Q: Windows! I love windows! Why isn’t the whole thing covered in windows?
A: Unfortunately in a cold weather climate like northern Colorado, the more windows you have (even the fancy triple pane ones) the less comfortable the room is. Although they look great in architecture magazines, the reality of window-heavy designs is that they aren’t very fun to experience in real life. We stick with the rule-of-thumb that windows should cover no more than 15% of the total exterior wall surface.
Q: What sets Marigold Spaces apart from the cool looking cheap ones I see online?
A: In a nutshell, you get what you pay for. Cheap is cheap. On the other hand, Marigold Spaces are made using construction methods that are generally reserved for only the most premium custom homes. Unlike competitors with 4” walls and minimum insulation, Marigold Spaces have 10.25” walls and best available insulation packages. In fact, our Spaces have a complete, continuous 4” layer of insulation wrapping the outside of all six sides of the structure on top of the typical insulation found inside the framing cavities. This brings energy use down to a bare minimum and, most importantly, makes the inside of the unit incredibly cozy and comfortable year round. It also makes it very quiet inside, blocking out sounds of traffic, lawnmowers, and those party-heavy neighbors down the street.
But it doesn’t stop there! To heat the units, we use radiant heat (heated floors or ceiling panels), which warm the interior the same way the sun warms your body on a sunny day. Unlike typical furnaces, radiant heat is absolutely silent, does not dry your skin, and does not blow dust, dirt and pollen through the air.
Speaking of air, to ensure that your indoor air quality is as fresh as possible, all Marigold Spaces are equipped with energy recovery ventilators (ERVs), which continuously bring in fresh air to replace stale air while filtering out pollutants and instantly bringing it to your desired temperature and humidity level. Incredibly, ERVs use very little energy to run.
Last, but not least, a lot of thought has been put into the design of the spaces to minimize construction waste and maximize usage of environmentally-friendly materials that are also healthy for you. Even if you don’t care about that kind of thing, you will feel better inside a Marigold Space due to the high air quality.
Q: How do I know what my property is zoned for?
A : Luckily, we will take care of that work for you. Zoning in Fort Collins is confusing, to say the least. We will determine what you are and are not allowed to do, including structure size, setbacks, and amenities (plumbing, electrical, etc.).
Q: How do the electrical and plumbing connections work?
A: If you would like to connect your Space to your home’s electric service, you will need a dedicated 30A 220V circuit. For models with bathrooms, a plumber will have to tie in the supply water and waste lines to your existing underground lines. Prices for this vary based on many variables. Alternatively, you can save money by using an above ground RV-style power cord (where zoning allows). You can also go fully off-grid by using our solar kit, gray water system and compost toilet (they are much better than what you’re picturing!)
Q: Does your pricing include electrical and plumbing connections?
A: The pricing for our models include everything in the standalone structure, including a generator port that allows you to instantly connect to your home’s exterior outlets. However, since there are so many variables involved with permanently connecting the Space to your home’s electrical, water and sewer, we cannot set a standard price for those. We will, however, work with an electrician and plumber to get you a quote for the required connections.
Q: Can I rent my Marigold Space as an Airbnb or a long-term rental?
A: In a nutshell, probably not. While there are a few select areas of Fort Collins that do allow accessory dwelling units (ADUs) to be used as rental housing, the majority of areas in the city do not. This might change soon, however, as both the local municipality and state government are exploring making ADUs rentable. Cities such as Seattle, Portland, Austin, Chicago and Nashville have much more progressive policies regarding ADUs as a means to help solve the housing affordability crisis while providing homeowners with much-needed supplemental income. Studies indicate that, to the surprise of many, ADUs actually cut down on traffic, which is a common concern. Needless to say, we hope Fort Collins follows suit.
Q: I see that composting toilets and gray water systems are listed as options. What are those and why would I choose them?
A: Composting toilets are a great workaround for dwellings that are not (or not allowed to be) hooked up to sewer. They are clean, odor free, and comfortable. Unlike traditional toilets, however, they sit over a holding tank of organic material, which gets emptied periodically. Because of their ease of use, they are very popular in off-grid cabins and tiny houses. Likewise, a gray water system collects waste water from sinks and showers to be used to water lawns and plants instead of connecting to city sewer. Two drawbacks to graywater systems are 1) you have to be careful about what goes down the drain, including the type of soap you use, and 2) they do not work during winter months.
Q: What type of foundation do these structures use?
A: We use pier and beam foundations, which allow us to keep costs down and fully insulate the floor, keeping them warm and cozy throughout the cold months.
Q: Air conditioning is not a standard feature. Why is that?
A : Because of how well insulated Marigold Spaces are, mechanical cooling systems are not needed. Even in the summer heat, the inside will stay comfortable. Of course, if you insist on having a mechanical cooling system, we are happy to install a high-efficiency mini-split air conditioner (we don’t recommend window units because they are noisy and inefficient). Read more about our cooling options here.
Spaces by Marigold 