Planning to Turn Your Shed Into a Tiny Home? Here are the Factors to Consider

An accessory dwelling unit (ADU), is a second unit attached to a primary home that can be used for storage, workshops, or even a guest room. With people looking at ways to earn a bit more, to keep up with the soaring cost of living, many are turning their sheds into tiny homes. These sheds then can be used to create more space in an existing home or bring in extra income by acting as a rental space. This 28-year-old woman, who is a real estate entrepreneur is actively helping other homeowners create more housing in their existing properties through her business Gather ADU.

Amazon, Home Depot, and Costco already sell DIY shed kits and backyard guest houses, which are in demand due to rising housing costs. While the sheds for sale at Costco for as low as $5,000 may look tempting, Precious Price urges everybody to analyze the situation and make a sound decision.

Approvals and permits

Consider having a word with the municipality as not all of them let you construct an additional dwelling on your property. It depends on the local zoning codes and classification which will determine whether you can put a structure like this in the backyard. To find more information, refer to the local zoning or permitting office. It's a good idea to familiarise yourself with this regulation to avoid any potential legal hurdles later. 

Consider the quality of the shed

It's important to know for sure that the shed that you are planning to covert offers quality along with affordability. You see, not all of these sheds are designed for residential purposes but rather for storage only. This is why it's very important to look at the product specifications thoroughly before buying a shed and converting it into a residential.

Sheds aren't always equipped with essential utilities

Sheds don't always have utilities like plumbing and electrical systems built in. Therefore, you may need to consider the extra costs of installing a toilet and shower as well as the cost of trenching and connecting the existing sewer or septic tanks. 

The journey from buying a shed to making it functional is long and expensive

While the initial price tag may look like a steal, the reality is far from it and you will need to consider the additional expenses such as the foundational work, the professional fees, and of course, the costs for pumping, electrical wiring, and more. According to Price, a modest conversion will end up costing $50,000 to $75,000. She also sheds light on the fact that conversion is a lengthy process and the fact that many shed kit companies claim that they can be assembled in one day is downright false. Precious says that a typical tiny home can take somewhere between 3 months to 12 months to complete. Therefore, she urges people to plan correctly and consider all the possibilities to make a sound decision.