Create an ideabook for your next remodeling project!
Browse more than 1,500,000 photos from top designers and save your favorites
More Living Space: Converting a Garage
5 things to consider when creating new living space in the garage
Houzz Contributor. My name is Bud Dietrich and I am an architect located in the Tampa Bay area of Florida. I am licensed to practice architecture in Illinois, Florida, New Jersey & Wisconsin and I am a certificate holder from the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB). Since 1996 I have worked from my home office and provide full architectural services exclusively to the single family residential market. My passion is to transform my clients' houses into their homes. I strive to have the "new" home accommodate my clients' lives without fighting them at every junction. I look to add curb appeal to encourage a beautiful streetscape. And I design any addition to look and feel like it has always been there.
Our projects have won numerous design awards as well as having...
Houzz Contributor. My name is Bud Dietrich and I am an architect located... More »
In a recent Ideabook we addressed the need for some of us to accommodate our "boomerang" children and aging parents. In that piece we addressed converting attics and basements into more living space in a home. There are, however, some houses that don't have basements (for example, homes in Florida) or where the attic can't be converted to living space for a variety of reasons (the roof pitch may be too shallow to allow for adequate head room).
But there are many houses with either attached or detached garages, and these garages can be turned to very nice living areas. In fact, there are 1940s and 1950s-era houses with single-car garages that beckon to be transformed into something livable. Whether you'd like an extra bedroom, home office, music room, craft room, playroom or some other living space, these garages can be ideal candidates.
As with any such project, you'll want to make sure that the converted garage will have enough light and space, comply with local ordinances and building codes as well as be warm in winter and cool in summer.
As always, consult with a qualified professional before undertaking such a project.
But there are many houses with either attached or detached garages, and these garages can be turned to very nice living areas. In fact, there are 1940s and 1950s-era houses with single-car garages that beckon to be transformed into something livable. Whether you'd like an extra bedroom, home office, music room, craft room, playroom or some other living space, these garages can be ideal candidates.
As with any such project, you'll want to make sure that the converted garage will have enough light and space, comply with local ordinances and building codes as well as be warm in winter and cool in summer.
As always, consult with a qualified professional before undertaking such a project.
|
by FABRE/deMARIEN
»
Like it? Save it to your Ideabook »
|
| 1. The floor. A converted garage is made into a bright and spacious living space. The new concrete floor is raised above street level to keep water out of the interior. |
| Like it? Save it to your Ideabook »
|
| More often than not, the existing garage floor concrete slab is sloped, cracked and quite a bit lower than the house floor. So converting a garage to living space usually requires installing a new floor structure. There are several options for doing this. One is to build up a wood framed floor that aligns with the floor in the main house. Another is to install a wood framed or concrete floor that is a step or two down from the main house (as in the sketch above). An advantage to installing a concrete "topping slab" over the existing floor is that a radiant heating system can be installed within the concrete. |
| Like it? Save it to your Ideabook »
|
| 2. The opening. When converting a garage to livable space, there's always the issue of what to do with the garage door opening. Because this opening and the garage doors have such a large impact on the overall look of the house, it makes sense to fill the opening with a large-scale element. For example, a good solution is to keep a garage door in the opening while making sure the door is weather tight. This is the approach taken in the next photo. |
| Like it? Save it to your Ideabook »
|
| Standard carriage-style garage doors are also good options, as they can be a featured element on the interior while maintaining the original garage look on the exterior. |
| Like it? Save it to your Ideabook »
|
| Another approach is to have large windows or doors fill the opening. Something like these large folding glass doors can be a good option provided there's a fit with the overall aesthetics of the exterior. |
| Like it? Save it to your Ideabook »
|
| 3. Windows. Additional windows will more than likely have to be installed, as garages typically have few, if any, windows. It's important to check and comply with any local building codes and ordinances when sizing and locating these new windows. |
| Like it? Save it to your Ideabook »
|
| 4. Additional plumbing. Adding a kitchen or bathroom to a garage conversion can be difficult because tying into the existing plumbing lines is problematic. That's not to say it shouldn't be done as, say, an additional bathroom is always a nice amenity to have. So investigating ways (such as building up the floor to provide a space for plumbing pipes) to overcome the technical difficulties is well worth doing. |
| Like it? Save it to your Ideabook »
|
| Some reworking of the exterior walls with full-height glass windows and doors leaves no trace of the original garage space in this conversion. |
| Like it? Save it to your Ideabook »
|
| This master suite with a new bathroom occupies what was once a large garage. The addition of a the gas fireplace certainly makes the room special. And having the bathroom adjacent to the bedroom makes for a nice master or guest suite. |
| Like it? Save it to your Ideabook »
|
| 5. Ceiling height. Though the type of framing used at the garage roof will dictate what can be done economically, increasing the height of the ceiling is a possibility if the garage is free standing or has no second floor above it. A vaulted ceiling, as in the next photo, will certainly add to the room's overall spaciousness. |
| Like it? Save it to your Ideabook »
|
| A converted garage keeps the vaulted ceiling for spaciousness while various architectural elements such as the ridge beam increase the room's character. |
| Like it? Save it to your Ideabook »
|
| 6. Temperature control. And don't forget that the new living area will need to be heated and cooled. Depending on the size of the area and its location, you may not be able to use the existing "central" heating and cooling system. Mini split systems can be good options if this is the case. More: Stunning Garage Makeover in Bordeaux Making Room for Family: Converting Attics and Basements |
Ideabook updated on Jan. 20, 2012.
What are you working on?
News From Our Partners
Latest Ideabooks
People found the photos in this ideabook after searching for:
View over a million photos:
I realize without seeing my garage you would not be able to give any specifics, but I'm just wondering what the ballpark might be on converting my garage. It's attached to the house, the floor is concrete slab, unslanted and level with the flooring inside of the house. The walls and ceiling have already been finished with sheetrock (minus taping/bedding of seams and texturing or paneling, which I can do myself to save costs) and the ceiling is 8', same as inside the house. Without adding any additional plumbing or tapping in to the inside central heat and air, would you say 10k would be reasonable or average or is that unrealistic for this type of conversion?
Thank you!
It's always a bit tricky to give advice like this without all of the info but here goes.
First, develop a solid budget for the project. Identify all the pieces and do some local research about how much things will cost. And the budegt should be very detailed. Have line items for things like electrical, insulation, etc. and divide out each line into materials and labor. Identify the things you'll do yourself (labor is essentially free but materials will have to be purchased) and those items you'll be hiring someone to do. There's also the cost of securing a building permit, having drawings done, etc. You can get additional advice at:
Having said that, about 25 years ago we converted a garage to living space (actually, my studio). Though I don't remember exactly how much the project cost I do know that it wasn't very much (probably less than $5k at the time). We did a lot of the work ourselves, kept things simple and used inexpensive (but nice) materials for trim, etc. We even did the electrical work ourselves, something I don't recommend unless you're very comfortable doing it and know the codes, etc.
Hope this helps and good luck with the project.
I kindly request more ideas like these garage makeovers . so timely, beautiful and eco/budget friendly
thanks again
deborab
One thing to remember though, 'losing' a garage may affect the home's value. In Colorado you have to have a garage and attached is better than detached. We are lucky having 5 acres, we are just adding a new garage to the house.
@deborab - We plan on doing a series of these pieces and welcome anyone suggestions about what to include.
@ladygraystone - There are several photos of these conversions on Houzz. Just type "garage conversion" in the search bar on the Houzz home page.
@lilimarlene - The local climate will definitely have an effect on any space you build so working with a local architect is very important. How to mitigate the effects of events such as hurricanes, snowstorms, etc. should also be factored into any project you do. But remember that these are technical issues that have technical solutions. That's why engaging a qualified professional to help is very important.
@Julie Kemker_Hill - Good point about losing the garage. In some places, like in Florida, this isn't an issue while in others, like Colorado and Illinois, it is. Understanding options before embarking on any project is the key. And good luck with your project - let us know how it goes!
@joanne24 - It's always a matter of cost, benefit and value. Will converting the garage as you want and some benefit and value to your lives? If that outweighs the loss of a one car garage, go for it. Also, is there a possibility of rebuilding the garage either concurrently or later? As with any such project, sitting down with an architect who can give you options and explain the pros and cons of each is well worth doing before starting.
If I install a carbon-monoxide detector in the conversion wouldn't that be fine? Or do I have to relocate the gas hot-water heater? Please email me, so I can check your response. Thank you.