Garage Conversions Add Valuable Living Space
When building an addition isn't an option, a garage conversion adds extra room to your home.
Tucson, Arizona, member David Fishman wanted a rec room, but adding on to his three-bedroom ranch wasn’t an option. The house sits on a hill, the county owns the land behind his home and zoning regulations prohibit building permanent structures.
Fishman set his sights on the garage since a cement platform at the end of the garage prevented cars from parking completely inside.
“The garage was actually constructed in the '80s,” Fishman says. “The garage was incapable of containing a modern car. While it was a garage, it wasn’t fully a garage.”
Instead of extending the square footage of his home, Fishman converted his garage, morphing it into a media, recreation and music room. He also added a large closet and laundry room. Fishman built a carport next to the garage to protect his vehicles from the sun.
Special considerations for remodeling a garage
For homeowners with limited options for expansion or without basements, converting a garage into a living space is a viable alternative, says Tom Malafa, general manager at Todd Whittaker Drywall in Peoria, Arizona.
However, transforming a garage takes much more work than adding a pool table, ‘fridge and a couple of posters. Todd Whittaker, owner of Todd Whittaker Drywall, suggests learning your city’s building codes before starting the project. Municipal codes regulate everything from window and door requirements to electrical outlet placement.
“Out here, it’s required to have an integrated smoke detector in every living space,” Whittaker says.
The cost to convert your garage
Making the switch from a garage to a living space costs about $10,000 to $15,000, depending on room size and excluding plumbing. A typical conversion includes adding insulation inside the drywall, bringing the floor level to the rest of the house and protecting the floor from moisture.
“They need to make sure they put a moisture barrier down if they’re going to go over a concrete floor in a garage and make it a living area,” says Jerry Moore, owner of Moore Construction Services in Camby, Indiana.
If you don’t install a moisture barrier, Moore says ceramic tile is ideal because it won’t succumb to water damage like carpet or wood.
Are you thinking about turning your garage into a bedroom, play room or office? Share your ideas in the comments section below!
Editor's note: This is an updated version of an article originally posted on June 13, 2014.
