Garage-to-suite conversion

From Detached Garage to Two-Bedroom Laneway Suite — Glenmorgan, Calgary

1,300 sq ft legal suite  ·  Kitchen & full bath  ·  In-floor radiant heat  ·  4-5 months  ·  Ahead of schedule, below budget

The brief

Our client in Glenmorgan had a detached garage doing what most Calgary garages do: storing things nobody needed. He wanted it working harder — as a fully legal, permitted two-bedroom laneway suite with its own kitchen and bathroom.

The challenge

Laneway and garage conversions are notorious for being a headache at City Hall — the permitting requirements for converting a garage into a legal dwelling are complex and unforgiving. And a building built for cars is missing almost everything a home needs: insulation, heating, plumbing, proper electrical, moisture control, and egress. Add a client who (in his own words) changed his mind on project elements frequently and brought in his own electrical team, and this becomes exactly the kind of project where project management is the difference between a smooth build and a stalled one.

What we built

A full gut to the studs, then a new building assembly from the slab up: insulated floor with in-floor radiant heating (a warm floor instead of cold concrete — the single biggest comfort upgrade you can give a converted garage), full kitchen and bathroom, new windows and exterior door, upgraded electrical, complete insulation and vapour barrier, drywall and interior finish, and new siding, soffits, and eaves outside. The result: 1,300 sq ft that reads as a purpose-built two-bedroom suite, not a dressed-up garage.

The result

Delivered in 4-5 months — ahead of schedule and below the initial budget, even with mid-project changes. Complex permitting handled start to finish. A fully self-contained legal suite that adds living space, rental potential, and long-term property value on a lot the client already owned.

From our client

“I was shocked when Justin crossed the finish line ahead of schedule and below the initial budget, even with my mid-project changes. If you’re looking for a GC in Calgary who is honest, highly skilled, and actually listens to his clients, I cannot recommend Justin enough.”

Thinking about a garage conversion or laneway suite in Calgary? We’ll give you a straight answer on feasibility, permitting, and cost.