Altering a garage to a room like a room additions is often a efficient way to add living space to your residence.
1. Since the foundation, roof and exterior walls are previously built, you will not incur these costs.
2. You will be able to remodel the area with slight disruption to the rest of your home as with a addition plans also.
3. You may already have the electrical wiring in position (most garages have lights and at least one electrical passage)
as well as plumbing.
4. Depending upon local building codes, you may not need a building license for your project.
Why would you need a building permit? Virtually anyone building a additions to house needs a permit. This can vary from one location to another, but the primary issues are:
* Structural soundness
* Exits
* Heating and cooling
* Windows
* Ventilation
* Insulation
* Plumbing
* Electrical
In some areas, failure to build to local code can require that you restore the space to its original condition before you sell the house.
The best place to start remodeling a garage to a room is to determine what you have to work with in terms of base, walls, access, etc. You will probably have a cement slab floor and an adequate roof. If there are no windows, you will need to decide whether to install them, how many to install, and where you will place them. If your garage has finished walls you will need to determine whether the walls are insulated. If they are not insulated, you will need to make decisions about how you will insulate. You will need to plan for heating and cooling and adequate lighting and electrical outlets. Do you need plumbing in the room? If so, you will have to determine whether there is or is not plumbing in the area and what changes are required.
Your next choice will be whether to use the entire garage for your new room or only part of it. If you have a two-car garage, you might choose to finish only half of it into living space. In this case, you might desire to pay additional attention to soundproofing.
Changed garages can serve a variety of functions. Garages can be converted into everything from a kitchen to a living room or a family room, den, home theater, home office or an extra bedroom. You might discover enough “attic” space to close two rooms (one above the other) or to open the ceiling and design your new room with a domed ceiling.
The subsequent choices will determine the appearance of the finished room.
1. What kind of flooring will you use? You will discover that a slab is conducive to almost any kind of flooring you prefer to install. Be sure to seal the slab before you begin installation of any flooring resources. And, if you
set up carpet, you might want to invest in double padding to make the room more at ease. You can also build a traditional joist floor over the garage slab to equal the floor level in the rest of your home.
2. What kind of ceiling do you want? Depending upon the planned use of the space, you might decide a vaulted, exposed beam ceiling, a pitched ceiling, a tray ceiling, a drywall ceiling, or a drop ceiling.
3. Lastly, you will need to make a decision on the walls. You can choose paneling or sheetrock, or you might desire to consider constructing the walls of insulated board. If the room will be worn as a playroom or a home office, this might be just the solution you require.
Finally, you will need to decide whether to do the work yourself or appoint a contractor. You might decide to hire a contractor for a few of the work, like electrical, plumbing, etc. and do the leftovers yourself. Either way, you’ll notice that the cost of changing your garage to living space is far less than adding a room to your home.
A garage conversion is a great remodeling project. It’s the great way to get the space you require at the lowest possible price. Enjoy!
