Former basement storage area.The Guest Suite from same view as above.Bathroom before plumber arrived.Bathroom after pipes were installed.
My plumber made me do it....funny but no joke. We decided to renovate our storage space on the ground floor and make a spare room and bath for family and friends. During the renovation our plumber asked if we had intended to rent it, so I reminded him that since it was legally a part of our home, we were not allowed to have another kitchen and absolutely no stove. His response was "I don't mean for permanent tenants". I had actually never considered short term rentals, so I inquired as to why he asked. His ex wife from Ireland was coming over to visit their son and he only lived 3 blocks away.
My husband and I discussed it and decided to do this as a favor for our plumber and asked that she pay what she thought was a reasonable price in pounds sterling, since we had our next trip planned with a few days in London. We ended up in a much better hotel in London because of this trade and decided then and there that we wanted to start renting our guest quarters to travelers. After taking a look at hotel prices we knew we could be of great value to guests, and since it was a part of our home we could easily have a more personalized feel than much of our competition, since we designed it for ourselves and not specifically for travelers. Our guests notice the difference.
After our 1st year we were able to afford a 2nd vacation in Europe each year since. With the additional guests from Airbnb during our 3rd year, we now do not pay for our vacations, our guests do, and we are forever grateful to them. As a life long "people person" I love working to make our guests trips memorable. Not every guest needs help or attention, but my favorite guests do.