--- title: The Bough | Garden Suite Conversion | Case Study | Stillwater description: Explore the unique conversion of a single-storey log structure into a two-storey ADU, highlighting costs, savings, and design choices in Greater Victoria. image: https://www.stillwatercustomhomes.ca/hubfs/Untitled%20design%20(68).jpg --- [Skip to main content](https://www.stillwatercustomhomes.ca/the-bough#main-content) [![New Logo Landscape White PNG](https://www.stillwatercustomhomes.ca/hs-fs/hubfs/New%20Logo%20Landscape%20White%20PNG.png?width=250&height=54&name=New%20Logo%20Landscape%20White%20PNG.png) ![New Logo Landscape White PNG](https://www.stillwatercustomhomes.ca/hs-fs/hubfs/New%20Logo%20Landscape%20White%20PNG.png?width=250&height=54&name=New%20Logo%20Landscape%20White%20PNG.png) ![New Logo Landscape White PNG](https://www.stillwatercustomhomes.ca/hs-fs/hubfs/New%20Logo%20Landscape%20White%20PNG.png?width=200&height=43&name=New%20Logo%20Landscape%20White%20PNG.png) ![New Logo Landscape White PNG](https://www.stillwatercustomhomes.ca/hs-fs/hubfs/New%20Logo%20Landscape%20White%20PNG.png?width=200&height=43&name=New%20Logo%20Landscape%20White%20PNG.png)](https://www.stillwatercustomhomes.ca) - [HOME](https://www.stillwatercustomhomes.ca) - Show submenu for NEW CONSTRUCTION NEW CONSTRUCTION - [CUSTOM HOMES](https://www.stillwatercustomhomes.ca/services-we-offer/custom-homes) - [PASSIVE HOUSES](https://www.stillwatercustomhomes.ca/passive-house-builder) - [GARDEN SUITES & CARRIAGE HOUSES](https://www.stillwatercustomhomes.ca/services-we-offer/garden-suites) - [Show submenu for RENOVATIONS RENOVATIONS](https://www.stillwatercustomhomes.ca/services-we-offer) - [HOME RENOVATIONS](https://www.stillwatercustomhomes.ca/services-we-offer/renovations) - [HOME ADDITIONS](https://www.stillwatercustomhomes.ca/victoria-home-additions) - [KITCHEN RENOVATIONS](https://www.stillwatercustomhomes.ca/victoria-kitchen-renovations) - [BATHROOM RENOVATIONS](https://www.stillwatercustomhomes.ca/victoria-bathroom-renovations) - [BASEMENT RENOVATIONS](https://www.stillwatercustomhomes.ca/victoria-basement-renovations) - [COMMERCIAL CONSTRUCTION](https://www.stillwatercustomhomes.ca/victoria-commercial-construction-renovation) - [PROJECTS](https://www.stillwatercustomhomes.ca/projects) - Show submenu for ABOUT US ABOUT US - [OUR PROCESS](https://www.stillwatercustomhomes.ca/our-process) - [OUR TEAM](https://www.stillwatercustomhomes.ca/about) - [CAREERS](https://www.stillwatercustomhomes.ca/careers) - [ARCHITECTS & DESIGNERS](https://www.stillwatercustomhomes.ca/architects-and-designers) - [BLOG](https://www.stillwatercustomhomes.ca/blog) - [CONTACT](https://www.stillwatercustomhomes.ca/contact) Open main navigation Close main navigation - [HOME](https://www.stillwatercustomhomes.ca) - Show submenu for NEW CONSTRUCTION NEW CONSTRUCTION - NEW CONSTRUCTION - [CUSTOM HOMES](https://www.stillwatercustomhomes.ca/services-we-offer/custom-homes) - [PASSIVE HOUSES](https://www.stillwatercustomhomes.ca/passive-house-builder) - [GARDEN SUITES & CARRIAGE HOUSES](https://www.stillwatercustomhomes.ca/services-we-offer/garden-suites) - Show submenu for RENOVATIONS RENOVATIONS - RENOVATIONS - [RENOVATIONS](https://www.stillwatercustomhomes.ca/services-we-offer) - [HOME RENOVATIONS](https://www.stillwatercustomhomes.ca/services-we-offer/renovations) - [HOME ADDITIONS](https://www.stillwatercustomhomes.ca/victoria-home-additions) - [KITCHEN RENOVATIONS](https://www.stillwatercustomhomes.ca/victoria-kitchen-renovations) - [BATHROOM RENOVATIONS](https://www.stillwatercustomhomes.ca/victoria-bathroom-renovations) - [BASEMENT RENOVATIONS](https://www.stillwatercustomhomes.ca/victoria-basement-renovations) - [COMMERCIAL CONSTRUCTION](https://www.stillwatercustomhomes.ca/victoria-commercial-construction-renovation) - [PROJECTS](https://www.stillwatercustomhomes.ca/projects) - Show submenu for ABOUT US ABOUT US - ABOUT US - [OUR PROCESS](https://www.stillwatercustomhomes.ca/our-process) - [OUR TEAM](https://www.stillwatercustomhomes.ca/about) - [CAREERS](https://www.stillwatercustomhomes.ca/careers) - [ARCHITECTS & DESIGNERS](https://www.stillwatercustomhomes.ca/architects-and-designers) - [BLOG](https://www.stillwatercustomhomes.ca/blog) - [CONTACT](https://www.stillwatercustomhomes.ca/contact) # The Bough **CASE STUDY - GARDEN SUITE / CARRIAGE HOUSE CONVERSION** # Two Storeys, One Property. An existing single-storey log structure gained a second storey, wider than the footprint below it and built in a complementary material rather than a matching one. Here's what that actually took, and what it actually cost. Location Greater Victoria, BC.    Type ADU / Carriage House Conversion.     Status Completed Summer 2026. Design Inner Vision Design.        Interior Lindsay Smart **WHY THIS ONE'S DIFFERENT** ## **Not a from-scratch build.** Most of the garden suites and carriage houses we build start on an empty part of a lot. This one didn't. It started as an existing single-storey log structure, and the project was adding a full second storey on top of it. A few of the numbers below are higher than what a from-scratch build would run, and a few are lower. We've kept them split out rather than blended into one misleading average.   ### Wider Footprint The second story cantilevers past the log structure below it. It's not a matching stack and required additional structural considerations. ### Complementary Material The addition reads as its own distinct layer, a deliberate contrast rather than a log match. ### Existing Utilities Electrical and water service were already run to the building. Real savings on those two lines. ### Fully Fresh Interior Stripped to the studs, so every wall, wire, and pipe inside was built new, same as any project. **THE NUMBERS** ## **Where the money went.** Category by category, in real dollars. Not a national average, not a generic per-square-foot rate. Several of these costs are fixed to this specific building rather than scaling with size, so we've named them as totals.   | **WHERE WE SAVED** **Water Service Connections** **+ $18,000** | | --- | | **TYPICAL EITHER WAY** **Electrical Upgrades** **+ $20,500** | | **WHERE WE SAVED** **Augmenting Existing Foundation** **+ $10,000** | | **ADDED BY THE CONVERSION** **Framing Second-Storey Structure & Cantilever** **+ $35,000** | | **ADDED BY THE CONVERSION** **Roof Removal & Rebuild** **+ $16,000** | | **TYPICAL EITHER WAY** **Insulation & Building Envelope** **+ $37,000** | | **TYPICAL EITHER WAY** **Windows** **+ $20,000** | | **TYPICAL EITHER WAY Flooring, Millwork, Lighting & Plumbing Fixtures \+ $54,500** |   TIMELINE ## Planned against actual. TYPICAL  6-8 Months ACTUAL 10 Months (for additional structural and foundation work to support the second storey)   ![ADU Kitchen Victoria BC](https://www.stillwatercustomhomes.ca/hs-fs/hubfs/Untitled%20design%20(52).jpg?width=2000&name=Untitled%20design%20(52).jpg) ### "Our clients and our team landed in the same place: the addition shouldn’t pretend it had always been there. The contrast will look better. And it does." > **— Tom, Stillwater Custom Homes**   **GALLERY** ## The project, in detail.   ![North Saanich ADU Conversion](https://www.stillwatercustomhomes.ca/hs-fs/hubfs/Untitled%20design%20(68).jpg?width=2000&height=1333&name=Untitled%20design%20(68).jpg "North Saanich ADU Conversion") - ![Garden Suite Builder Victoria BC](https://www.stillwatercustomhomes.ca/hs-fs/hubfs/Untitled%20design%20(62).jpg?width=1365&height=2048&name=Untitled%20design%20(62).jpg) - ![Two story ADU Victoria BC](https://www.stillwatercustomhomes.ca/hs-fs/hubfs/Untitled%20design%20(64).jpg?width=1365&height=2048&name=Untitled%20design%20(64).jpg) - ![Log Garden Suite ADU](https://www.stillwatercustomhomes.ca/hs-fs/hubfs/Untitled%20design%20(61).jpg?width=1365&height=2048&name=Untitled%20design%20(61).jpg) - ![Log Garden Suite Details](https://www.stillwatercustomhomes.ca/hs-fs/hubfs/Untitled%20design%20(63).jpg?width=1365&height=2048&name=Untitled%20design%20(63).jpg) - ![Garden Suite Kitchen Victoria BC](https://www.stillwatercustomhomes.ca/hs-fs/hubfs/Untitled%20design%20(53).jpg?width=2048&height=1366&name=Untitled%20design%20(53).jpg) - ![Garden Suite Kitchen Victoria BC](https://www.stillwatercustomhomes.ca/hs-fs/hubfs/Untitled%20design%20(52).jpg?width=2048&height=1366&name=Untitled%20design%20(52).jpg) - ![Two story garden suite Victoria BC](https://www.stillwatercustomhomes.ca/hs-fs/hubfs/Untitled%20design%20(67).jpg?width=1365&height=2048&name=Untitled%20design%20(67).jpg) - ![ADU Skylight Victoria BC](https://www.stillwatercustomhomes.ca/hs-fs/hubfs/Untitled%20design%20(54).jpg?width=2048&height=1366&name=Untitled%20design%20(54).jpg) - ![ADU Office Victoria BC](https://www.stillwatercustomhomes.ca/hs-fs/hubfs/Untitled%20design%20(59).jpg?width=2048&height=1366&name=Untitled%20design%20(59).jpg) - ![Custom Millwork Office Victoria BC](https://www.stillwatercustomhomes.ca/hs-fs/hubfs/Untitled%20design%20(65).jpg?width=1365&height=2048&name=Untitled%20design%20(65).jpg) - ![Master Bedroom Garden Suite](https://www.stillwatercustomhomes.ca/hs-fs/hubfs/Untitled%20design%20(60).jpg?width=2048&height=1366&name=Untitled%20design%20(60).jpg) - ![Master Ensuite ADU Victoria BC](https://www.stillwatercustomhomes.ca/hs-fs/hubfs/Untitled%20design%20(55).jpg?width=2048&height=1366&name=Untitled%20design%20(55).jpg) - ![Master bathroom ADU](https://www.stillwatercustomhomes.ca/hs-fs/hubfs/Untitled%20design%20(66).jpg?width=1365&height=2048&name=Untitled%20design%20(66).jpg) - ![Shower window Victoria BC](https://www.stillwatercustomhomes.ca/hs-fs/hubfs/Untitled%20design%20(57).jpg?width=2048&height=1366&name=Untitled%20design%20(57).jpg) SEE + READ MORE ## **Related Content**   ### Blog What a Garden Suite Costs to Build in Greater Victoria [Read Now](https://www.stillwatercustomhomes.ca/blog/garden-suite-cost-greater-victoria) ### Instagram Carousel What a Two-Story ADU Conversion Actually Costs [See Post](https://www.stillwatercustomhomes.ca/guide) ### Investment Guide ADU and Garden Suite Investment numbers for Greater Victoria [Download the Guide](https://www.stillwatercustomhomes.ca/guide) **LET'S TALK** ## Thinking About a Suite of Your Own? 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Address: [10251 W Saanich Rd, North Saanich, BC V8L 5T8, Canada](https://maps.app.goo.gl/ZANda2gNPnrkvHWQ8) Phone: [778-837-1148](tel:1-778-837-1148)[tel:17788371148](tel:17788371148) - - - - ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@id" : "https://www.stillwatercustomhomes.ca/the-bough", "@type" : "WebPage", "breadcrumb" : { "@id" : "https://www.stillwatercustomhomes.ca/the-bough#breadcrumb" }, "dateModified" : "2026-10-13", "datePublished" : "2026-10-13", "description" : "A case study of The Bough, a two-story garden suite in Greater Victoria. 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