Planning a wise, legal garage conversion
Not everyone who converts their garage in to something else is pleased with the results for many years. In most cases, future disappointment can be easily prevented by planning the garage conversion wisely.
Here are a few quick guidelines & issues
1. Only have the work done by a contractor who respects your priorities (which means that they ask questions about what matters most to you). Even if you value a speedy or inexpensive completion of the garage conversion, a responsible contractor will also ask you about other issues that you might not even know yet that you should consider (such as....)
2. How familiar are you with your city codes, building permits, HOA regulations, zoning laws, and any other relevant restrictions?
3. What about insurance? Is the contractor doing the renovation work insured? What steps will need to be taken (and by whom) in order to maintain full insurance coverage for the whole building (including the room converted from a garage in to interior living space)?
4. What about re-sale? While there is no way to know for sure how much a buyer will be willing to pay extra after you convert your garage in to additional living space, it is very likely that if your garage conversion is not properly permitted, then there can be serious complications when you are planning to sell your home. Whatever your situation, contact us to give us a few details of your needs (because there may be loopholes in your local laws that allow for an easy transfer of ownership without even having to go through a title company). Otherwise, the best choice for you may be to do what it takes to obtain documentation showing that any modifications to your home have been fully permitted prior to starting (by the city planning department) as well as inspected after the improvements are in progress (for code compliance relating to electrical, plumbing, HVAC, flooring, insulation, windows, fire safety / smoke detectors, etc...). There are even cases in which city inspectors offer "exemptions" (or "forgiveness" after-the-fact) instead of permission in advance. However, the best option for you may not be that easy. Contact us now to get expert assistance.
2. How familiar are you with your city codes, building permits, HOA regulations, zoning laws, and any other relevant restrictions?
3. What about insurance? Is the contractor doing the renovation work insured? What steps will need to be taken (and by whom) in order to maintain full insurance coverage for the whole building (including the room converted from a garage in to interior living space)?
4. What about re-sale? While there is no way to know for sure how much a buyer will be willing to pay extra after you convert your garage in to additional living space, it is very likely that if your garage conversion is not properly permitted, then there can be serious complications when you are planning to sell your home. Whatever your situation, contact us to give us a few details of your needs (because there may be loopholes in your local laws that allow for an easy transfer of ownership without even having to go through a title company). Otherwise, the best choice for you may be to do what it takes to obtain documentation showing that any modifications to your home have been fully permitted prior to starting (by the city planning department) as well as inspected after the improvements are in progress (for code compliance relating to electrical, plumbing, HVAC, flooring, insulation, windows, fire safety / smoke detectors, etc...). There are even cases in which city inspectors offer "exemptions" (or "forgiveness" after-the-fact) instead of permission in advance. However, the best option for you may not be that easy. Contact us now to get expert assistance.
Our conversion pros have been
converting garages for decades
The most important thing with your conversion project is that you are satisfied with the results for many years, right? When converting your garage, wouldn't you value using professionals that have extensive experience with every element of your construction project? Not only should you choose a pro who is skilled, but who can communicate clearly and with respect for your time (and money).
When you hire our professionals to convert your garage, you will feel the interest and confidence of our specialists as you speak with your renovation supervisor about your priorities and questions. It can be very exciting for you to see the project get completed so smoothly and quickly. You may also be quite relieved to find out how little the entire project will be and how fast it can be completed.
Over time, our experienced contractors have developed great relationships with the staff of the various local cities who issue permits for residential renovations and who conduct inspections at your home. Several different inspections may be required (HVAC, electrical, plumbing, etc...). The process of dealing with the paperwork and the inspectors can be stressful for many homeowners. Wouldn't it be nice to have someone else to handle all of that for you?
If you are just starting to plan a garage conversion and want to read our planning FAQs, click costs, codes, permits, etc. Next, contact us today to schedule your consultation.
Common questions when converting from a garage:
1. Can I renovate my garage to use it for some other purpose without it being legally re-classified as "interior space?"
1. Can I renovate my garage to use it for some other purpose without it being legally re-classified as "interior space?"
Where is the garage located?
Click the option below for the
location of the conversion.
Western states: AZ, CA, CO, ID, MT, NM, NV, OR, UT, WA, or WY
Central states: AR, LA, IA, IL, KS, MO, MN, ND, NE, OK, SD, TX, or WI
Eastern states: AL, CT, DC, DE, FL, GA, IN, KY, MA, MD, ME, MI, MS,
NC, NH, NJ, NY, OH, PA, RI, SC, TN, VA, VT, WV
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a garage converted to a bedroom:
| a garage converted to an office: | |
a conversion to a sun room:
| another conversion to a bedroom: |