Convert Your Garage into Living Space

Converting your garage into living quarters can be a smart way to stretch your renovation budget.

The garage is often the most underused or misused area of a home. But if you need more space for a home office, family room, extra bedroom or dedicated hobby room, converting a garage into living space can be an excellent alternative to adding onto your home or moving to a bigger home. Keep these points in mind as you decide if a garage conversion is right for you:Conversions make cents

The cost of converting your garage from storage and parking space into living quarters can be less than the cost of a standard addition.

• Depending on the condition of your garage and local building requirements, you can potentially avoid expensive excavation work, which would be required if you were adding onto your home.
• The money you save by having the shell already in place can mean you'll have more left over to spend on interior finishes and extras.
• Garage conversions aren't as disruptive or messy as additions, which usually affect a portion of the existing living quarters of the house.
• Many garages already have existing plumbing and electricity that may only need upgrading, which isn't as expensive as installing from scratch.
• A garage conversion can make your existing home the house of your dreams and help you avoid the expense and stressful upheaval of buying and moving to a new house.

Planning by the book
Before you progress too far in planning a conversion, make sure your ideas comply with local zoning regulations and state building codes. Contact your local municipal or county building department for advice on applying for a building permit. Every municipality and state is different, but here are just a few factors that you may have to address:

• You may have to provide alternative on-site parking when eliminating a parking space. Many municipalities don't want additional street parking, which increases congestion on roads. Also make sure that a garage conversion won't drastically drop the resale value of your home; in some areas garages are a must for homebuyers.
• Your new living space cannot interfere with the privacy of neighbors in adjoining properties.
• The exterior design elements of the new space may need to be in keeping with your house and neighborhood.
• If the new space is a dedicated home-based business, there may be tax implications since residential and business property tax rates are different.
• All building code criteria must be met, such as structural integrity, ventilation, stairs, plumbing and proper number and design of exits.

Attached or Detached
Whether your garage is attached or detached will influence your design plans. Both styles have advantages and disadvantages. With an attached garage, you can open a direct passage from your home to the new space, eliminating the need for exiting one structure to get to another (a bonus, especially in northern climates). An attached garage also increases the possible uses of the space; for instance, a detached garage wouldn't be suitable as a playroom, family room or master bedroom. Alternately, a detached garage is ideal when greater separation is desired, as it might be for a home office, recording studio, guest suite or living quarters for college-age children.

Partial or Full
The size of garage (single- or multiple-car parking), your needs for living and storage space, and zoning regulations will influence whether you convert all or part of your garage. If you are converting the full garage, consider providing covered parking for your vehicle(s), such as a carport. With a double garage, you might want to convert only half of it, retaining a portion for parking or storage. Knowing your municipality's requirements for parking and its regulations on additional structures (for example, is it permitted to add carports or storage sheds to properties?), as well as careful planning for your storage needs will determine whether a partial or full conversion is appropriate.