Leela Rea and her husband had several reasons to look beyond an ADU when they wanted their Vista, California, property to generate income. Their solution, a custom backyard greenhouse rental, now averages about $24,000 a month. The structure hosts small events and shoots rather than housing a tenant, and the family says it has changed their financial .
An ADU Quote Led to a Different Plan
The couple bought the Vista home in 2024 for roughly $1 million. With an interest rate near 8%, their monthly mortgage is about $7,000. They had previously sold a wedding-venue business and owned additional properties, including a home in Carlsbad. They wanted more income without returning to full-time work.
A contractor estimated that a three-bedroom, two-bath ADU would cost $500,000 to $600,000 including permits and construction. Rea also questioned whether she would feel comfortable having a stranger living on the property with three young children. At the same time, she expected an ADU to bring in only about $3,500 a month.
Instead, the couple chose a greenhouse. Rea had spent years collecting greenhouse ideas, and her wedding-industry background gave her a sense of what small-event clients wanted. She sketched her own design and brought in a friend who is a welder to build it. She has applied for a patent on the design.
What the Greenhouse Offers
The build cost nearly $200,000, including electrical work, flooring and a fireplace. To help pay for it, the couple sold a few real-estate properties, though they kept the Carlsbad home. Construction took about 10 months.
The property sits on a hill, with the greenhouse below the house and two seasonal creeks on either side. A path lined with roughly 150 French lavender plants leads to the structure. Rea describes the setting as a counterpoint to the large, expensive venues common in Southern California. She saw demand for intimate gatherings, such as rehearsal dinners, bridal showers and baby showers, that do not carry a $50,000 to $100,000 food-and-beverage minimum.
The business now brings in an average of $24,000 a month, though some revenue goes back into upkeep. Refreshments, paper towels and trash bags cost $200 to $350 a month, and a cleaning company charges $350 to $500. Rea used to handle much of the cleaning herself.
Events and Shoots
The greenhouse hosts roughly 10 to 15 intimate events a year. Proposals and shoots are also common, with shoots described as a core part of the business. The minimum for an event is now $7,500, up from an initial day rate of $3,000. shoots start at $375 an hour.
The couple also rents out the entire house, where they now live full time, but only while they are traveling. Rea said they require at least $30,000 for a weekend before they will pack up.
Early promotion relied on multiple platforms, some with high commission fees. Rea said social media now generates enough inquiries that those platforms are no longer necessary.
Building More Greenhouses
Rea and her welder friend are now manufacturing greenhouses based on her design in Southern California. Three sizes are planned. The smallest will go in the family’s former Carlsbad home, and a few preorders are already in place.
Rea said the project could change her family’s life. She and her husband are grateful not to work full time, and they have more time together. Her advice to other mothers is to bet on themselves and to think differently about how to earn a living.
