Shed to ADU Conversion

Want to construct a convenient and inexpensive living space for your elderly family members, rental income, or anything else? Then, a shed conversion can be a perfect solution. With thorough planning and some creativity, you’ll be able to turn a simple shed in your backyard into a comfy ADU.

In our article, we’ll describe this entire process. No matter whether you want to create an extra space for your aging parents, adult children, a home gym or something else, our tips will be useful for you.

Determining the Budget and Plan

When converting a storage shed into a house, you’ll need careful planning, even if you want a very simple, tiny home. Firstly, make a project for your future accessory dwelling unit, and then estimate your financial possibilities.

The main factors that you’ll have to consider are the following:

1. The intended use. Tiny houses constructed for residential purposes and non-residential structures (workplaces, home gyms, etc) are very different:
2. Size. Do you want a tiny house shed or a larger building? Remember that the biggest possible shed size that doesn’t require getting a permit is 120 square feet. However, for many people, such a space is too little;
3. Design – your shed house may be any style you like. The most common options are the gable style or a tall barn with a loft;
4. Energy sources – do you want to utilize traditional or renewable ones (for example solar power) in your structure?
5. The presence of a wood stove. If you dwell in a cold climate zone, we strongly recommend you get it. Since it doesn’t require electricity, it can help you save money — and also, it’s ideal for an off-grid tiny house;
6. Plumbing. Make a plan of the kitchen and the bathroom of your future tiny house. Will they be fully-functional ones, or simply a half-bathroom and a kitchenette?
7. Layout plan. Create a detailed plan of your shed ADU layout. Where are you going to locate all the rooms? Does your shed have enough space to include everything you need?
8. The cost of your project. How much money will you be able to pay to turn a shed into a house? If you plan to create a big living space, be aware that it’ll cost approximately 20% more.

Making an ADU Foundation

Preparing a durable, solid foundation for your tiny shed home is a very important step. If you want your building to be a functional, convenient, and safe structure, you’ll need to pay lots of attention to this aspect.

If your budget is too small, you can use the following methods. However, they’re not very good:

• Making a bed out of crushed rock and putting cinder block piers on it;
• Utilizing a foundation made of crushed gravel.

But which methods are the best for a tiny house? Here, you can see some of them:

• A foundation made of concrete;
• The “Pier and Beam” type of foundation;
• A gravel foundation with piers.

Only with a good, durable foundation will your converted shed last long, be stable, and be reliable.

Getting the ADU Permits

Any ADU, including a shed conversion, needs to have a legal permit. No matter whether you’re going to purchase a prefab shed, hire builders to construct a stick-built one, or even make it yourself – you’ll need to get approval from your local authorities. It’s especially important if your building size is more than 120 (or 100, depending on the location) square feet.

In some places, getting the necessary permits for tiny houses may be a bit hard, but if you comply with all the local building codes, there won’t be too many difficulties.

To convert a shed into a house, you’ll need to get the following permits:

• Building permit;
• Plumbing permit;
• Electrical permit;
• Mechanical permit.

An important component of many permits are inspections. Before the approval of the document, municipal inspectors can visit your property lot to make sure everything corresponds with the rules.

Constructing the Shed

If you already have the right shed on your property — that’s great! You’ll only need to convert it into a tiny house.

But in case you don’t have it and want to build a new shed tiny house, you’ve got the following variants:

• Construct a DIY shed yourself. This option is suitable only for people who are skillful enough;
• Hire a team of construction workers to build it;
• Purchase a prefab shed. There are lots of ready-made small sheds on the market. The quality of those sheds is often very decent.

In order to turn a shed into a tiny house, you’ll need to divide it into several rooms. Decide where you’ll locate the bathroom, bedroom, and kitchen. Any house needs to have different rooms — even if it has a really small space.

If your shed is barn-like and with a big loft, you can strengthen it with deadwood. Nail it to the inner parts of the corners and places where walls meet the ceiling. After that, you can attach drywall or shiplap to it. In addition to that, deadwood with exposed beams can give a specific “vaulted” appearance to your ceiling.

Installing the Electrical System and Plumbing

There are two types of electrical systems for sheds and tiny houses – classic and solar-powered. When you’ve selected the right one, you’ll need to thoroughly plan its installation. To do the electrical work yourself, you need to be a highly competent professional. If you lack the required skills, it’s better to hire a qualified electrician — especially if your ADU is large. Of course, you’ll have to spend some extra money, but it will be completely worth it.

You can conduct underground or above-ground electrical lines. Your future living space needs to have an electric service panel and circuits that are separate from the main house. However, in some cases, local authorities can allow you to make a common panel for the ADU and the main home. Then, it has to be easily accessible from both buildings.

Usually, plumbing and septic systems also require a specialist to install. Yes, DIY plumbing exists, too, but to do it, you also need skills in this sphere. Moreover, you’ll have to choose the plumbing system very carefully. Plumbing for a kitchen sink, bathroom, and other rooms is very different., Also note that a septic tank shoulatbe on a certain distance from the living space (both the shed and the main house).

In addition to that, it’s very useful to install a composting toilet. It will help you avoid significant expenses of sewer and water installations. However, some places don’t allow it, so check your local regulations and consult with a specialist.

Moisture Control

Avoiding mold is vital for any person who owns a house. And as we all know, moisture tends to cause mold. That’s why its control is so important — especially for those who live in humid climate zones. To regulate the moisture level in your shed ADU, you can install a bathroom vent, a dehumidifier, and a kitchen vent hood.

Temperature Regulation

You can use different methods to regulate temperature in your tiny house. They can be active and passive. The first category includes window air conditioners, ceiling fans, ductless mini-split systems, baseboard heaters, radiant floor heating, and pellet stoves. The second group methods are airflow, sun heat through windows, and cooling reflective paint.

Insulation

Insulation is another essential thing for a shed conversion.

Why is it so necessary?

• It makes the temperature inside the tiny house more comfortable;
• It helps save money on cooling and heating.

So, it’s crucial to insulate all the main surfaces of the tiny house – not only walls, but also floor and ceiling.

Let’s name the most popular insulation variants:

• Spray foam insulation;
• Foam board;
• Loose-fill.

The first one is the most optimal variant for a shed conversion. Let’s explain why:

1. It seals very tightly, not only insulating the house but also preventing moisture in the room. With spray foam, you won’t need ceiling vents;
2. Since it’s solid, little animals such as mice won’t be able to nest in the walls.

Should you insulate the tiny home yourself or hire a specialist? You can do it on your own rather easily, and it will be much cheaper. However, only a professional will make it the right way and guarantee a high-quality result.

Interior Siding

During this stage, your shed is finally becoming a comfy tiny house. Now, you’ll need to cover the shed walls with siding to make them look really cozy and welcoming.

The most popular siding variants include:

• Shiplap. It gives the room a lovely, country house-like appearance;
• Pine tongue and groove. It’s also very cozy and also has an amazing smell!
• Metal sheets. They make the room look stylishly rugged;
• Drywall. It’s suitable for classic and modern interior styles. Note that you’ll need to paint this siding before moving on to the next steps;
• A combination of any of the above.

Every one of those siding variants can give your converted shed space a unique, inviting look.

Flooring Installation

The last stage of converting a shed into a house is installing the floor.

The most common flooring options include:

• Waterproof vinyl plank. Many people consider it the best variant;
• Tiles;
• Engineered hardwood;
• Laminate. It’s very expensive, but not water-resistant.

Personalization and Decoration

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To finish converting your shed into a house, you’ll need to design its interior and give it your own unique touch. Add furniture, decorations, technical devices — whatever you want! We’d recommend you to use compact multifunctional furniture, especially if your converted shed is small. Examples include a retractable bed, a sofa with storage space, a foldable dining table, and many others. The choice is truly immense!

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The Final Thoughts

An ADU is not only an additional living space or a rental income source. It significantly increases the property value. It means that if somebody decides to buy land with an ADU, this land will cost much more. So, constructing a tiny house can be very profitable in the long run.

The process of creating a shed ADU on your property isn’t very complicated at all. Even the tiniest sheds can be completely convertible to a living space. Making an ADU out of a shed is significantly easier than building it completely from scratch.

However, there are also some challenges in this process, which you need to know about, especially if you want to make it on your own. So, we’d strongly recommend you hire a team of specialists. This variant seems more expensive, but it will help you avoid many costly mistakes — so, paradoxically, it may turn out even cheaper.