Refashion A Garage To A Space To Live In Which Is Less Expensive Than Adding On
Nov 3rd, 2009 by master
Refashioning a garage to a room like a room additions is often a cost-effective way to add living space to your home.
1. Since the foundation, roof and exterior walls are already built, you will not incur these costs.
2. You will be able to remodel the area with small disruption to the rest of your home as with a house additions also.
3. You may previously have the electrical wiring in position (most garages have lights and at least one electrical outlet)
as well as plumbing.
4. Relying upon local building codes, you may not need a building license for your project.
Why would you require a building permit? Virtually anyone building a bedroom additions 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, malfunction 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 establish what you have to work with in terms of floor, walls, access, etc. You will likely 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 decision will be whether to use the whole 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 extra attention to soundproofing.
Converted garages can serve a lot of functions. Garages can be converted into the whole thing 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 finish two rooms (one above the other) or to open the ceiling and design your new room with a domed ceiling.
The subsequent decisions will decide the development of the finished room.
1. What kind of flooring will you use? You will find that a slab is conducive to almost any kind of flooring you prefer to install. Be steady to seal the slab before you begin installation of any flooring materials. And, if you
install 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 match the floor level in the rest of your home.
2. What kind of ceiling do you want? Relying 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 building the walls of insulated board. If the room will be used as a playroom or a home office, this might be just the solution you need.
Lastly, you will need to decide whether to do the work yourself or appoint a contractor. You might choose to hire a contractor for some of the work, like electrical, plumbing, etc. and do the remainder yourself. Whichever way, you’ll find that the cost of converting your garage to living space is far less than adding a room to your home.
A garage translation is a vast remodeling project. It’s the perfect way to get the space you necessitate at the minimum possible cost. Benefit from!
Tweet This Post!