the whole build from zero.