Earlier this year, my partner and I had the chance to chat *very* candidly with Dwell about the process and build of our laneway house for their Budget Breakdown series. From learning to install siding via YouTube down to the custom grout colour that our incredibly patient contractors mixed for us (thank you!), we spill the lessons we took away from the experience.

At the start of 2019, my partner and I began the process of converting our detached garage into a two-storey laneway house. Here’s how it turned out.

Before signing on the dotted line when we bought our condo, I had an embarrassing number of Pinterest boards that coincided with every room. Since my partner and I purchased the unit on assignment (meaning we bought it from someone who had purchased it previously from the builder during the pre-construction phase) we had no choice when it came to the layout – but we were determined to make what we had work for our lifestyle.