Budget Breakdown: In Texas, a Designer Clears Out His Overgrown Backyard to Build a $318K Studio
Isaac French designs and constructs a 568-square-foot dwelling complete with an office, art studio, kitchenette, and sleeping loft.
Isaac French designs and constructs a 568-square-foot dwelling complete with an office, art studio, kitchenette, and sleeping loft.
After 10 years in the Pacific Northwest, Isaac French, 27, moved back to his home state of Texas to marry his wife, Helen, in 2020. An accountant by trade with an entrepreneurial bent, Isaac had another six years under his belt working in the family construction business. As he settled into his new home, Isaac took to his makeshift office—which amounted to an iPad on a sofa—and designed his first hospitality project, a small resort in Waco, Texas.
In 2023, with his first project done, his business growing and a new son, Lucas, at home, his next endeavor was building an upgraded office—or rather an office, period. Isaac’s home sits on five acres in Waco, Texas, which left him with plenty of space and a healthy dose of initiative: "I just started clearing one day in the forest behind our home, which was super dense with vines and briars everywhere," Isaac says. "In three years of living here, I hadn’t been able to walk back there one time."
| $16,000 Site work | $3,000 | $32,000 Structural |
| $18,000 Wall finishes | $95,000 Flooring | $11,200 Roofing |
$2,200 | $14,000 Electrical | $9,100 Plumbing |
$12,000 | $48,000 Landscaping | $3,700 Kitchen/bath fixtures |
| $4,200 Lighting | $38,000 Cabinetry | $2,800 Countertops |
| $5,500 Appliances | $4,200 Windows/glazing | $3,400 Doors |
| $3,000 Metalwork | $78,000 Furnishings/decor | |
| Grand Total: $318,000 | ||
Isaac describes the building as a "semi-modular" unit: "It has a pier and beam foundation, so it can be moved, but only short distances because its 17-foot width means permits would be necessary. It was also built on site."
Photo by Jeff Jones
The design he ended up with for what is now called the Nook, after a week spent "intensively scribbling" on the Procreate app, is closer to a tiny home than a barebones work space—complete with an office, art studio, kitchenette, full bathroom, and a sleeping loft. His rough starting budget for the 568-square-foot build was a flush $200K, which he ultimately went over by $118K: "My budget was fairly informal because I didn’t account for all the furnishings and equipment," says Isaac.
The studio uses Shou Sugi Ban cedar siding, white oak, and local Texas limestone. "In a sense it’s nicer than our home," says Isaac, referring to the high-quality, natural finishes.
Photo by Jeff Jones
While not a designer by training, Isaac has an art practice and makes an informal study of design, plus experience as a contractor. Throughout the process he frequently consulted his friend Hans Lorei, a designer with a robust Instagram following. While he didn't hire a formal architect, he worked closely with a team of contractors to manage the project.
Not accounted for in the initial budget is the $78K Isaac spent on furnishings as well as art materials, tech equipment, and a piano: "I didn’t realize how much nice, quality things were going to cost," says Isaac.
Photo by Jeff Jones
See the full story on Dwell.com: Budget Breakdown: In Texas, a Designer Clears Out His Overgrown Backyard to Build a $318K Studio
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