Junk-filled garages are transformed into luxe apartments for $150,000 in just a few weeks — take a look inside

Kelsey NeubauerApr 11, 2023, 02:16 IST

The San Jose, California garage, left, turned studio apartment, right, that Rebecca Möller's startup Symbihom converted.Rebecca Möller

Rebecca Möller turns garages into apartments using wall panels and parts prefabricated in a factory.
She installs nice finishes and appliances to make livable accessory dwelling units, or ADUs.

Many California homeowners build accessory dwelling units, or ADUs, on their properties. While many of these ADUs are freestanding tiny homes installed in backyards, it's also possible to convert garages into apartments with their own addresses.

The exterior of a garage turned into an accessory dwelling unit, an additional living space on the same lot as a main house that has its own address.Suszi Lurie McFadden

Many California homeowners build accessory dwelling units, or ADUs, on their properties. While many of these ADUs are freestanding tiny homes installed in backyards, it's also possible to convert garages into apartments with their own addresses.

After learning that people in Europe convert garages into living spaces, commercial-real-estate veteran Rebecca Möller set off to start a company that helps Americans do the same.

Möller inside a garage she turned into a one-bedroom ADU in Burlingame, California.Suszi Lurie McFadden

After learning that people in Europe convert garages into living spaces, commercial-real-estate veteran Rebecca Möller set off to start a company that helps Americans do the same.

Möller uses proprietary wall panels and parts prefabricated in a factory that allow transformations from garages to apartments to take about four weeks after proper permits are secured.

The exterior of a 325-square-foot garage in San Jose that Möller's firm Symbihom turned into a studio apartment.Courtesy of Rebecca Möller

Möller uses proprietary wall panels and parts prefabricated in a factory that allow transformations from garages to apartments to take about four weeks after proper permits are secured.

The walls to divide the garages into separate rooms and other materials for the transformation are trucked to the garages to be installed.

Symbihom materials sit on a truck to be transported from the factory to the garage to be converted.Rebecca Möller

Möller is able to build studio, one-bedroom, or two-bedroom units in garages, depending on their size. They cost homeowners between $150,000 and $250,000 to build.

Before any transformation starts, the garages look like this one — unfinished — with roll-up doors.Rebecca Möller

Möller turned this San Jose garage — previously used for storage — into a studio apartment. Aging parents who live in the main house built it for their child, who is also their caregiver.

This garage is about 325 square feet.Courtesy of Rebecca Möller

Möller turned this San Jose garage — previously used for storage — into a studio apartment. Aging parents who live in the main house built it for their child, who is also their caregiver.

Möller installs concrete slabs — called stem walls — around the perimeter of the unit. To turn the garage door into a proper exterior wall, the stem wall has holes where the windows will go.

The front of the San Jose unit while the garage door was being closed up and turned into an exterior wall.Courtesy of Rebecca Möller

Möller installs concrete slabs — called stem walls — around the perimeter of the unit. To turn the garage door into a proper exterior wall, the stem wall has holes where the windows will go.

The walls Möller manufactures in a factory slot into the stem walls to create separate rooms. Then the windows go in.

After converting the garage door into an outer wall, Möller paints the front to match the rest of the house.Courtesy of Rebecca Möller

The new front door for this unit, which cost the homeowner $185,000 from start to finish, is on the side of what was once the garage.

There is a small patio by the new front door.Courtesy of Rebecca Möller

Möller covered the stucco facade with paint, just like the rest of the house, and made the trim white.

The front of ADU, left. The door to ADU, right, is made of nickel, which Möller said is both "classic" and "doesn't age."Rebecca Möller

Just inside the front door of the ADU is a seating area. The wall with molding on the left hides a Murphy bed.

The floors are a mix of bamboo and cork.Courtesy of Rebecca Möller

The queen-sized Murphy bed pulls down to reveal artwork with cherry blossoms.

The San Jose studio unit with the bed pulled down.Courtesy of Rebecca Möller

A bookshelf separates the front door and adjacent shelving from the bedroom and seating areas.

What looks like a mirror in the corner of the studio is actually a doorway to the laundry room, which is shared with the main house.Courtesy of Rebecca Möller

The kitchen is located in the corner of the unit.

There is ample floor space in the studio when the bed is folded up.Rebecca Möller

The kitchen countertops are quartz and the appliances are stainless steel.

To the left of the appliances for cooking — an electric stovetop and a stainless steel convection oven — is a 24-inch refrigerator.Rebecca Möller

The bathroom, located at the foot of the bed when it is folded down, has a classic sink and a quartz-lined shower.

The bathroom door is a sliding barn door to save space.Courtesy of Rebecca Möller

Here's the "before" view of a garage in Burlingame that Symbihom turned into a high-end apartment.

This garage is not attached to the main house.Rebecca Möller

The bare garage before its conversion into an ADU.

It's about 450 square feet.Rebecca Möller

The "after" view shows how a wall with windows replaced the garage door.

The exterior of the Burlingame unit.Rebecca Möller

The homeowner paid $250,000 total to convert this garage into a one-bedroom apartment that they rent out to tenants for additional income.

Möller added high-end details, including an awning, outdoor lighting, and potted plants.Rebecca Möller

The door to the apartment opens to a living room. A hallway on the left leads to the bedroom.

The view from the front door.Rebecca Möller

The living room is lit by the row of four windows where the garage door used to be.

The living room with a couch and rug.Rebecca Möller

The kitchen sits to the left when you walk in the front door.

The kitchen is located across from the gray-L-shaped couch in the living room.Rebecca Möller

Gas stoves are prohibited in new construction in California, but Möller was able to add it to this one-bedroom unit because it is an existing structure.

Möller uses stove hoods from Broan or Klein. A washer-dryer is tucked in the corner of the kitchen.Rebecca Möller

A sliding barn door leads from the living room to bedroom, which has a bathroom through the open door on the left and a walk-in-closet with sliding doors on the right.

The bedroom.Rebecca Möller

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Junk-filled garages are transformed into luxe apartments for $150,000 in just a few weeks &mdash; take a look inside

Many California homeowners build accessory dwelling units, or ADUs, on their properties. While many of these ADUs are freestanding tiny homes installed in backyards, it's also possible to convert garages into apartments with their own addresses.

After learning that people in Europe convert garages into living spaces, commercial-real-estate veteran Rebecca Möller set off to start a company that helps Americans do the same.

Möller uses proprietary wall panels and parts prefabricated in a factory that allow transformations from garages to apartments to take about four weeks after proper permits are secured.

The walls to divide the garages into separate rooms and other materials for the transformation are trucked to the garages to be installed.

Möller is able to build studio, one-bedroom, or two-bedroom units in garages, depending on their size. They cost homeowners between $150,000 and $250,000 to build.

Möller turned this San Jose garage — previously used for storage — into a studio apartment. Aging parents who live in the main house built it for their child, who is also their caregiver.

Möller installs concrete slabs — called stem walls — around the perimeter of the unit. To turn the garage door into a proper exterior wall, the stem wall has holes where the windows will go.

The walls Möller manufactures in a factory slot into the stem walls to create separate rooms. Then the windows go in.

The new front door for this unit, which cost the homeowner $185,000 from start to finish, is on the side of what was once the garage.

Möller covered the stucco facade with paint, just like the rest of the house, and made the trim white.

Just inside the front door of the ADU is a seating area. The wall with molding on the left hides a Murphy bed.

The queen-sized Murphy bed pulls down to reveal artwork with cherry blossoms.

A bookshelf separates the front door and adjacent shelving from the bedroom and seating areas.

The kitchen is located in the corner of the unit.

The kitchen countertops are quartz and the appliances are stainless steel.

The bathroom, located at the foot of the bed when it is folded down, has a classic sink and a quartz-lined shower.

Here's the "before" view of a garage in Burlingame that Symbihom turned into a high-end apartment.

The bare garage before its conversion into an ADU.

The "after" view shows how a wall with windows replaced the garage door.

The homeowner paid $250,000 total to convert this garage into a one-bedroom apartment that they rent out to tenants for additional income.

The door to the apartment opens to a living room. A hallway on the left leads to the bedroom.

The living room is lit by the row of four windows where the garage door used to be.

The kitchen sits to the left when you walk in the front door.

Gas stoves are prohibited in new construction in California, but Möller was able to add it to this one-bedroom unit because it is an existing structure.

A sliding barn door leads from the living room to bedroom, which has a bathroom through the open door on the left and a walk-in-closet with sliding doors on the right.

Junk-filled garages are transformed into luxe apartments for $150,000 in just a few weeks — take a look inside