Carriage House Build (Stage One)
Turning our dreams into reality – one step at a time!
Join us on an epic journey as we turn our backyard into a lavish carriage house oasis. We are sharing all of the details as we embark in crafting a luxurious studio from the ground up!
Our project is one where a simple storage solution evolved into a cozy living space for our future. Today’s blog post details all of the steps that were involved in stage one of our build: from rezoning to concrete.
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More Carriage House Posts
- Carriage House Stage One (you are here)
- Carriage House Stage Two (from framing to lock up)
- Carriage House Stage Three (lock up to occupancy)
- 3 Easy DIY Projects for a Mudroom
- How to Create a Trim Mountain Accent Wall
- How to Create an Easy Trim Accent Wall
- Boho Studio Design & Decor
- How to Airbnb Your Space (Printable Checklist)
Why build a carriage house?
We started with a vision – a vision that outgrew the four walls of building a simple garage (our original plan). With three teen boys at home, we knew that we would need to utilize extra living space in the near future.
We are located in Kelowna, BC where the current rental market is skyrocketing and where less than 1% of housing is available for rent.
When talking about the idea of building a garage for our recreational equipment, I asked Martin how hard would it be to add a living space on top? Not hard, was his confident response. Alrighty then!
As the kids graduate and grow into young adults, they are going to need their own space, as are we. Affordable living in Kelowna is hard to come by! So while the primary goal of this build was the additional storage space provided by a two car garage, creating a living space above the garage would be a welcome relief with the current housing crisis.
Armed with this knowledge we decided to, in true do-it-yourself fashion, build a carriage house ourselves. I, being the property owner, would apply for permitting as a “home owner build” and finance the project while Martin, who is a construction superintendent, would work on building the carriage house on his days off.
Seems simplistic hey?! But it really has been. We make a great team between my focus and organizational skills and Martin’s know-how of all. the. things. this was a project that we were fairly confident that we could tackle.
Navigating Zoning and Permits: The Bumpy Road to Approval
We started with having architechtural drawings created for our Carriage House. Our architect was familiar with all of the city bylaws. Having knowledge of these rules helped to dictate how our space was designed and made the whole process a lot smoother.
The garage was drafted to be 21 ft x 29 ft (609 sq ft) with the studio space above being 21 ft x 21 ft (441 sq ft) for a total square footage of 1,050.
Before the first shovel hit the ground, we had to navigate zoning hurdles. Our initial excitement turned to surprise as we discovered our property fell just short of the city’s grand rezoning plan.
A rezoning application in March of 2022 and a nerve-wracking wait until August, finally brought us city council approval. The green light for our project was all we needed!
Permitting became a dance of paperwork – from being denied an accessory building permit in May to compiling all of the needed documents in September. With each hurdle, we grew closer to our ground breaking.
Our building permit was finally granted in October 2022. Hallelujah! Luckily we got our permit in right before the province of British Columbia increased development fees from $2,500 to $25,000.
Now, in order to get a permit to build any kind of structure, it will cost you a whopping 25K. In our opinion, this is a poor decision made by our government during a housing crisis where we should be making small developments like ours easier, not harder.
Sadly for us the weather turned cold after Halloween. We had an early deep freeze and snowfall that left the ground frozen and unable to be worked for the rest of the year.
The Building Blocks: November 2022 to April 2023
The first months of 2023 marked significant progress. Plans drawn, permits acquired, and zoning battles won, we began the physical transformation in earnest.
- Excavation and Foundations: November 2022 saw EBK Construction remove soil, setting the stage for our build. Electrical upgrades followed, paving the way for a duel meter base.
- Forming the Future: December brought the arrival of forms, the foundational structure delivered by Rona. January and February 2023 focused on the footings and walls, with concrete pours and the delivery of essential materials. We worked in mud and snow to get an early start on concrete.
- Windows, Doors, and More: February was a pivotal month, as exterior windows and doors were ordered. Retaining walls and the slab were carefully planned, with a keen eye on both aesthetics and functionality.
- Heating Up: March welcomed the arrival of our HVAC unit, ensuring comfort in our future space. The concrete journey continued with multiple pours, setting the stage of a solid foundation for our carriage house.
- Rolling with the Challenges: April witnessed the dynamic dance of skid steers, rock deliveries, and meticulous preparations for the slab.
Our friend John was a huge asset in all aspects of this stage as he helped to network with local trades and showed us how to set up all of the concrete prep work. He really got the ball rolling! We could not have got to this point without his guidance and contacts.
Everyone, including our teen boys, was involved in: moving building material from the front driveway to the backyard, operating machinery, putting together concrete forms, taking apart concrete forms, finishing concrete (ask us about the tar day) and mucking around in the constant spring-time mud.
The only thing that we hired out during this stage was the finishing of the concrete slab that was poured for the garage. Otherwise all three concrete pours were completed by our team of friends and family.
Martin worked tirelessly during his time at home. Working away on a 1:1 weekly rotation allowed him to focus solely on our project when home.
Stage One Status
With an initial $50,000 line of credit from the bank, we hoped to reach the crucial “lock-up” stage. In reality, we knew that we would likely triple that budget at least!
Find out what our project total was by visiting Carriage House Build – Stage Three.
Constructing the project ourselves was guaranteed to provide cost savings however, with the rising price of materials, it was hard to say just what the final cost would be.
To date, we’ve invested $61,460 into this dream-turned-reality. The financial twists and turns are part of the journey, and I have been hustling to pay off as many of the expenses as I can as they are incurred.
As we forge ahead, stay tuned for the next stages of our carriage house build! From framing to finishes, this is just the beginning of our story.
Financing the Dream: Stage One Expenses
| Month/Year | Activity | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| January 2022 | Engineer & Draftsperson for Plans | $3,000 |
| February 2022 | Rezoning Application | $1,015 |
| July 2022 | Rezoning Application to City Council | $70 |
| September 2022 | Compile Permit Documents | $150 |
| Letter of Approval from Water District | $2,185 | |
| Home Owner Builder Exam | $475 | |
| Carriage House Permits Application | $175 | |
| Site Survey | $1,942 | |
| October 2022 | Site Plan Addition to Drawings | $200 |
| New Plans Printed | $110 | |
| Retaining Walls and Bushes Cleared | $2,000 | |
| Development Cost Charge | $2,500 | |
| November 2022 | Excavation & Soil Removal | $5,200 |
| Electrical Upgrade | $5,550 | |
| December 2022 | Forms Package Delivery | $2,767 |
| January 2023 | Forms for Footings Labor | $1,000 |
| February 2023 | Windows & Doors Order | $6,305 |
| Retaining Walls Forms Package | $931 | |
| First Pour (Footings) Concrete & Line Pump | $4,200 | |
| Lumber | $222 | |
| March 2023 | Emco HVAC Order | $7,634 |
| Second Pour (Walls) Concrete & Line Pump | $4,521 | |
| Form Rental for Walls | $2,103 | |
| Sealant & Drain Supplies | $1,130 | |
| Tech Cable for Electrical | $530 | |
| Rock & Stone Slinger | $1,085 | |
| April 2023 | Skid Steer for Fill | $1,200 |
| Rock | $100 | |
| Supplies for Slab Prep | $675 | |
| Third Pour Concrete | $3,885 | |
| Concrete Finishing Labour | $1300 | |
| To Date | Total Project Cost | $61,460 |
This table provides a comprehensive breakdown of the costs up to April 2023, offering a clear picture of the financial journey involved in this exciting carriage house project. The numbers reflect the dedication and hard work that we invested in turning the pile of dirt into our backyard into something one hundred times more useful.
Stage One Cost to Date: $61,460
Follow our journey, and who knows, our experience might just inspire your next project! Remember, dreams are built one foundation at a time, and we’re laying ours with hard work and dedication. Let the transformation continue!
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