Budget Breakdown: A Moldy Shed Becomes a Lively Backyard Hangout for Less Than $40K

Ella Dillon, who had moved into her Craftsman-style home in Seattle’s Ballard neighborhood in 2006, was ready to expand into the garden studio. She envisioned a place for her 10-year-old daughter, Isabelle, to do arts and crafts, and for friends and family to gather—all while providing storage for games, gardening tools, and exercise equipment.