Converting Primary Bedroom into a unit
Real Estate Agent · Dallas, TX · Member since 2022 · 28 posts · 14 votes
Converting Primary Bedroom into a unit
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Investor · Orlando, FL · Member since 2023 · 53 posts · 17 votes
3yI haven't personally done this, but it sounds promising. My only question is if you're able to get the work permitted and to figure out what's required to convert your property into a multifamily home. If everything checks out, this seems like a solid plan to house hack your home.
13 Replies
- Lakeland, FL · Member since 2018 · 242 posts · 148 votes3y
It's me again...I actually had a previous landlord that I stayed with who did this exact thing you are describing. He blocked off the interior door from the the rest of the house, and built a small kitchenette in that space. The room already had an outside door to the backyard, and he used a sidewalk that led you to the backyard for that tenant. I was just moving out when he implemented this, but overall he had been a landlord for 20 years, so I think he knew what he was doing. Also, the town was in HIGH demand for any rooms to rent out, so it was a no brainer.
- Investor · Orlando, FL · Member since 2023 · 53 posts · 17 votes3y
I haven't personally done this, but it sounds promising. My only question is if you're able to get the work permitted and to figure out what's required to convert your property into a multifamily home. If everything checks out, this seems like a solid plan to house hack your home.
- Real Estate Agent · Allentown, PA · Member since 2023 · 14 posts · 18 votes3y
If you wanted the bedroom to be its own unit with it's own separate mailing address you would have to check with your local ordinances and state laws. I know in my Jurisdiction in order for a living space to be converted into an a multi unit it has to fit certain criteria. For example, there has to 2 seperate entrances, Bathroom has to be it's own room, own utilities, windows need to be big enough for someone to fit through, etc.
If you are just wanting to rent at room out without a separate address in most cases you fall under a different set of laws and might not me needed. But having a separate bedroom with its own entrance that is locked is a good idea for renting rooms out.
- Real Estate Agent · Dallas, TX · Member since 2022 · 28 posts · 14 votes3y
Quote from @Ryan Legat:
If you wanted the bedroom to be its own unit with it's own separate mailing address you would have to check with your local ordinances and state laws. I know in my Jurisdiction in order for a living space to be converted into an a multi unit it has to fit certain criteria. For example, there has to 2 seperate entrances, Bathroom has to be it's own room, own utilities, windows need to be big enough for someone to fit through, etc.
If you are just wanting to rent at room out without a separate address in most cases you fall under a different set of laws and might not me needed. But having a separate bedroom with its own entrance that is locked is a good idea for renting rooms out.
Thanks for your input! Yes, we were considering renting out a room without changing the address.
- Real Estate Agent · Dallas, TX · Member since 2022 · 28 posts · 14 votes3y
Quote from @Delwyn A.:
I haven't personally done this, but it sounds promising. My only question is if you're able to get the work permitted and to figure out what's required to convert your property into a multifamily home. If everything checks out, this seems like a solid plan to house hack your home.
Great point! I should have clarified more. We were considering renting out a room with it's own private entrance and just essentially "locking it off" from the rest of the home for security purposes. Will need to do more research in the Dallas, TX area but hoping I would not need permits/ approval from city for any of this.
- Real Estate Agent · Dallas, TX · Member since 2022 · 28 posts · 14 votes3y
Quote from @Brandon P.:
It's me again...I actually had a previous landlord that I stayed with who did this exact thing you are describing. He blocked off the interior door from the the rest of the house, and built a small kitchenette in that space. The room already had an outside door to the backyard, and he used a sidewalk that led you to the backyard for that tenant. I was just moving out when he implemented this, but overall he had been a landlord for 20 years, so I think he knew what he was doing. Also, the town was in HIGH demand for any rooms to rent out, so it was a no brainer.
That's awesome to hear! Thanks for sharing. I think we were planning to essentially just rent out a room with a private entrance but just add locks to the interior door so that they can't access the remainder of the house for security reasons.. and yes, we'd install a kitchenette as well! Wonder if any permits/ local city approval would be needed for this. hopefully not since it's essentially just renting out a room
- Real Estate Broker · Coppell, TX · Member since 2011 · 5k+ posts · 4k+ votes3y
If you are zoned single family, then I would doubt City of Dallas would allow rezoning in most areas, and also not issue permit, as you are turning single family into mutli-family.
Have people done it....sure.
Once your neighbors figure it out and complain about it, then likely you get a cease and desist order from code enforcement. Then you're in a potentially world of hurt with your tenant.
Possible, but how do you divide water, hot water, AC, heat, etc.
In general this is probably not a good idea in the DFW area.
- Real Estate Agent · Dallas, TX · Member since 2022 · 28 posts · 14 votes3y
Quote from @Bruce Lynn:
If you are zoned single family, then I would doubt City of Dallas would allow rezoning in most areas, and also not issue permit, as you are turning single family into mutli-family.
Have people done it....sure.
Once your neighbors figure it out and complain about it, then likely you get a cease and desist order from code enforcement. Then you're in a potentially world of hurt with your tenant.
Possible, but how do you divide water, hot water, AC, heat, etc.
In general this is probably not a good idea in the DFW area.
Thank you for your input Bruce! I should have clarified a bit more, we would essentially just be renting out a room with a private entrance (Back-yard or side-yard entrance) and putting a locking mechanism on the interior door so that they couldn't access the rest of the house for safety reasons. We wouldn't be walling off the interior door.. not sure if that would make any difference.
- Real Estate Broker · Coppell, TX · Member since 2011 · 5k+ posts · 4k+ votes3yYeah...I don't think that is acceptable in most jurisdictions aroundDFW. Good thought, but don't think that flies. Probably doesn't meet code. Some people wing stuff like this all the time. Just depends on your risk tolerance. If you're licensed, that probably creates even more liability. Probably better to just rent the room without the lockoff and separate entrance. One thing you might do to get a better understanding is go to one of the building departments, maybe in a city that you don't plan to buy in....maybe someplace like Farmers Branch. Casually ask. Go in person, don't call. Run your plan by them and see what they say. There's lots of ideas on BP, and sometimes they work in other parts of the country, but a lot of those ideas don't fly in DFW legally. Typically most cities around DFW don't do ADUs, probably don't do STR, don't do garage to apartment conversions, don't convert single family to duplex, we have almost no basements, so no basement to apartment conversions, typically no poolhouses with kitchens, chances are slim that many HOAs will allow extreme house hacking (that's a maybe...you rent 1 or 2 rooms you might get that to work, rent 5 rooms to 4 different non-related people and I can almost guarantee they won't like it and will ban it.) (Think Savannah and Providence, where althought this has been repealed now, tried for the past 2-3-4- years to ban Section 8 rentals.)
Quote from @Matt Heidenfelder:
Quote from @Bruce Lynn:
If you are zoned single family, then I would doubt City of Dallas would allow rezoning in most areas, and also not issue permit, as you are turning single family into mutli-family.
Have people done it....sure.
Once your neighbors figure it out and complain about it, then likely you get a cease and desist order from code enforcement. Then you're in a potentially world of hurt with your tenant.
Possible, but how do you divide water, hot water, AC, heat, etc.
In general this is probably not a good idea in the DFW area.
Thank you for your input Bruce! I should have clarified a bit more, we would essentially just be renting out a room with a private entrance (Back-yard or side-yard entrance) and putting a locking mechanism on the interior door so that they couldn't access the rest of the house for safety reasons. We wouldn't be walling off the interior door.. not sure if that would make any difference.
If you don't think the neighbors are watching....get a Nextdoor account. When they start seeing this guy park in the street and go in the side fence gate every day, it won't take long for them to figure out what's up. They won't like it and they call the city....and code enforcement will come knocking on your nextdoor.
Now if you buy out in the country with fewer or no neighbors, you probably have a much better option. - Investor · Member since 2022 · 6 posts · 0 votes3y
@Matt Heidenfelder. I like what others have said about your own personal risk tolerance. You should work within that.
If you know your neighbors and have a good relationship with them then generally, as long as you're a considerate neighbor, ie, quiet, not parking a ton of cars on the street, they more often than not, won't care. That's been my experience and I've been house hacking for 19 years. Hoping to graduate from it soon actually.
Where I live, we rent our basement in a similar fashion even though our home is a SFH. You're allowed to rent to roommates so what difference does it make how they go in and out of your home unless they're causing some type of noise issue or something?
One time I did get a letter from the city telling me that I couldn't rent my basement as a separate unit. I asked them if roommates were allowed and they said yes so suddenly, my downstairs tenants became roommates, just like that and I never had an issue since.
Best of luck to you, house hacking has been very good to me over the years.
- House Hacking Specialist · Denver, CO · Member since 2016 · 411 posts · 396 votes3y
@Matt Heidenfelder love the idea. Opens you up to lots of inventory to choose for to successfully execute. To address a few questions
- no this would not convert it to a multi unit or separate mailing address. No rezoning necessary If needed you can add 2nd mailbox and call one unit A and the other unit B. Will need to be communicated with Post Office or have a conversation with the person that delivers the mail
- permit is recommended but not 100% required. Here in Denver I have bought multiple properties with similar layout to execute the same strategy you are describing that did not have permits.... come to think about it, I remember asking but did not receive anything because it was a quick close and the property had such amazing potential due to the additional income while living here.
- Before looking to build all of this yourself, do something similar to what I did. Find properties on the market where someone has already done this work for you.
Here are a few example I found with a quick zillow search.
- Real Estate Agent · Dallas, TX · Member since 2022 · 28 posts · 14 votes3y
Quote from @Ben Einspahr:
@Matt Heidenfelder love the idea. Opens you up to lots of inventory to choose for to successfully execute. To address a few questions
- no this would not convert it to a multi unit or separate mailing address. No rezoning necessary If needed you can add 2nd mailbox and call one unit A and the other unit B. Will need to be communicated with Post Office or have a conversation with the person that delivers the mail
- permit is recommended but not 100% required. Here in Denver I have bought multiple properties with similar layout to execute the same strategy you are describing that did not have permits.... come to think about it, I remember asking but did not receive anything because it was a quick close and the property had such amazing potential due to the additional income while living here.
- Before looking to build all of this yourself, do something similar to what I did. Find properties on the market where someone has already done this work for you.
Here are a few example I found with a quick zillow search.
Thanks so much for your input!! It's great to hear from others that have done this before successfully! This seems to be the most realistic/ best fit House-hack strategy for my wife and I for our first place.
- 3yRyan ThomsonBusiness MemberReal Estate Agent · Colorado Springs, CO · Member since 2018 · 1k+ posts · 1k+ votes
@Matt Heidenfelder I've done something similar twice here in Colorado Springs. They were house hacks and I converted the garage into another unit and poked out a new door/entrance to the outside.
It would be a pretty similar process to do this for a big bedroom/bathroom. You will probably want a kitchenette if you are going to do this for a long term renter. For a short term rental it won't do as well, but you could get away with a hotel set up (mini fridge and microwave) no extra sink.
Kitcehennete would require cabinets or table, sink and plumbing, another electrical circuit for microwave, a toaster oven, a plug in stove top. Your biggest challenge here will be to connect the new sink to the sewer drain. If you are on a crawlspace that will be pretty easy. If you are on a slab it may require jackhammering out the concrete slab and may not even be possible to connect without a pump.
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