For various reasons, the idea of transforming the garage into a living area is enticing. Some people may consider this as a way to expand their living space to accommodate a growing family or other life changes. The immediate value this may bring to the home upon sale may motivate others to do this properly. Here, we’ll look at the notion of Garage Conversion and examine its benefits/disadvantages. Did your home inspector catch that enclosed garage in your last house?
- PRO #1 Added Square Footage
The purpose of the garage enclosure is to increase the useable living space in your home. A garage conversion does this without sacrificing yard area and does it at a fraction of the expense (which would be required to achieve similar with a building addition). Construction of structural components is also avoided, requiring specific knowledge and tools.
- PRO #2 Low Cost Upgrade
All houses, old and new, have an attached garage of around 20 by 20 feet, or 400 square feet. These spaces often feature floor components, are covered by a roof, and have walls on three of the four sides. As a result, the principal residence’s living area may be expanded at a reasonable cost. To convert a garage, a normal DIY homeowner may not be able to build these existing structural components (such as floors, walls, and roofs). In many cases, there will also be some resemblance of electricity service.
- PRO #3 Property Value
There is a common practice of using a per square foot value for residences where less completed and auxiliary sections get a lower factor. About our principal service area, the enclosed space is deemed “base semi-finished,” which has an 80 percent factor compared to traditional living space square footage. However, this rating may only be obtained if the space is completely confined and air-conditioned. It must either have its bathroom or be linked to a bathroom area via a corridor to function (you cannot enter another space to get to a bathroom). It’s possible to make the area into a complete bedroom if you add a closet (consult your real estate or property appraiser professional for additional detail or clarification).
- CON #1 Loss of on-site storage
I don’t know what I’d do if I didn’t have a place to store my tools and lawn care equipment. Much less the notion of having no parking place in the garage at all, which is a challenge in itself. Certain home things should not be kept in the living room. It’s impossible to store your lawnmower (or petrol) inside if you have it. Without a dedicated area for storing children’s bicycles and recreational equipment, these items might be lost forever. An overhead door inset may be added to an existing wall to provide additional storage space if you cannot locate a suitable home for the goods already stored in your garage. Your contractor should ensure that the conditioned and unconditioned sections are separated by an air barrier and appropriately insulated. This method also aids in maintaining the exterior’s visual integrity. It’s strange to approach a window or a blank wall from a driveway.
- CON #2 Awkward In-Place Construction
An uncomfortable living area is often the result of garage enclosures that don’t quite “fit” with the rest of the structure. Adding (or potentially resizing) windows is likely to be required as part of the permitting process, so keep this in mind while planning. In addition, garage floor slabs are often slanted (deliberately) to drain water. Any cabinets or finish millwork may not fit perfectly due to the sloping floor, which may be seen when you walk on it (making occupants feel like the house is sinking). It’s possible that the slab didn’t have a vapor barrier since it was built to be utilized in an unconditioned area. Consequently, low-level condensation at the baseboards may cause the space to be continually wet and clammy. There is a risk of mold growth if humidity levels in the new room are not properly maintained. This may harm people’s health. In addition, they tend to be built at a level close to the external grade, although most rules require traditional living areas to be built above the exterior grade. This gives the impression to those passing by the home that someone has been tinkering with it and making modifications. The greater gradient necessary for the house’s initial construction assures that water infiltration will not occur during significant rain events. Water may seep into the garage if it isn’t carefully diverted away from the house and tightly controlled by the slab’s low position. Unless the wall is shared with neighboring conditioned rooms, garages normally do not have insulated walls. As a result, the need for insulation should be verified.
- CON #3 Most see this as a DIY project
Most people see this as a do-it-yourself job since the main structural components are already in place. However, most DIY enthusiasts cannot get all of the essential components up to code. As a result, the first stage in your evaluation of a house with an enclosed garage is to determine whether or not permits were necessary. Many of the tasks involved in converting a garage need getting permits from the city or county. Ensuring compliance with applicable building codes and local zoning regulations is an important part of the permitting process. A variety of factors, including the number of windows, exits/entrances, ceiling height, and electrical outlets, may be required to function well. These prerequisites may not be obvious to all DIYers. It’s possible that the enclosure would have lowered the property’s value if the project hadn’t been approved and that bringing it up to code would have needed substantial further expense (or be required to be reinstated to its original form, a garage). A quick phone call to your local permitting authority will give you all the information you want.
- CON #4 Costs to Do Conversions Correctly
As seen in the table below, DIYers can do or skip certain activities to save money..
Typical Garage Conversion Project Costs
In addition to these costs, projects needing a bathroom will add $5,000, and those requiring HVAC equipment (other than what is already in place or a wall unit) will spend an additional $3,000 or more. There’s no getting around it: this is an undertaking that should be well thought out and planned out before it gets started.
- CON #5 Inadequate HVAC
To heat and cool the converted area, most garages are connected to the ductwork of the original home. If the area is 400 square feet, an additional cooling capacity of one ton is necessary. As previously stated in our blog piece, Air Conditioning Sizing: Bigger isn’t Always Better, a room with an additional 1-ton of cooling earlier likely had a whole other set of challenges. It’s not uncommon for the air supply to the new space or the loss of air supply to earlier regions to suffer (or both). It’s good sense to keep the old system in place if it was originally built and tailored for the home. It is important to consult with an HVAC specialist before making any changes to the system’s ducting configuration. For newly enclosed areas, a self-contained HVAC system is ideal. Still, a solution that offers enough space for ventilation and air movement should be adopted (which wall units may not provide). Consult your HVAC specialist once again. An interior humidity bloom might occur if the ground vapor from the slab is not correctly corrected and the air is not moved and conditioned appropriately.
- CON #6 Inadequate Insulation
Due to their lack of climate control, most garage ceilings are not insulated. The only walls normally insulated are those in the original living areas. A building authority may order the removal of your enclosure’s drywall to ensure enough insulation. Meanwhile, you might ask your home inspector to use thermal imaging or gapping around switch plates to see whether insulation is there.
As a result, do your homework and see whether a garage enclosure is a right choice for you. For such a transaction, I recommend that you check the permission history to verify whether the enclosure was done lawfully. In any case, ensure that the garage conversion is included in your home valuation and insurance policies. Without making these modifications, you risk having unintended repercussions when making alterations to the size of your living area.
Please feel free to leave any comments or questions down below. Are you a believer now? No, I don’t like it at all. Was it a blight on the landscape? What do you think?
2 Garage Enclosure
For various reasons, the idea of transforming the garage into a living area is enticing. Some people may consider this as a way to expand their living space to accommodate a growing family or other life changes. The immediate value this may bring to the home upon sale may motivate others to do this properly. Here, we’ll look at the notion of Garage Conversion and examine its benefits/disadvantages.
- PRO #1 Added Square Footage
The purpose of the garage enclosure is to increase the useable living space in your home. A garage conversion does this without sacrificing yard area and does it at a fraction of the expense (which would be required to achieve similar with a building addition). Construction of structural components is also avoided, requiring specific knowledge and tools.
- PRO #2 Low Cost Upgrade
All houses, old and new, have an attached garage of around 20 by 20 feet, or 400 square feet. These spaces often feature floor components, are covered by a roof, and have walls on three of the four sides. As a result, the principal residence’s living area may be expanded at a reasonable cost. To convert a garage, a normal DIY homeowner may not be able to build these existing structural components (such as floors, walls, and roofs). In many cases, there will also be some resemblance of electricity service.
- PRO #3 Property Value
There is a common practice of using a per square foot value for residences where less completed and auxiliary sections get a lower factor. About our principal service area, the enclosed space is deemed “base semi-finished,” which has an 80 percent factor compared to traditional living space square footage. However, this rating may only be obtained if the space is completely confined and air-conditioned. It must either have its bathroom or be linked to a bathroom area via a corridor to function (you cannot enter another space to get to a bathroom). It’s possible to make the area into a complete bedroom if you add a closet (consult your real estate or property appraiser professional for additional detail or clarification).
- CON #1 Loss of on-site storage
I don’t know what I’d do if I didn’t have a place to store my tools and lawn care equipment. Much less the notion of having no parking place in the garage at all, which is a challenge in itself. Certain home things should not be kept in the living room. It’s impossible to store your lawnmower (or petrol) inside if you have it. Without a dedicated area for storing children’s bicycles and recreational equipment, these items might be lost forever. An overhead door inset may be added to an existing wall to provide additional storage space if you cannot locate a suitable home for the goods already stored in your garage. Your contractor should ensure that the conditioned and unconditioned sections are separated by an air barrier and appropriately insulated. This method also aids in maintaining the exterior’s visual integrity. It’s strange to approach a window or a blank wall from a driveway.
- CON #2 Awkward In-Place Construction
An uncomfortable living area is often the result of garage enclosures that don’t quite “fit” with the rest of the structure. Adding (or potentially resizing) windows is likely to be required as part of the permitting process, so keep this in mind while planning. In addition, garage floor slabs are often slanted (deliberately) to drain water. Any cabinets or finish millwork may not fit perfectly due to the sloping floor, which may be seen when you walk on it (making occupants feel like the house is sinking). It’s possible that the slab didn’t have a vapor barrier since it was built to be utilized in an unconditioned area. Consequently, low-level condensation at the baseboards may cause the space to be continually wet and clammy. There is a risk of mold growth if humidity levels in the new room are not properly maintained. This may harm people’s health. In addition, they tend to be built at a level close to the external grade, although most rules require traditional living areas to be built above the exterior grade. This gives the impression to those passing by the home that someone has been tinkering with it and making modifications. The greater gradient necessary for the house’s initial construction assures that water infiltration will not occur during significant rain events. Water may seep into the garage if it isn’t carefully diverted away from the house and tightly controlled by the slab’s low position. Unless the wall is shared with neighboring conditioned rooms, garages normally do not have insulated walls. As a result, the need for insulation should be verified.
- CON #3 Most see this as a DIY project
Most people see this as a do-it-yourself job since the main structural components are already in place. However, most DIY enthusiasts cannot get all of the essential components up to code. As a result, the first stage in your evaluation of a house with an enclosed garage is to determine whether or not permits were necessary. Hillsborough County’s criteria may be found HERE, while Pinellas County’s can be found HERE. Many of the tasks involved in converting a garage need getting permits from the city or county. Ensuring compliance with applicable building codes and local zoning regulations is an important part of the permitting process. A variety of factors, including the number of windows, exits/entrances, ceiling height, and electrical outlets, may be required to function well. These prerequisites may not be obvious to all DIYers. It’s possible that the enclosure would have lowered the property’s value if the project hadn’t been approved and that bringing it up to code would have needed substantial further expense (or be required to be reinstated to its original form, a garage). A quick phone call to your local permitting authority will give you all the information you want.
- CON #4 Costs to Do Conversions Correctly
As seen in the table below, DIYers can do or skip certain activities to save money.
Typical Garage Conversion Project Costs
In addition to these costs, projects needing a bathroom will add $5,000, and those requiring HVAC equipment (other than what is already in place or a wall unit) will spend an additional $3,000 or more. There’s no getting around it: this is an undertaking that should be well thought out and planned out before it gets started.
- CON #5 Inadequate HVAC
To heat and cool the converted area, most garages are connected to the ductwork of the original home. If the area is 400 square feet, an additional cooling capacity of one ton is necessary. As previously stated in our blog piece, Air Conditioning Sizing: Bigger isn’t Always Better, a room with an additional 1-ton of cooling earlier likely had a whole other set of challenges. It’s not uncommon for the air supply to the new space or the loss of air supply to earlier regions to suffer (or both). It’s good sense to keep the old system in place if it was originally built and tailored for the home. It is important to consult with an HVAC specialist before making any changes to the system’s ducting configuration. For newly enclosed areas, a self-contained HVAC system is ideal. Still, a solution that offers enough space for ventilation and air movement should be adopted (which wall units may not provide). Consult your HVAC specialist once again. An interior humidity bloom might occur if the ground vapor from the slab is not correctly corrected and the air is not moved and conditioned appropriately.
- CON #6 Inadequate Insulation
MDue to their lack of climate control, most garage ceilings are not insulated. The only walls normally insulated are those in the original living areas. A building authority may order the removal of your enclosure’s drywall to ensure enough insulation. Meanwhile, you might ask your home inspector to use thermal imaging or gapping around switch plates to see whether insulation is there.
As a result, do your homework and see whether a garage enclosure is a right choice for you. For such a transaction, I recommend that you check the permission history to verify whether the enclosure was done lawfully. In any case, ensure that the garage conversion is included in your home valuation and insurance policies. Without making these modifications, you risk having unintended repercussions when making alterations to the size of your living area.
Please feel free to leave any comments or questions down below. Are you a believer now? No, I don’t like it at all. Was it a blight on the landscape? What do you think?
