I want to convert a 2 story storage shed into a house, how do I go about doing this? ?

Question

We recently purchased 5 acres of land for almost nothing. (Seriously, 2600 dollars...thats it!) It was such a good deal I couldnt pass it up, but I am in no way financially prepared to build a house yet. And my credit is so bad I cant get a mortgage. I went to lowes and saw a 2 story storage shed,it is huge! I would like to convert this into a cottage/home for me and I need to know more specifically what I have to do to convert it and also the cost. (I can do a lot of stuff myself)Is it possible to get it working the same way as a regular house?What about the foundation? Any and all help would be appreciated.

Answer 1

Septic issues are your first concern. Will it perk? Getting a permit to install a system is going to be tricky because they (the County) may not approve it for a shed to be converted. So, begin by telling them you will put a travel trailer on it and want to hook it up to a septic system.

As far as a foundation goes, you can actually dig a foundation and simply pour cement into it without any forms as long as your soil is compact enough that it doesn't crumble into the ditch. You pour it to ground level (of course, the building site has to be level). Find out what the requirements are for tie downs. Then you would place concrete blocks on them to elevate the structure. Here again, it gets tricky, what kind of floor does it have? You need something with joists that will hold the weight of a fridge, washer, stove, etc.

You can probably find a book that goes into detail about this. And, if the site is wooded, you may get away with a lot but if and when the County inspector comes to call, you could be fined and be told to tear it all down. So the permitting process is something to investigate and see just what is required in your area.

I see double wide mobile homes advertised for less than $50K.  You might try talking to those folks to see what they would need done to move one onto your property. Act like you are interested in buying one even if you aren't. You may find that it is cheaper to go that route insteadd of buying your own appliances, doing the wiring, putting in insulation, and don't forget a heating unit.