The renovation, completed in anticipation of NYC’s new ADU laws, shows that the borough’s many disused backyard units are full of potential.
According to John Patrick Cunningham, building in New York is a lot like filing your taxes. "It's like, ‘What can you write off as an expense?’" says the Brooklyn architect. "There's a lot of gray area about what you can do and if people will give you a fuss about it." Combing through complicated codes, sleuthing for loopholes, and maximizing your returns are par for the course. "It’s always a negotiation," he adds. This approach was particularly relevant for a recent project of his, the conversion of a dilapidated backyard shed in Queens into a serene indoor/outdoor "living annex."
Small garages that have fallen into disrepair stand behind many single-family homes in Queens because it’s challenging to renovate them. Many are no longer in compliance with setbacks, which presents a problem: they’re crumbling, but if you tear them down, you can’t build something new to replace them. Meanwhile, the driveways leading to them are too narrow to drive down. So many become storage sheds.
In 2024, New York City legalized the construction of ADUs across the five boroughs, allowing homeowners of single- and two-family homes to convert attics, cellars, basements, and free-standing or adjacent buildings into an ADU. While the law hadn’t yet passed when Cunningham began working with a family in Queens, they were aware of the potential policy change. They came to him in early 2024 with a 350-square-foot backyard shed with a caved-in roof and a $100,000 budget to renovate it. The Forest Hills residents sought a space that could flex between home office and a craft/playroom for their two children, and make their backyard more livable.
Editor’s Note: General contractor fees are included in costs.
| $5,000 Interior Framing & Insulation |
$10,000 Roof Framing & Insulation |
$9,000 Structural Reinforcement of Existing CMU Wall |
| $6,000 CMU Storage Addition in Rear |
$5,000 Exterior Siding and Soffits |
$5,500 Wall Finishes |
| $6,500 Flooring |
$4,000 Roofing - Architectural Asphalt Shingles |
$4,000 Roofing- Gutters |
| $13,200 Electrical and Lighting |
$6,000 Landscaping - Sod |
$20,000 Landscaping - Paving |
| $15,500 Windows & Exterior Doors |
$3,500 Interior Doors |
$1,964 Permitting |
| $11,757.50 Architect/Design Fee |
$11,000 Demolition & Waste / Debris Removal |
|
| Grand Total: $137,921.50 | ||
See the full story on Dwell.com: Budget Breakdown: They Turned Their Sad Garage in Queens Into an Airy "Living Annex" for $100K
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