Garage conversions
A garage with walls and a roof is most of the way there
The shell is standing. What a garage lacks is a floor that drains the right way, insulation, windows, a kitchenette and bath, a separation from the main house and, in some cases, somewhere to park the cars it used to hold.
Not included unless the scope says so: appliances, furniture, a new driveway or a replacement garage.
What a conversion includes
A level, insulated floor over the existing slab
Windows and a proper entry door
Walls and ceiling insulated and ventilated for humid weather
A bath and kitchenette, with plumbing and electric brought in
Fire separation from the main house where the rules call for it
What changes the cost
What a conversion's price follows
Because the shell exists, the cost sits in what the shell doesn't have.
The slab
A garage floor is sloped to a drain. We check its level, its moisture and what it takes to make it a living floor.
Plumbing runs
The nearer the main house's plumbing, the shorter the run. A far corner means trenching through the slab.
Windows and light
Garages have few windows. New openings in a wall that carries load need framing and a permit.
The panel
A new unit often needs its own electric panel or service, which has its own sign-off.
Where the cars go
If the rules require parking, the plan includes it, and a driveway or carport adds to the job.
What ships
Windows, an entry door and cabinets are ordered from the plans and carry lead times.
We print no figures here. The written estimate lists each of these for your lot.
How it goes
A sample conversion, after the permit
Shorter than a new building, because the walls are up. The permit review still sets the start.
- 01Weeks 1 to 2
Step 1: Demolition and slab work
Garage door out, openings framed, slab checked and prepared.
- 02Weeks 2 to 5
Step 2: Framing, windows and entry
New walls where needed, windows and the entry door set.
- 03Weeks 5 to 9
Step 3: Rough work and inspections
Plumbing, electric and insulation, inspected before the walls close.
- 04Weeks 9 to 14
Step 4: Finish and final
Drywall, floor, cabinets, paint and fixtures, then the final inspection.
Sample content.
Permits and rules
What the city and the lot decide
These are the first questions on a garage. We check them before drawings.
Parking
Some lots must replace the spaces a garage held. We check yours before you decide to convert.
Fire separation
A wall and a door between a garage unit and the main house may need a fire rating.
Egress and ventilation
A bedroom needs a window you can climb out of, and a bath needs a fan that vents outside.
Questions
Questions about garage conversions
Do I have to keep a place to park?
It depends on your zoning district and the rules in force. We check at the lot visit and tell you in writing before you spend on drawings.
Is a carport easier than a garage?
Sometimes it is simpler to enclose, sometimes harder, because it has no walls. We look at the posts, the slab and the roof before we say.
Can the unit have its own entry?
Yes, and we recommend it. A door that doesn't open into the main house is the most common request from households with more than one generation.
Will it stay cool?
We insulate the roof and walls and add ventilation planned for humid weather. Ceiling fans and cross-breeze windows are part of the layout.
Is your garage worth converting?
Text a photo of the garage and the driveway, and tell us who it's for.