Budget Breakdown: An Architect Couple Find Work/Life Balance With a Backyard Office Built for $144K

Another place where the couple minimized expenses was on the flooring. "The floor was a cost saver," Brittany says. "It’s the actual foundation that’s just been sealed." The concrete and its finishing came out to $9,725. The couple chose white Ikea Linnmon tabletops and Alex drawers that retail for $9 and $80, respectively, for their desks. To give visiting clients a distinctive experience, they asked Petrified Design to create a wood-and-steel conference table.