Convert a Shed to a Tiny Home
A Liberty Shed may be the perfect structure for your project!
Converting sheds into tiny homes or for uses such as a business office is a popular trend. Well-built sheds, like the ones you can find at Liberty Sheds can provide a solid foundation and cut down on much of the work compared to starting from scratch.
The first question many people have is, “Can you legally turn a shed into a house or commercial office?” Yes. Absolutely! Shed conversions are a real thing that is growing in popularity. But in today’s world, where we watch TV shows where contractors renovate an entire house in an hour or follow social media accounts where bakers whip up a highly decorated three-tier wedding cake in 3 minutes flat, we need to acknowledge that things aren’t always that simple.
The key is when using a shed for dwelling or commercial purposes, it’s important to do your research and know all that is entailed – from meeting detailed residential code requirements to your finishing touches, you will want to consider the work and cost involved in completing a shed-to-home conversion.
One of many Liberty’s Sheds converted to a tiny home.
So where do you start?
We love lists and alliterations, so we would suggest the following:
Planning
Property
Permits
Purchasing
Perfecting1. PlanningPlanning
Converting a shed to different living spaces is a fun project. But only if you think through the details, do your homework, and have a full plan in place before buying a shed.
There is a great website, ncshedconversions.com, that lays out some great details. They state that many people incorrectly believe that a shed company will take care of the shed conversion process. Shed companies, such as Liberty Sheds, can provide that main building but are not general contractors. This simply means that the shed buyer will either need to hire a general contractor to pull permits, establish electrical, plumbing hook-ups, and the like, or become their own general contractor.
Budget planning is also a must. Pick out a style and size shed you would like and you can easily get pricing on our website. But that is just the beginning. You should also consider other details such as:
Will you need to consider hiring a crane to place your unit in place? You will want to consider the foundation plan.
Foundations - Will you be pouring concrete? Will you be using piers that may require a crate for putting the building in place?
Utility installation - Will you need to hire professionals to set up electricity and plumbing?
Flooring and Finishes - You will certainly need to install flooring materials to cover plywood-style floors and walls to cover the studs.
Kitchen and Bathroom Set-Up - For a tiny home or a commercial office, most people will want a bathroom installed. You will need to consider what materials you would like to include.
Skirting - Most units are raised to allow for a crawl space, it’s important to provide skirting around the unit.
Porches and Ramps - Porches and ramps can be simple or complicated. Commercial-use buildings typically need a certified ramp which can be a high-ticket item.
There are other items like landscaping, furnishings, gutters and lighting to consider. At the very least, in the initial planning phase, it’s a good idea to at least get a general idea of the overall budget.
This shed-to-tiny home conversion has the ideal property with a narrow space but stunning view.
Can you put a tiny home in your backyard? What about on that perfect little spot of land you own in the mountains by the lazy running creek? The best answer is, it depends! Every single location is different.
Local zoning departments are the only ones who can approve this request. The great news is that many areas are easing their requirements for Accessory Dwelling Units (ADU) in backyards. HOA or community restrictions can still have restrictions even if allowed by local zoning.
Once you have an approved location, you will need to ensure it is accessible to electric and plumbing hookups.
If you have to have a permit to catch 10 fish, you better believe you need a permit for a shed to tiny home or office conversion. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. Permits are approved All. The. Time. But brace yourself.
North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia (and everywhere else for that matter) have different zoning requirements. Not just different by state. But different for each county, each city, each zip code, and even each inspector can have different requirements. It is what it is. Knowing the expectations up front and working with your local inspectors from the beginning is the key to success.
In the permitting process, you will likely need to get zoning code approval (where you intend to place your building) and building code approvals (how you can build your unit).
Many of our Liberty Shed dealers walk the walk and turn a shed into their office space. Typically, a commercial office space will require ramps and other specialty building codes.
And now comes the fun part! Now that you have your plan and your permits, it’s time to purchase a shed! Because a shed is going to be the foundation for the entire project, it’s vital to have a high-quality shed. After all, you will be storing more than just garden tools or storage bins here.
Know that not all sheds are equal. You want to find one that has superb construction. Here are a few items to look for:
2x4 Construction - Many sheds on the market use 1x2s or 1x3s.
Quality Grade Lumber - Never get a shed made with Grade 3, or even, gasp, ungraded lumber. Those have knots and imperfections that lead to a weaker structure
Strong Flooring - Liberty Sheds uses 3/4” Legacy flooring that is used as subfloors in homes. Others may use thinner flooring or even plywood
Customization - Work with a company that offers a range of customization options such as having insulated windows and doors, dormers, drywall corners, house wrap under the siding, tar paper under shingles, and interior wall height studs for a starter. The more your shed company can construct at the beginning, the less you’ll have to do later!
Needless to say, you will want to work with a trusted business. One that has been in business for at least a decade and has the experience to back up their product. We admit it. We are biased. We know that Liberty Sheds makes one of the best products in the market and we have a lot of experience in providing tiny house shells. That AirBNB in the mountains where you are staying? It could just be a converted Liberty Shed!
Not a bad looking shed!!
Once your shed has been delivered, this is when you get out your Pinterest board and create an interior and exterior look that is perfect for you! Since you already have a plan, you’ve likely considered aspects like a porch and landscaping. For the inside, you’ve already mapped out where each room will be and it’s a matter of finishing the interior to your liking.
Want to learn more?
Find out more about Liberty Sheds right here on this website. Browse through the different styles knowing that these sheds are ideal for any tiny home or commercial office/business space. We would love to answer any questions for you. Send in a question, or give us a call at 336-751-0599.
To learn more details about the overall process, the Ultimate NC Shed Conversion website is a wonderful resource.
