Purpose
The 560 sq ft loft is currently planned as office / home theater / hangout space (Phase 1). Future use as a rentable apartment (Phase 3) is uncertain, on a 5+ year horizon, but worth hedging for during initial construction because several critical decisions — egress, acoustic floor, plumbing rough-ins, stair access — cannot be retrofitted cheaply once drywall closes the assemblies.
This document consolidates the apartment-readiness strategy: what’s already designed for it, what must be locked NOW before insulation/drywall, what can be deferred, the stair-access conversion approach, and the open questions that gate the decision.
Phasing reference (from 2026-02-01 — Loft bathroom priority):
- Phase 1 (current): Office / theater / workshop with full bathroom
- Phase 2 (3+ years): Guest house — kitchenette added
- Phase 3 (optional, 5+ years): Apartment conversion — full kitchen, separate exterior entrance
What’s Already Designed for Apartment Conversion
The construction-phase docs already pre-rough most of the work. Do not duplicate scope here — see source docs:
| System | What’s planned now | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| HVAC | 21k 2-zone mini-split (9k bedroom head + 12k common) + ERV chase pre-rough + transfer-fan sleeves for future closed rooms | HVAC Strategy |
| Electrical | 100A subpanel conduit pre-roughed from main panel; per-tenant energy monitoring tier plan | Electrical Planning, Electrical Future-Proofing |
| Plumbing | Bathroom fixtures installed Phase 1; kitchen + W/D deferred but supply-line rough-in capped during Phase 1 | Boiler Selection |
| Floor — fire | Type X 5/8” drywall on garage ceiling | Insulation Strategy |
| Floor — sound | R-49 dense-pack cellulose + acoustic underlayment (SoundGuard ProMat or QuietWalk) | Acoustic Strategy, Loft Flooring Plan |
| Stair fire separation | Enclosed stair vestibule + 20-min fire-rated self-closing door at top | HVAC Strategy |
| Flooring | ”Apartment-ready” 22 MIL LVP throughout loft | Loft Flooring Plan |
| Insulation | Walls + sloped ceiling + knee walls to code (R-21 / R-38–50 / R-13) | Insulation Strategy |
Must Lock Before Drywall (Now)
Items in this list cannot be retrofitted economically once insulation and drywall close the assembly. These are the actual additions this plan introduces.
1. Egress Window — Bedroom-Grade Spec (✅ Already Purchased)
Three egress-rated windows already on site. Per Hershberger’s Contract line item and the labeled delivery photo:
- Product: Premium Designer NC DH (fiberglass double-hung)
- Size: 39 1/2” × 59 1/2”
- Quantity: 3 units
- Features: Full screen, vent stop (double), double lock
- Order: ABC Supply (Sanford) 580876-002, delivered 2025-12-11
These are factory egress-rated double-hung units — the unit label confirms compliance, and double-hung egress windows from major manufacturers are sash-sized specifically to clear IRC R310’s 5.7 sq ft openable area (a 39.5” × 59.5” DH at full bottom-sash raise yields ~32” × 28” opening = 6.2 sq ft, comfortably over the 5.7 sq ft minimum). No window replacement or upgrade is required for future bedroom use.
What still needs to be locked during framing:
- Which of the three windows ends up in the future bedroom corner. With three egress-rated units, any wall position works — pick the one with the best view, light, and bed-wall geometry.
- Installed sill height must be ≤44” above finished floor (IRC R310.2.2). With kneewalls at ~3’7” (43”), this is just under the limit — verify during rough-in that the window’s installed sill sits at or below 44” measured from finished loft floor.
- 9k bedroom mini-split head opposite the chosen window per Loft Bedroom Layout — install 2×6 horizontal blocking 6–8” below ceiling at that head location.
Action: Lock the bedroom-corner window placement before insulation closes the assemblies. The other two egress windows go in the common area (a substantial perk — most lofts don’t get this much daylight + egress flexibility).
2. Acoustic Floor Decoupling (Garage Ceiling Side)
The existing Acoustic Strategy addresses outbound noise (loft theater bass leaking to neighbors). For tenant comfort, the concern is inbound noise: shop tools, lift, compressor, and fume extraction running below a sleeping tenant.
Current floor assembly (loft to garage, top-down): LVP → underlayment → OSB → 2×10 joists @ 24” OC + R-49 cellulose → 5/8” Type X drywall.
This is good for fire and decent for STC/IIC, but all impact and structural vibration couples directly through the joists to the ceiling drywall.
Add now (cannot retrofit):
- Resilient channel (RC-1) or RSIC clips on the garage-ceiling side of the joists before drywall
- Rockwool Safe’n’Sound (R-23) instead of (or in addition to) cellulose in the joist bays — denser, better mid/low frequency absorption — for the half of the floor above future bedroom + bathroom
- Decoupled equipment mounting on the main floor: vibration isolation pads under the compressor; consider 1” rubber isolators under the lift baseplates (already common practice)
Incremental cost: ~$1,500–2,500 in materials over the baseline plan. Single biggest tenant-comfort lever.
See Loft Apartment Considerations for full assembly options.
3. Washer / Dryer Rough-In
Tenant rentability lever: in-unit W/D delta vs. no-laundry can be $100–200/mo in rural MI markets. Footprint and rough-in must be planned now because retrofitting plumbing through finished floors is expensive.
Recommended location: stacked unit (~28” × 32” × 78”) in the bathroom wet wall or adjacent closet.
Rough-in scope (during plumbing rough):
- Hot + cold supply lines, capped with washing-machine valves
- 2” drain to vent stack with P-trap and standpipe
- 30A 120/240V outlet (or 120V 20A if heat-pump dryer — see below)
- Heat-pump dryer recommendation: requires no exterior vent (huge for a knee-wall location), uses 120V 20A only. Eliminates the dryer vent through-wall penetration entirely.
If heat-pump dryer chosen: skip vent rough-in. Drain via condensate pump or floor drain.
4. Kneewall Closet Access
Bedroom requires a closet to satisfy “bedroom” definition in most listings and tenant expectations. The kneewall triangles are the natural closet location — they yield ~3’ deep × full bedroom-wall length of usable storage.
Action during insulation:
- Identify the future closet opening location in the kneewall framing
- Do not seal the cavity behind that opening with continuous rigid foam — leave a removable air-barrier panel so the closet can be opened up at conversion without breaking the insulation envelope
- The 1” XPS air barrier on the attic side of the kneewall (per Insulation Execution) remains continuous; only the loft-facing drywall and stud cavity are accessible
Bigger move under consideration: condition the triangles outright
The actions above assume the kneewall stays the thermal boundary, so this closet is a shallow (~3’) reach-in in front of a cold vented triangle — fine for non-sensitive items, but a cold attic ruins blankets, books, and electronics. The owner is weighing moving the boundary to the roof slope so the full ~5’-deep triangle becomes conditioned — a real reach-in/wardrobe plus conditioned living-area overflow, wrapping the whole loft. That would supersede the removable-panel workaround (no cold cavity to seal around). It’s an envelope-level decision gated on an on-site eave-depth measurement — see Alternative Under Consideration (2026-06-23): Condition the Triangles for Storage.
5. Low-Voltage Smurf Tubes
Cheap during framing, impossible after drywall.
| Run | Purpose | Size |
|---|---|---|
| Bedroom corner ↔ common-area equipment wall | Cat6 + speaker wire + future expansion | 3/4” smurf tube |
| Sub-panel location ↔ ceiling near front door | Future doorbell camera / smart lock low-voltage | 1/2” smurf tube |
| Bedroom ↔ kitchen wall | TV mount cable management | 1/2” smurf tube |
Total cost: ~$30. Pull strings at both ends, labeled.
6. Smoke + CO + Heat Detector Wiring
Required at apartment conversion under IRC R314/R315. Install wiring NOW even if heads aren’t installed until Phase 3.
- Hardwired interconnected smoke detectors: one in bedroom, one outside bedroom in common area, one per additional habitable level. Run 14/3 between locations on the lighting circuit.
- CO detector: one outside bedroom (gas boiler in mechanical room makes CO a real concern even when shared with garage envelope).
- Heat detector in garage portion: interconnected with apartment detectors. Lets a garage fire trigger the upstairs alarms before smoke reaches the loft.
Stair Access Conversion (Phase 3)
Current Configuration
- 3-riser stair from garage interior → small landing → 90° turn → long flight up east wall to loft
- Long flight is enclosed; 20-min fire-rated door at top per Interior Door Specifications
Proposed Phase 3 Conversion
Replace the 3-riser interior section with an exterior door at the landing. Build a small exterior deck + 3 steps down to grade. Extend the mechanical room wall to fully seal the long stair flight from the garage interior. Owner uses exterior stair to access loft after conversion.
Before (Phase 1): After (Phase 3):
┌─── garage interior ───┐ ┌─── garage interior ───┐
│ │ │ ◄── mech wall extended │
│ 3 steps ↗ │ │ to fully seal │
│ ↗ landing │ │ stair flight │
│ ↗ ▲ │ │ ▲ │
│ │ │ │ │ │
│ long │ │ long │
│ flight │ │ flight │
│ east │ │ east │
│ wall │ │ wall │
└───────────────┬───────┘ │ landing ◄── door ──┼── deck
│ ↓ │ + 3 steps
└───────────────────────┘ to grade
Feasibility Assessment
This plan is feasible and structurally elegant. It reuses the long stair flight (the expensive part) and converts only the bottom 3 risers into an exterior entry. Specific notes:
Door at landing
- Outswing door required so the deck/landing serves as the door’s exterior landing (avoids encroaching on the long stair below with an inswing arc)
- IRC R311.3 requires a landing on each side of the egress door, minimum 36” deep in the direction of travel
- Landing depth at the bottom of the long stair must be ≥ 36” — the existing landing already serves the long-stair turn, so this is likely satisfied; verify dimensions during conversion design
- Exterior-grade insulated door (fiberglass or steel), full weatherstripping, deadbolt with single-action interior unlock (no key required to exit per IRC R311.2)
Exterior deck + steps
- Three risers at ~7” each = ~21” total drop to grade. Below 30” → guards not required by code, but a single handrail on the open side is recommended.
- IRC R311.7.10 requires a handrail on stairs of 4+ risers; 3 risers exempt by code but install one anyway (apartment guests, snow/ice).
- Landing on exterior: minimum 36” × 36” (door swing arc + foot space).
- Foundation: Michigan = Climate Zone 6A, frost depth 42”. Two options:
- Frost-protected footings — sonotube footings to 42” depth, post bases anchored. Permanent, code-compliant for any size deck. Cost: $200–400 in concrete + posts.
- Floating deck — gravel pad with concrete deck blocks, freestanding from the building. Allowed in many MI jurisdictions for decks <30” elevated and <200 sq ft, with no ledger attachment to the building. Cheaper, but verify with township.
- Ledger attachment (if frost-protected option): bolt to the rim joist with proper flashing per IRC R507. The ledger penetration is a potential air-sealing and water-management failure point — pre-flash and counter-flash carefully.
Mechanical room wall extension
- Wall must achieve 1-hour fire separation between the garage and the stair vestibule (the stair becomes part of the dwelling envelope post-conversion)
- Assembly: 2×4 framing + 5/8” Type X on both sides + R-13 fiberglass batt + acoustic sealant at all penetrations
- Wall continues from the existing mech room wall to fully enclose the bottom of the long stair flight
- Pre-rough the wall location during framing if possible (lay out studs) — even if drywall isn’t hung until conversion, having the framing in place saves a future demo step
- Sub-panel feeder routing: the conduit run from main panel to loft sub-panel currently planned through the interior must route inside this future-enclosed stair vestibule. Confirm conduit path stays inside the future vestibule envelope, not in the garage proper.
Top-of-stair fire door
The existing 20-min fire-rated self-closing door at the top of the long stair remains valuable even after the stair becomes part of the dwelling envelope:
- Acts as a smoke barrier between the apartment and the stair vestibule (defense in depth if a garage fire breaches the wall and enters the stair)
- Likely required by inspector for the apartment conversion regardless of redundancy
- Keep the spec; no change to current plan
Owner emergency access
- Owner uses exterior stair to access loft post-conversion. Standard ADU practice — fine for occasional maintenance.
- Smart lock recommended: Schlage Encode or August with owner code + tenant code. Lockbox backup with mechanical key.
- Winter consideration: exterior stair will accumulate snow/ice. Plan for: snow shovel storage near base, deicer, ideally a porch awning to keep precipitation off the threshold.
Weather protection at exterior door
- East-facing wall: morning sun, sheltered from prevailing west wind, less snow drift than west exposures
- Small roof / awning over door is strongly recommended: protects the door, threshold, and lock from precipitation; tenant comfort entering with arms full; extends door lifespan significantly
- Simplest implementation: shed roof tied into existing soffit or a free-standing pergola-style awning. Sized to cover the 36” landing minimum.
- Gutter management: divert downspouts away from the exterior stair landing to prevent ice buildup
What to Lock Now (Pre-Drywall) vs. Defer to Phase 3
| Item | Now (Phase 1) | Phase 3 (Conversion) |
|---|---|---|
| Mech room wall extension framing | Lay out studs, leave un-drywalled if practical | Hang Type X both sides, insulate |
| Sub-panel feeder conduit path | Route inside future vestibule envelope | (no action) |
| Exterior door rough opening | Frame the RO in the side wall now | Install door, weatherstrip |
| Deck/landing footings | Defer — but mark planned post locations | Pour footings, build deck |
| Top-of-stair fire door | Install with main build (already planned) | (no action) |
| Owner-side exterior stair access | (no action) | Build + install smart lock |
One critical pre-drywall action: the exterior door rough opening in the side wall (south or north wall, depending on where the existing 3-stair faces) should be framed during Phase 1 framing — even if the opening is sheathed over and sided over for now. Cutting an opening through finished siding + sheathing later is a vastly larger job than framing the opening now and patching the exterior cladding at Phase 3.
Open Question: Walled Bedroom vs. Open Loft
Decision: DEFERRED to Phase 3
Both options remain viable. The 9k bedroom mini-split head and the 12k common-area head per HVAC Strategy support either configuration with zero comfort penalty — the original concern about HVAC complexity is resolved by the existing two-head design.
The choice is driven by tenant profile, which won’t be known until Phase 3. Maintain flexibility now; decide later.
Tenant Profile Sensitivity
| Tenant profile | Open loft works? | Walled bedroom needed? |
|---|---|---|
| Family member / aging parent | ✓ (privacy from a divider is enough) | Optional |
| Long-term unrelated tenant | Marginal — significant rent delta vs. walled | Strongly preferred |
| Short-term / seasonal worker | ✓ | Optional |
| Airbnb / vacation rental | ✓ (“cabin loft” is a featured category) | Discouraged (smaller perceived size) |
Owner’s current target pool spans all four profiles, so the conversion-time decision will be informed by actual market conditions in Phase 3.
Three Configurations (Choose at Phase 3)
| Configuration | Cost (materials, DIY labor) | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|---|
| Open loft + movable divider | $50–200 (curtain track or folding screen) | Maximum flexibility, feels spacious, easy reversal | Not legally a “1BR” — must list as studio |
| Half-wall (pony wall) + barn door | $400–800 materials | Visual separation + privacy when door closed; preserves light; can be added in a weekend | Still not legally a “1BR” in most jurisdictions |
| Full walled bedroom + hinged door + closet | $1,500–3,000 materials | Legal 1BR listing (highest rent), maximum privacy, best for long-term tenant | Reduces perceived space; locks the layout; ~40–80 hrs DIY labor |
Half-wall + barn door is the middle option that satisfies the broadest tenant pool with the least commitment. If the future tenant target shifts to long-term unrelated tenant specifically, upgrade to full walls then.
Market Math (Rural MI, Approximate)
- Walled 1BR ADU: ~$750–1,100/mo
- Studio / open loft ADU: ~$600–900/mo
- Walls payback period: 1–2 years of rental at the 1BR delta
This math only matters if rental actually happens. For family use or owner extended use, no rent delta.
Setbacks and Fire Separation at the Exterior Door
The east wall (where the Phase 3 exterior door, landing, and stairs go) sits 3-5 ft from the east property line per site measurement. This range puts the project in a specific regulatory zone with overlapping zoning and Michigan Residential Code (MRC) requirements.
Hard Floor: MRC R302.1 (Fire Separation Distance)
Independent of zoning — cannot be waived by variance.
| Distance from PL | Wall fire-resistance | Openings (door/window) | Eaves / projections |
|---|---|---|---|
| < 2 ft | 1-hour rated | Not allowed | Not allowed |
| 2 to < 3 ft | 1-hour rated | Not allowed | 1-hour fire-rated soffit |
| 3 to < 5 ft | 1-hour rated | Max 25% of wall area | 1-hour fire-rated soffit; max projection to 2 ft from PL |
| ≥ 5 ft | Standard | Unlimited | Standard |
At 3-5 ft setback, this gives us:
- East wall must be a 1-hour fire-rated assembly. Verify the as-built assembly (2×6 + 5/8” Type X interior + exterior sheathing/siding) is on the inspector’s 1-hour-listed assembly list, or upgrade with Type X on the exterior face under siding.
- Total openings on the east wall (existing 36” entry door + 36×38 DH window + any east-wall egress windows + new Phase 3 loft door) must be ≤ 25% of wall area (~100 sq ft on a 40’×10’ wall). Inventory before adding the loft door.
- Awning projection: cannot extend within 2 ft of property line. At 3 ft setback → max 1 ft projection. At 5 ft setback → max 3 ft projection. Underside must be fire-rated soffit.
Zoning Setbacks
Documented: City of Clare R-1, 3 ft minimum for accessory structures (per ZA25-006 FAQ guidelines). Garage approved at 1-3 ft from rear PL on that basis.
Unknown — must confirm with Terry Acton:
- Dwelling-use setbacks in R-1 (likely 6-10 ft side yard for primary residential — may apply once loft becomes ADU)
- Whether open uncovered stairs count as building footprint for setback math
- Whether floating deck (no footings, deck blocks only) has different rules than frost-protected deck
- Whether awning projection into required setback is allowed and by how much
Stair Geometry Options for a 3-5 ft Side Yard
Standard “landing extends east, stairs descend east toward grade” puts the bottom of the stairs at or over the property line — almost certainly a problem at this setback.
| Approach | How it works | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|
| Parallel stairs (recommended) | Landing extends 36-42” east from door; stairs turn 90° and descend north OR south along the building face | Eliminates east encroachment; intuitive for narrow lots; standard small-lot ADU pattern |
| Recessed door alcove | Door pulled 12-18” inward from exterior face; built-in shelter, no awning needed | Loses interior loft floor area; no setback impact |
| Cantilevered awning, no posts | Awning hangs from wall with no ground supports; treated as eave projection | Limited projection (1-3 ft); cannot extend within 2 ft of PL; needs fire-rated soffit |
Default to parallel stairs unless Terry Acton confirms uncovered stairs are exempt from setback math. The parallel pattern works at any setback and is more weather-protected (stairs descend in the building’s shadow).
Dwelling-Use Setback Wrinkle (Critical)
Phase 3 ADU conversion may shift the building from “accessory” setback rules to “dwelling” setback rules. Two outcomes:
- Grandfathered as legal non-conforming — building stays at current 1-3 ft rear / 3-5 ft east, dwelling use allowed. Common in MI.
- Non-conforming dwelling use prohibited — variance or special use permit needed, or ADU not possible at this building position.
This is the zoning question for ADU feasibility, more important than the ADU-allowed/STR-allowed line of inquiry. Ask first.
Zoning Research — Make-or-Break Action
Status Unknown — This Is Gating
Township-level ADU permission has not been verified. Several thousand dollars of apartment-readiness pre-rough (sub-panel, ERV chase, W/D rough-in, exterior stair door rough opening, acoustic floor decoupling) is calibrated for ADU rental. If the township prohibits ADU rental, this spend is purely for personal flexibility — still potentially worthwhile but a different optimization.
Phone Call to Make
Call Terry Acton, City of Clare Zoning Administrator. Contact info is kept in 30-Vendors & Contacts and below (redacted from production).
_[Content redacted for privacy]_
Property is in the City of Clare R-1 district, parcel 18-051-500-005-00 (per Zoning Authorization ZA25-006).
Critical setback / fire-separation questions (most important first):
- Dwelling-use setbacks vs. accessory-use setbacks for the existing garage position (1-3 ft rear, 3-5 ft east) — when the loft converts to ADU, do dwelling setbacks apply? Is the building grandfathered as legal non-conforming, or does ADU conversion require variance / special use permit / planning commission approval? This is the make-or-break question.
- Awning / canopy projection into required side yard setback in R-1 — allowed projection distance, fire-rated soffit requirements at 3-5 ft from PL.
- Open uncovered exterior stairs and landings — counted as part of building footprint for setback math, or exempt? Different rules for floating deck (deck blocks, no footings) vs. ledger-attached deck with frost-protected footings?
ADU permission questions:
- Does R-1 allow a detached ADU on this parcel? Owner-occupancy required? Family-only? General rental?
- Short-term rentals (Airbnb, <30 days) — regulated separately from long-term ADU?
- Parking requirements for ADU (additional space?)
- Address / unit numbering for 911 and mail
- Septic / well capacity review if private — ADU adds bedroom-equivalent for sizing
- Property tax reassessment trigger expectation
- Permit path — zoning authorization sufficient, or special use permit / site plan review required?
Outcomes and Their Impact
| Township answer | Impact on plan |
|---|---|
| Generally allowed, no special permit | Proceed as planned; full apartment-readiness is good investment |
| Allowed with conditions (e.g., owner-occupancy, parking) | Design to conditions; check parking and entrance separation |
| Family-only ADU | Limits tenant pool to relatives; pre-rough still worthwhile for extended family use |
| Not allowed | Pre-rough becomes personal flexibility only; consider trimming W/D rough-in and exterior stair RO; keep HVAC + sub-panel (useful for personal use) |
| STR-specific ban | Long-term rental still viable; remove Airbnb from tenant pool |
Action: Make the call before insulation goes in (estimated current stage). At minimum, gate the exterior-door rough opening framing on this answer.
Insurance and Tax Implications
These don’t affect construction decisions but should be flagged for Phase 3:
- Insurance class change: Renting requires landlord/dwelling-fire policy, not homeowner’s. Premium increases. Many homeowner policies exclude rental use entirely — informing the insurer is mandatory; failing to do so can void the policy after a claim.
- Property tax reassessment: Adding habitable ADU typically triggers reassessment in MI. Not a reason to avoid the project, but model against rental income.
- Income tax: Rental income reportable; depreciation and expense deductions available. Talk to accountant at Phase 3.
Checklist
Stage 3 (Framing) — Must Complete This Pass
- Lock which of the three already-delivered Premium Designer NC DH egress windows (39.5” × 59.5”) goes in the future bedroom corner; verify installed sill ≤44” AFF given the 43” kneewall geometry — area:: code — stage:: 3
- Frame exterior door rough opening in side wall at landing height (sheath/side over for now if Phase 1) — area:: framing — stage:: 3
- Lay out mechanical room wall extension stud locations to seal stair vestibule — area:: framing — stage:: 3
- Confirm sub-panel feeder conduit routes inside future vestibule envelope, not through garage proper — area:: electrical — stage:: 3
- Pull 14/3 between future smoke detector locations (bedroom + outside bedroom + heat detector in garage portion) on lighting circuit — area:: electrical — stage:: 3
- Pull low-voltage smurf tubes (3 runs, ~$30 total) — area:: low-voltage — stage:: 3
Stage 6 (Insulation / Drywall) — Must Complete This Pass
- Install resilient channels or RSIC clips on garage-ceiling side before Type X drywall — area:: acoustic — stage:: 6
- Upgrade joist-bay insulation above future bedroom + bathroom to Rockwool Safe’n’Sound R-23 — area:: acoustic — stage:: 6
- Plan kneewall closet opening location; do not over-foam that cavity — area:: insulation — stage:: 6
- Cap W/D rough-in plumbing (hot, cold, 2” drain with standpipe) at bathroom wet wall location — area:: plumbing — stage:: 6
- Install 30A or 20A circuit + outlet for future W/D (depending on dryer type decision) — area:: electrical — stage:: 6
- Install vibration isolation pads under compressor and consider isolators under lift baseplates — area:: acoustic — stage:: 6
Pre-Stage-3 Action (Independent of Construction Schedule)
- Call township zoning administrator — verify ADU permission, conditions, STR regulation, parking, septic capacity, address numbering — area:: code — stage:: 3 — decision:: yes
Phase 3 (Conversion Trigger, 5+ Years Out) — Deferred
- Decide open-loft vs. half-wall vs. full-walled bedroom based on tenant profile
- Install exterior door at landing; remove 3-riser interior section
- Build exterior deck + 3 steps + handrail + awning
- Hang Type X drywall both sides of mech room wall extension; insulate
- Install kitchen (sink, range, exhaust, fridge)
- Install W/D
- Hardwire and interconnect smoke + CO + heat detectors
- Update insurance policy
- Confirm permit / certificate of occupancy with township
Related Documents
- HVAC Strategy — 21k 2-zone mini-split, ERV pre-rough, transfer fan strategy
- Electrical Planning — 100A sub-panel, circuits
- Electrical Future-Proofing — energy monitoring tiers
- Acoustic Strategy — inter-floor sound (see Loft Apartment Considerations section)
- Insulation Strategy — wall and ceiling R-values, kneewall details
- Insulation Execution — kneewall air barrier, attic-side rigid foam
- Loft Flooring Plan — apartment-ready 22 MIL LVP, SoundGuard vs QuietWalk
- Boiler Selection — DHW capacity sized for future loft kitchen + bath + main floor
- 2026-02-01 — Loft bathroom priority — 3-phase plan
- Considerations Backlog — open items including stair code, knee wall guards