How I converted a garage to an ADU!

This is a garage conversion to a legal, permitted living space in North Orange County, California. Watch this 20 minutes video on a 5 month construction project from start to finish. Learn about ADU design, and every part of the construction including framing, insulation, drywall, plumbing, electrical, tile, flooring and finishes. Learn what went right and what can go drastically wrong. See the before and afters, and the final finished product.
#ADU #JADU #construction #grannyflat #backhome #backhouse #tinyhouse #tinyliving #renovation #realestateinvesting #realestate #housingprovider #losangelesrealestate #orangecountyrealestate #socalrealestate #development #garageconversion #ADUiloveyou

[@jmartinez562]

$115K for a brand new small home.... Solid.....in 25-years from the next generation will be grateful she built these extra

[@peaceinthemidst2814]

I hate when contractors say 'sure, we can do that' but they have no clue what they're doing and they want you to just accept the crap AND pay for the crap.

[@Sohail.Ahmad_Canada]

I am halfway through the video but I have to stop and say your presentation skills are excellent. Same with the video and all of the information. Thanks for sharing.

[@feliciagrady7220]

Thank you for sharing the process, including the challenges, Kristi.

[@kathleenhall3231]

I loved watching this, Kristi! So impressed with your work.

[@paige.charnick]

awesome video Kristi - thanks for sharing your process - super helpful!

[@kimcirtwill6077]

What an awesome space! Hard to believe it used to be a garage! And I love your “I love cats and wine” sign 😉

[@kristicirtwill]

There were actually a few bloopers at the end with the cat meowing during the filming lol We had to do a few takes lol!

[@ltlvl2]

Thanks! Appreciate seeing the progression in one interesting video.

[@nps-ddpsavinglives]

Nicely Done Kristi!

[@WELLNESSWHIT]

Thank you so much for sharing this video and your personal experiences.

[@kristicirtwill]

Thanks for watching!

[@laurasamaniego5937]

Kristi, you did an awesome job! The bathroom and laundry room are my favorite. Beautiful

[@kristicirtwill]

Thanks!

[@sharonlatour6230]

Very very CUTE!!! I love it!!!!

[@JosephPeretz]

Great job! Love the video

[@mdub6293]

Great video Kristi, im currently going through a garage conversion as well. i appreciate you documenting your progress and it came out looking great, only one major hiccup with the floors but it worked out!

[@kristicirtwill]

Thanks! Good luck with yours 😊

[@JosephPeretz]

Very cool. Great explanation

[@tommy3220]

Good job!

[@cartierwhite_lasvegas]

What a helpful video !

[@nmatthew7469]

Awesome video.

[@johnpreciado3040]

Looks amazing great job!

[@kristicirtwill]

Thanks!

[@sharasurabi1510]

Wow looks so good!

[@kristicirtwill]

Thanks! I love the space.

[@mike125520002000]

Congrats

[@ganson4411]

You ROCKED it! Do you want to come out to Boise and help me get this going out here?

[@michaelp4034]

Wow! Great job. Looks great. I'm in the Los Angeles area and I'm looking into doing an ADU as well.

[@kristicirtwill]

Cool, do it! I’ve built one in City of Los Angeles so far, and 3 more in the permitting process at the city. Let me know if you need any insights!

[@michaelp4034]

@@kristicirtwill please, that would be awesome!

[@kristicirtwill]

Send me an email with your property address and I’ll look it up for you and give you a call! [e-mail]

[@sissycarolina4863]

Wow! Great job! I would love to do that on my property but can't afford it just yet. It will have to remain for the future I guess. Thanks for sharing everything you did. I probably would have went with tiled floors but it looked like the epoxy floors came out nice.

[@kristicirtwill]

Ya, in hindsight I might have done tile floors too. I’ve seen some with wood laminate too. I think it’s more about personal preference as they all hold up pretty well.

[@successfullym3]

Use a Heloc (equity) from your home to build

[@PlayYourSongz]

Geat job, it's so hard to find great contractors.

[@marqy007]

Looks good Kristi as do you! When can I move in? XO

[@GrapeApe66]

Great video👍 thx & would love to know existing dimensions before you converted? You did a great job. 😀

[@KeithandPamBilyeu]

Pam here,…the round circles in the epoxy floor are popped air bubbles…they should have had a process to deal with bubbles in the product.

[@alexperez-xx8tw]

What a horror with the floor, but I'm glad you were able to fix it. I like the Murphy bed and sofa combo what a great idea it opens up the space. If you could provide a link for the Murphy bed I would like to have something like that for one of my rooms. Great job with the design of the ADU.

[@kristicirtwill]

Sure, I got the bed/couch combo from bredabeds.com. You can order online and choose the option to have them put it together upon delivery. Totally worth it to have their guys do the set up. Thanks for the comment!

[@alexperez-xx8tw]

@@kristicirtwill Thanks for the info

[@jeannerountree952]

That’s a very interesting floor. You’ll be the only one with that floor in the world. Once you get furniture and all your stuff in there, it will be good. But I’m thinking you should get a very good discount on the floor.

[@jennifurzoe1302]

Don't lose the Performance Automotive Wholesale stickers stuck to the wall,gotta incorporate some old to the new.

[@Ahchooblessyou01]

I'm in Orange County, California, too! Thanks for sharing your adu process. My hope is to convert our 1 car garage in the future. It's tiny though, about 240 sq ft. Do you mind sharing how large your garage / adu is? Thanks!

[@kristicirtwill]

3 garages I've done so far are around 360sqft. 240sqft is small but definitely doable. Just need to plan the space well!

[@HowToADU]

Thanks for sharing the whole project! So cool that you finished for $110k 18:47 - Great job.

[@kristicirtwill]

These days it’s a little more!

[@alfonsoaguilar9612]

How did you get all the water appliances to work with your water line. Did you have to get a bigger water line installed or add separate water meters. I’m Also adding the same to my home converting the garage to ADU, and adding an attached ADU to the back of the house. But I have a 3/4” water line and it isn’t sufficient to run the 3 showers washing machines, sinks. Toilets etc. Does your water pressure drop when showering?

[@nguyenthanhdat93]

thank you so much for sharing, Kristi. Did you do it as an owner builder or hire a GC?

[@kristicirtwill]

I’ve worked with my GC for years, so we sort of quarterback these together. But yes, everything run through my GC and his license.

[@marcshapiro1273]

This was a great video. I have been thinking about doing this at my house. What is the total square footage?

[@kristicirtwill]

The garage is approximately 360sqft. I'm doing another one right now and the construction is running higher now.

[@jeantea9364]

Did you look into solar panels as an option?.. this is what we are debating about if we decide to move forward with our ADU. Just wondering about that. Thanks for your video.

[@kristicirtwill]

My understanding is that if the garage is attached to the house, you don't have to add solar panels. If you're building a detached ADU, then I believe you now (as of 2023) have to have solar panels. The cities keep changing the rules but that's what I know as of right now. Of course, maybe you want to add solar panels anyway to save on your bills. I can't believe they are still so expensive in California though. You'd want to make sure you own the house for a long time to make it worth your while.

[@everythingpies]

If I calculated correctly this cost about $300/sqft. I'm assuming that's a bargain in your area. Thank you for sharing.

[@kristicirtwill]

Yes that's about right. It's approximately $300-350sqft to do an ADU in Southern California right now.

[@ivanali1732]

That’s a lot. In the central coast of California it’s about $55-90k max to turn a 2/3 car garage to an ADU

[@uncleaaron5435]

Awesome video! We are out here near Orange County as well. Can you provide a GC referral?

[@kristicirtwill]

Thanks! Give me a call to discuss your project and I’ll see if my GC will do it. Thanks! 562-400-2953

[@BethSJ]

I love the sexy swirl idea

[@irmaramirez1374]

Kristi, awesome unit! What is a Jr. ADU?

[@kristicirtwill]

It is essentially a smaller version of an ADU (accessory dwelling unit/granny suite/back house). Has to be 500sqft or less and existing space that you can convert to separate living quarters (like an attached garage).

[@alexandermonta8739]

I'm in the process of getting my ADU+JUNIOR UNIT unit in my backyard at least 1500 sqft, it will have three units with a separate kitchen and bathroom, and looking at $6k a month to rent it out..

[@kristicirtwill]

That’s awesome! Are you in Los Angeles?

[@hectorcastillo9074]

Great video! Did you remove the garage door? What do you think about building ADU on a attached garage? Thank You in advance

[@kristicirtwill]

Yes, the garage door needs to be removed. I have built an ADU onto an attached garage before as well. Works great if there's room and you want to keep the garage as a garage! Usually works best to keep a garage a garage in a parking impacted area (i.e. limited street parking). You may not be living there to care about off street parking, but tenants do and if you want to keep the good ones around a long time it's best if you consider these amenities. I make sure there is lots of driveway and street parking available before I convert a garage.

[@hectorcastillo9074]

@@kristicirtwill hi Kristi. Do you work with contractors I’d like for an estimate and would like to work with your contractors. Can You please provide their contact information? Thank You

[@kristicirtwill]

@@hectorcastillo9074 can you call or email me to discuss thanks! [e-mail]

[@Zisjejk]

Link for cabinets ?

[@retasueus]

Does it have a separate bedroom?😊

[@user-pl1qn5ih1b]

Hi! What GC can you recommend? I live in the city of Santa Fe Springs. Thanks in advance!

[@kristicirtwill]

Depends on the scope of the project but email or call me so I can refer the right one for you. [e-mail]

[@Anita-tf4ww]

I watch ur videos that really nice. How do you get certificate of compliance after you done the conversion to get it permit?

[@kristicirtwill]

At the very end, the city inspector will come to sign off on the inspection card for final inspection. Once that is done, the Certificate of Occupancy is mailed within a couple weeks.

[@Anita-tf4ww]

Hi Kristi! What is the website to apply for permit Or application form? Thank you for sharing.

[@kristicirtwill]

@@Anita-tf4ww first step is to hire a designer/architect. They should be the ones going to the city. Or, you could try to navigate the city yourself. Look online, or go into your city to ask about an application. You could get some general information from them. But they will tell you to come back with a design and plans.....so might as well let your designer/architect handle it.

[@Anita-tf4ww]

do u know designer/ Architect that you can refer to me? M in SD county. Thanks

[@kristicirtwill]

@@Anita-tf4ww What city? You can email me instead if you don't want to post it here. [e-mail]

[@sharonlatour6230]

Kristi, I would be so angry about the first contractor who did that , I'm so sorry, hack job on your floor!! I pray you got your money back on that part!!

[@kristicirtwill]

Yes I got a refund :-) I don't get too mad about anything these days....life is too short....I just try to solve the problem and move on (and never use that vendor again)! 🙂

[@quangvu4361]

Why would you use epoxy for your living space? You should have used tiles or Pergo or laminate floor done.

[@mauriciogonzalez6302]

Dimples can occur for 3 reasons: temperature fluctuation, micro dust particles and overtorching.

[@kristicirtwill]

Thanks for the insight. I'm starting an opoxy floor on another project on Monday. Fingers crossed this one goes smoothly!

[@mauriciogonzalez6302]

You might consider wiping down the walls with a damp rag.

[@revolutionaryhippies6972]

What city ?

[@MariE-go7ol]

The construction company needs to bring their own porta pot not the owner.

[@kristicirtwill]

Yes actually they did. I was just showing that one is definitely needed.

[@mariamercado8763]

Did you have different contractors to work on your project?

[@kristicirtwill]

Generally I hire one GC (General Contractor) and he coordinates all the trades with his subs. In this case, I went out and found a new flooring guy on my own since the one the GC got didn't end up working out.

[@Zisjejk]

Total price ? Do we need city permits in Dallas Tx How does this work.?

[@kristicirtwill]

About $115,000 for this one but they are higher now this year, with the increase in wages and materials. Check with your local city. Personally I wouldn't do all this work without a permit, especially if I'm going to put a tenant in there. I would use a licensed contractor and get permits from the city, so it's all done above board. Too much risk and liability otherwise.

[@retasueus]

Was though marks from moving their ladders around. That is good because it didn’t look good,

[@kaythegardener]

How big are these units inside? 20 ft x 24 ft? = 840 sq ft?

[@kristicirtwill]

They are about 18 x 20 (360sqft)

[@TonyAnation]

How big is the adu? Sq?

[@kristicirtwill]

It is about 360sqft.

[@wintercame]

You're living in the ADU yourself?

[@stefanlatoure30]

They are out here robbing people with these ADU prices in CA. Hopefully you will get your money back in rent. Looks great though!

[@kristicirtwill]

They are not cheap, that's for sure! But it still makes sense to build them in many cases, because the rents will easily cover the payments.

[@LeticiaUrbach-xp3yo]

Was it expensive?

[@HUMAN-VERSION4]

115k she says

[@user-do3qz7kt2m]

Boy some rugs or carpet it

[@mikeboothe]

Those guys that did your floor didn’t know what they were doing. I’m not done watching so I hope your floors turn out.

[@annacrownlibrary]

What company did you use?

[@kristicirtwill]

I use my own crew. But let me know what city you need someone for and I’ll see who to recommend.

[@barronlee5361]

Someone sweating on the floor they had oily skin

[@quangvu4361]

😮$100k for jADU?

[@caiopacheco8820]

Where is it?

[@kristicirtwill]

North Orange County, California

[@raymondray4834]

Please tell me you didn’t pay them.

[@OliverKoolO]

That floor was some BS. The roof beam and footing. You basically built a home. O well good job

[@chelseaaguilar2525]

Omg around min 10! The floor!!! If they knew they couldn’t achieve that why even say yes!???😮 I hope once I press play, the lady says they fixed it because omg nooooo

[@chelseaaguilar2525]

Noooo!! Please no tell me you didn’t pay for that? What is wrong with them?? Are their egos so huge they simply can’t say “no I’m sorry we can’t do that” Solid gray floors would of been just fine Omg 😭

[@chelseaaguilar2525]

Its not even my money and I’m hurting just looking at it

[@kristicirtwill]

Lol don’t worry keep going, it all worked out and I got a refund on the floors 😂😊

[@chelseaaguilar2525]

@@kristicirtwill omg!! Yay that’s good news! I can’t imagine the stress that would have given me!

[@Mteixeira91]

you may have paid $100 k for this rental but I could tell right off of the bat you cheat out on the epoxy flooring. ever hear of the term get what you pay for ? those are bubbles underneath the epoxy that will eventually crack. this happens when you pour too much epoxy too fast .

[@leeS04]

Floor is awful. Goos luck

[@cagirl5078]

Functional but not an appealing ADU for long term living.

[@kristicirtwill]

Indeed, probably no one desires to live in a garage for 30 years….but these small units are really filling a housing need right now.

[@flufwix]

I’m at 11 minutes in and am gobsmacked at the terrible job they did on the floor. You seem so calm. I’d be beside myself! Take 2 - It’s not normal to have imperfections in the epoxy. 🫤 Looks great at the end though