The Pros and Cons of an Garage Apartment
So, you’re seriously considering a garage apartment conversion. After all, you don’t have to go through the planning and large construction project of a room addition. Which means it comes at a much cheaper cost. However, there’s a few things to take into consideration before you go forward. First of all, you’re sacrificing a dedicated parking and storage space. If you plan to sell in the future, that’s going to present a problem.If you’re looking for a way to enlarge your home without shelling out for a full-scale addition, converting your garage into living space typically adds about 600 square feet (assuming it’s a two-car garage). The good news is that you’ll spend less than if you build an addition. Because a garage already has a foundation, walls, and a roof, using the existing structure typically costs around half what you’d spend for an all-new addition. —House Logic.comSeveral studies show that buyers strongly object to such a conversion. Then, there’s the matter of pseudo-overbuilding for the neighborhood. But, if your home is typical of others on the block, with 3 beds and 2 baths and it will be 4 beds, 3 baths, that just might price it out of the neighborhood.
Cape Coral Garage Apartment Conversion How-To
If you’re still set on the garage apartment conversion, you’ll need to start by obtaining the necessary building permits. And, you’ll have to begin the transformation by replacing the garage door with a typical entryway. Here’s some more things that are also needed for a garage apartment conversion:- Level and finish the floor. This will probably be a necessity since garage floors are usually sloped for drainage. Once finished, you can then install carpet, tile, engineered hardwood, or another subfloor covering.
- Upgrade the plumbing. Of course, to make it a dedicated apartment, you’ll need to equip it with an independent bathroom. Also, you’ll have to build-in a kitchen to make it functional.
- Upgrade the electrical wiring. Additionally, you’ll need extra electrical outlets, along with light fixtures. (It’s also advisable to construct two or three window spaces for natural light.
- Insulate, drywall, and install climate control. To finish it all, you’ll need to add insulation, hang drywall, and finally equip it with climate control to make the transformation complete.
