Should You Add a Basement Apartment in Tooele County?
Upterra Builders · May 28, 2026
A basement apartment, sometimes called an accessory dwelling unit or ADU, is one of the most requested projects we do. Homeowners in Tooele, Grantsville, and Stansbury Park keep asking us the same thing: is it actually worth it? Here is our honest answer after building a lot of them.
What a Basement Apartment Actually Is
An ADU is a self-contained living space with its own kitchen, bathroom, bedroom, and separate entrance. In a basement, that usually means we build a private walk-out or stairwell entrance, add a full kitchen, put in a legal bedroom with proper egress, and separate the utilities enough that the space works on its own. It is a real apartment inside your house, not just a finished basement.
The Case For It: Rental Income
Tooele County has grown fast. A lot of people commute to the Salt Lake Valley for work but want the lower cost of living out here, and that keeps rental demand steady. A well-built basement apartment near good access to the freeway tends to rent without much trouble.
The appeal is simple. The mortgage keeps costing the same whether that basement sits empty or brings in a check every month. Over a few years, rent from a basement apartment can cover a real chunk of what the build cost you. We will not throw out a fake monthly rent number here, because it swings with the market and the finish level, but the demand is real and it has held up.
The Case For It: Family
Money is not the only reason people build these. Half the basement apartments we do are for family, not tenants.
- Aging parents who want their own space but need to be close.
- A college kid or a young adult who is saving up and not ready to be across the valley.
- A grown child moving back for a while, with dignity and a door that closes.
- Long-term guests, or a space you can rent short term and use for family over the holidays.
A separate entrance and a full kitchen change the whole feel. Everybody gets their own life under one roof.
The Honest Downsides
We are not going to pretend it is all upside. A few real things to weigh:
- It costs more than a plain basement finish, because you are adding a full kitchen, a second bathroom, and a separate entrance.
- If you rent it, you become a landlord. That means tenants, maintenance calls, and the paperwork that comes with it.
- It has to be done legally. A basement apartment that is not permitted and up to code can cause problems when you sell or refinance, and it can create liability if something goes wrong.
- You give up the basement as your own bonus space, at least while it is rented.
Legal and Permit Reality in Tooele County
This is the part homeowners most often get wrong. A legal basement apartment in Utah needs the right things done right: a bedroom with a proper egress window or door for escape, ceiling height and smoke and carbon monoxide detection that meet code, and a permit pulled for the electrical, plumbing, and mechanical work. Local zoning also has rules about where ADUs are allowed and how they are used. We handle the permit and inspections as part of the build, so it is done by the book. Do not skip this. An unpermitted apartment is worth less and can cost you more in the long run.
So, Is It Worth It?
Here is our take. If you have unfinished basement space, decent access for a separate entrance, and either a real need for family space or a genuine interest in rental income, a basement apartment is one of the strongest projects you can put money into out here. It uses space you already own and it can pay you back.
If you would not rent it and do not need it for family, a standard finished basement gives you the space for less and skips the landlord side entirely.
The right answer depends on your house and your plans. Have us walk the basement with you. We will tell you honestly whether it makes sense, what a legal build takes, and give you a real written price. If financing would help, we work with a lending partner who can lay out your options.
Upterra Builders serves Tooele County, Stansbury Park, Grantsville, Erda, Stockton, and the surrounding communities. Locally owned by Danny and Trayson. Licensed and insured in Utah.