SoCal garage conversion - progress update
I’m a few months into construction of my 546 sqft ADU garage conversion in Orange County, CA and thought I’d share a progress update. I kicked off construction about 2 months ago and decided to manage it myself by hiring the individual subs. This is something new for me but a fun and challenging learning experience. I am fortunate enough to work from home most days so I’ve been able to juggle it all, but it has been a lot at times. I’ve been keeping a meticulous budget for the project and trending to be within my $160-180k all-in original budget.
A few observations so far:
- Working with the city has been…enlightening? Challenging? Painful? Many more words come to mind but I have a new appreciation for anybody that has to work through that bureaucracy on a regular basis.
- it’s really challenging to figure out whether or not bids from the subcontractors are reasonable or not. This Reddit sub has been helpful for me so thank you for all those that have been sharing their experience.
- AI has been a tremendous partner for me. I personally use Gemini and it’s amazing how it’s helped me think through various aspects of the project.
As far as the project goes, we’re complete the framing this week and then have the electrician lined up to come in after that. My wife and I are expecting twins in August — our first kids — so I’m just hoping I can complete it by then. This space will be used for the in-laws who are graciously willing to help us out with the babies.
Please give me any feedback, questions, or advice you might have!