We're so green with envy right now of Brian DeHamer's amazing San Diego tool shed conversion. Brian purchased a 8' x 15' Tuff Shed Standard Ranch Storage Building and placed it in a vacant 10′ x 17′ space behind his garage. Nothing unusual, except he then went ahead and added insulation, drywall, carpet, interior paint, wired it all up with electrical, cable, phone, and Ethernet, creating a comfortable place to work just outside the door of his SD home. Pre-fabulous job! Check out all the details of his construction job at his site DeHamerSpace.com.
[images via Brian's Flickr Office Set via LifeHacker]
Not *that's* a hidden home office!
view quiltmaster's profile
It's great to know this can be done. I was hoping to either soundproof our garage or do something like this for my studio once we buy a home.
view mscot's profile
Perfect! Now if I can just get my forklift through the garden gate, I can lift this baby out and take it home!
view pandemicsoul's profile
Nice, for once you don't see a Mac \o/
view Clap's profile
A good point was brought up over here:
http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/ny/blogging/look-shed-lifewashington-dc-054734
That it would be considered an Accessory Dwelling Unit. And it would be illegal in that person's state.
Anyone know what the rules or laws are in THIS state, California?
Are permits required for sheds? And at what point does the "shed" become a "dwelling unit"?
There are so many possibilities with sheds...starting with just the basic shed. And using for lawn mowers or tools. If it's insulated and drywalled, that's not necessarily a dwelling unit.
If someone set up a workshop in a shed, that was insulated, drywalled, and had power (like outlets and lighting), is THAT a dwelling unit?
Or does one actually have to have seating in the area where it looks like an office, as this one does, before it's considered a dwelling unit?
It's mentioned here about a 120 sq ft limit before permits are required:
http://dehamerspace.com/2008/06/27/home-office-revisited/
But does this then mean that a person could set up numerous individual sheds, none individually exceeding 120 sq ft, as additional bedrooms and storage and offices and play rooms?
He did the wiring and such himself. Is that OK to do?
Because this could be a good solution for a lot of people's space problems...but only if it's legal. Like, can it be used as an office, but NOT as a sleeping area? Are there different regulations for the structure, based on the structure's use?
view TRUE BLUE's profile
TRUE BLUE,
Lucky for you, public.resource.org just posted the entire CA building code online.
http://public.resource.org/bsc.ca.gov/index.html
We have been working to design and build a small studio in our backyard for this express purpose. The research we have done for our state (AZ) indicates that as long as the building is not wired or plumbed and adheres to the square footage restrictions, permitting is not required. If you are skilled enough to plumb and wire yourself and your work can pass permitting inspections, you can definitely do it yourself. I think that plumbing and wiring have more to do with the building's classification (storage or dwelling) than the myriad ways it could be used over the course of its existence.
In AZ, there is a limit to the number of buildings you can have on a lot, but I believe the limit is arrived at by a roof-area-to-lot-dimensions ratio.
The CA building codes should spell all this out.
view DianneS's profile
Everything about it rocks, except that he's going to be sad when he has to paint or otherwise access that wall of the house..
view neutopian's profile
In CA you can kind of get away with a lot. Yes, there's the 120 square footprint limit for a non-permited outbuilding, but beyond that the only thing they (meaning the nasty inspectors that could cause problems) would get you for is if you have plumbing and items like a refrigerator in there. Then it could be a second 'house' or an illegal sublet and you'd be in trouble. Just make it possible to pull things like a fridge out and you're fine. Insulating, wiring, all that - it's no problem without a permit. We just did this and our shed - built from scratch, no prefab - is the best building on our property!
view Sissymary's profile
obviously, this wouldn't work very well in colder climes (ie, Calgary, Alberta, Canada), for 2 reasons. (1) notice the lack of insulation and heating, and (2) how often are you going to saunter out to your home office in -30 and snow, even if it is 10 ft away?
just my perspective. more on small = beautiful in colder climes, please!
view dpeacey's profile
Ryan Grey of Modern Shed and Grey Design stopped by my firm to show us some lovely lighting and some amazing sheds:
http://www.modern-shed.com/.
I was planning to design my dad's "shed" for his land in Eastern Oregon, but after seeing these we both agreed that this would be a great option.
view kirstenrana's profile
That is absolutely awesome! I wonder if I could talk my hubby into moving his office into a super nice shed. :) Or at least making his current one look as nice as this one does... lol.
view AimeeRoo's profile
it's a good and perfect! i like your office. it's very very nice.i want to say wow!
view k-c heaven's profile
dpeacey, you -are- reading AT:LA ;)
view melanie's profile