Prefabricated modular garage or commercial conversion accessory dwelling units

Abstract

Prefabricated modular accessory dwelling unit kits, methods of converting an interior space into an accessory dwelling unit, and plumbing panel wall assemblies are disclosed. In some embodiments, the prefabricated modular accessory dwelling unit kits include a plumbing panel assembly and a plurality of wall panels. In some embodiments, the methods include attaching a plumbing panel assembly, attaching a plurality of wall panels, and attaching one or more pairs of adjacent wall panels together. In some embodiments, the plumbing panel assembly includes side walls and end walls that collectively define a plumbing panel interior compartment therebetween and a plurality of pipes disposed within the plumbing panel interior compartment.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A prefabricated modular accessory dwelling unit kit, comprising:
 a plumbing panel assembly including:
 opposed, spaced, and planar first and second side walls each having lateral end portions, 
 opposed, spaced, and planar end walls each connecting an adjacent pair of lateral end portions of the first and second side walls, the first and second side walls and end walls collectively defining a plumbing panel interior compartment therebetween, and 
 a plurality of pipes at least substantially disposed within the plumbing panel interior compartment and attached to at least one of the first side wall, second side wall, or one of the end walls; and 
   a plurality of wall panels each connectable to at least one of the plumbing panel assembly or one or more other wall panels of the plurality of wall panels, each of the plurality of wall panels including:
 a frame, and 
 planar side walls attached opposed sides of the frame, the frame and planar side walls of the plurality of wall panels collectively defining a wall panel interior compartment therebetween, 
   wherein two or more wall panels of the plurality of walls panels each having:
 at least one of an electrical switch or an electrical outlet being received in one or more openings in one of the planar side walls of the two or more of the plurality of wall panels, the at least one of an electrical switch or an electrical outlet being accessible from external the wall panel interior compartment, 
 a connector external the wall panel internal compartment, the connector being connectable to a connector of one or more wall panels of the two or more wall panels, and 
 a plurality of wiring at least substantially disposed within the wall panel interior compartment and electrically connecting the connector and the at least one of an electrical switch or an electrical outlet. 
   
     
     
         2 . The kit of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of pipes includes a sewer pipe, a water pipe, and a vent pipe. 
     
     
         3 . The kit of  claim 2 , further comprising a shower head coupler disposed within the plumbing panel interior compartment and accessible external the plumbing panel assembly via a shower head opening of one of the first and second side walls of the plumbing panel assembly, the shower head coupler being fluidly connected to the water pipe. 
     
     
         4 . The kit of  claim 3 , further comprising a kitchen sink water coupler disposed within the plumbing panel interior compartment and accessible external the plumbing panel assembly via a kitchen sink opening of the other of the first and second side walls of the plumbing panel assembly, the kitchen sink water coupler being fluidly connected to the water pipe. 
     
     
         5 . The kit of  claim 2 , further comprising a toilet sewer coupler disposed within the plumbing panel interior compartment and accessible external the plumbing panel assembly via a sewer opening of the one of the first and second side walls, the toilet sewer coupler being fluidly connected to the sewer pipe and fluidly connectable to a back outlet toilet. 
     
     
         6 . The kit of  claim 5 , further comprising a toilet water coupler disposed within the plumbing panel interior compartment and accessible external the plumbing panel assembly via a toilet opening of the one of the first and second side walls, the toilet water coupler fluidly connected to the water pipe and fluidly connectable to the back outlet toilet. 
     
     
         7 . The kit of  claim 5 , further comprising a bathroom sink water coupler disposed within the plumbing panel interior compartment and accessible external the plumbing panel assembly via a bathroom sink water opening of the one of the first and second side walls of the plumbing panel assembly, the bathroom sink water coupler being fluidly connected to the water pipe. 
     
     
         8 . The kit of  claim 7 , further comprising a bathroom sink sewer coupler disposed within the plumbing panel interior compartment and accessible external the plumbing panel assembly via a bathroom sink drain opening the one of the first and second side walls of the plumbing panel assembly, the bathroom sink sewer coupler being fluidly connected to the sewer pipe. 
     
     
         9 . The kit of  claim 1 , wherein one or more wall panels of the plurality of wall panels further includes a vertical member and a horizontal member disposed within the wall panel interior compartment and attached to corresponding portions of the frame. 
     
     
         10 . The kit of  claim 1 , further comprising sleepers and subfloors. 
     
     
         11 . The kit of  claim 1 , further comprising ceiling panels and ceiling box beams. 
     
     
         12 . A method of converting an interior space, which is defined between a floor, a ceiling structure, and a plurality of walls, into an accessory dwelling unit, comprising:
 attaching a plumbing panel assembly to the floor, the plumbing panel assembly including opposed, spaced, and planar first and second side walls each having lateral end portions, opposed, spaced, and planar end walls each connecting an adjacent pair of lateral end portions of the first and second side walls, the first and second side walls and the end walls collectively defining a plumbing panel interior compartment therebetween, and a plurality of pipes at least substantially disposed within the plumbing panel interior compartment and attached to at least one of the first side wall, the second side wall, or one of the end walls;   attaching a plurality of wall panels to the floor, the plurality of wall panels being adjacent the plumbing panel assembly and forming one or more rooms therebetween, two or more of the plurality of wall panels including:
 a frame, and 
 planar side walls attached opposed sides of the frame, the frame and side walls of the plurality of wall panels collectively defining a wall panel interior compartment therebetween, 
 at least one of an electrical switch or an electrical outlet being received in one or more openings in one of the planar side walls of the two or more of the plurality of wall panels, the at least one of an electrical switch or an electrical outlet being accessible from external the wall panel interior compartment, 
 a connector external the wall panel internal compartment, the connector being connectable to a connector of one or more wall panels of the two or more wall panels, and 
   a plurality of wiring at least substantially disposed within the wall panel interior compartment and electrically connecting the connector and the at least one of an electrical switch or an electrical outlet; and   attaching one or more pairs of adjacent wall panels of the plurality of wall panels together.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising attaching the plumbing panel assembly to one of the ceiling structure or a wall of the plurality of walls. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising attaching one or more wall panels of the plurality of wall panels to one of the ceiling structure or the plurality of walls. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising attaching each wall panel of the plurality of walls panels to one of the ceiling structure or a corresponding wall of the plurality of walls. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising coupling the connectors of each pair of adjacent wall panels that have connectors. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 12 , where the indoor area is adjacent a structure having pre-existing pipes connected to at least one of a water source, a sewer drain, or a vent, further comprising connecting each pipe of the plumbing panel assembly to the corresponding pre-existing pipe. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 attaching a plurality of sleepers to the floor within the one or more rooms; and   attaching a plurality of subfloor components to the plurality of sleepers.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 attaching a plurality of ceiling box beams to top portions of the plurality of wall panels; and   attaching a plurality of ceiling components to the plurality of ceiling box beams.   
     
     
         20 . A plumbing panel assembly, comprising
 opposed, spaced, and planar first and second side walls each having lateral end portions,   opposed, spaced, and planar end walls each connecting an adjacent pair of lateral end portions of the first and second side walls, the first and second side walls and end walls collectively defining a plumbing panel interior compartment therebetween, and   a plurality of pipes at least substantially disposed within the plumbing panel interior compartment and attached to at least one of the first side wall, second side wall, or one of the end walls.