Thoughts on garage upstairs office/guestroom

pgray007 · Jan 8, 2014

We recently moved into a new home we built, and I'm finally getting around to finishing up my 21 x 23 detached garage. It's currently bare studs with windows, and I need to plan out and frame the second floor, roughing in plumbing and electrical before I really start building out the workshop below, since I want to do this while the walls are open downstairs.

Here's my current plan for the upstairs, which is intended to serve primarily as an office. I often work from home and with a 1 and 3 year old, being inside the house isn't working as well as it used to. I also may expand where I have 1-2 other people working in the office with me. The room also needs to serve as an occasional guest/hangout room.

Here's a plan I've cooked up and associated rendering. I'm not sure how I feel about the layout, especially the bathroom (it's bigger than I wanted since I needed to bring the window into the BR) and kitchenette. The only thing not shown in this rendering is that the south wall (where the desks are located) is about 5' high, sloping down from the centerline of the roof. I'm not yet smart enough to get the software to picture this.

Any comments or general tips about offices/multipurpose/romper rooms above garages would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks!

pgray007 · Jan 8, 2014

Here's another rendering that matches the orientation of the plan. I realize the "south wall" is a bit confusing since the two pictures are oriented differently. The "short" wall is the one abutting the desks, with my wonky dormer that's not quite right but dimension-ally accurate.

borgdog · Jan 8, 2014

Looks nice, should be a great space. Only thought on the bathroom would be to flip the kitchen to the upper right corner, which would allow for a basic/standard 5x7 bath with long dimension on the window wall. Drawbacks to that would be longer plumbing runs to kitchen in relation to bathroom, and I'm not sure it really gains you much more useable space due to the door location, but might make the whole area feel more open.

readhead · Jan 8, 2014

Keep in mind that it will be liveable space. I don't know if you are permiting this and don't care but if you have an insurance claim it may be an issue.
Here are a couple of points to think about. The new space needs fire seperation, it's own heating system and compliant egress points. Was the foundation designed for a second story? If you have employees in there it all falls under commerical requirements.

jayz66ragtop · Jan 8, 2014

borgdog said:
Looks nice, should be a great space. Only thought on the bathroom would be to flip the kitchen to the upper right corner, which would allow for a basic/standard 5x7 bath with long dimension on the window wall. Drawbacks to that would be longer plumbing runs to kitchen in relation to bathroom, and I'm not sure it really gains you much more useable space due to the door location, but might make the whole area feel more open.

I was going to suggest something similar. I would make the bathroom wider and continue the bathroom wall all the way to the "bottom" of the picture and put a door in it as well. that way you have a room that can be separated from the rest of the space. So say if you have others working your office would be closed off from them or if you decided to use it as a guest suite that room could become a bedroom by simply putting a dresser or wardrobe in it. :thumbup:

Chaz · Jan 8, 2014

I'd re-arrange it so the desks are below windows... That's where you are going to spend most of your time. The bathroom doesn't need a window, only lighting and an exhaust fan. The moisture in baths is hard on windows...

sophijo · Jan 8, 2014

Clarification Please: If you build without a permit but it's built to code and you have a claim, can the insurance company bail?..........and what if it's not to code?

readhead · Jan 8, 2014

Yes and yes. But you have a better chance if it is to code. There are a lot of areas that have no code requirements. The next county over from me is that way. There are state requirements for plumbing and electrical and they are inspected by the state. There is no structural inspection. Plans are designed to a specific code and homeowners insurance is based on compliance with that code. In the case of a claim, if the adjuster finds that the building was not built per plan you may be out of luck.

BJR · Jan 8, 2014

sophijo said:
Clarification Please: If you build without a permit but it's built to code and you have a claim, can the insurance company bail?..........and what if it's not to code?

If I was insurance I'd say 'how do I know it was to code if it wasn't inspected?'

We built a detached garage with living quarters above and it might as well have been a house. We pulled a permit and everything had to be to regular building code (Structure, plumbing, electrical, insulation, etc) with a firewall between the areas.

Stuart in MN · Jan 8, 2014

It is a nice looking space and the layout as shown wouldn't be too bad for two people working there, but if there are three the people sharing a desk will be rubbing elbows.

Not a lot of space for files, cabinets or shelves either, if those things are important for your work.

edit: one thing I'd try to do if it were my place is to move the kitchen sink to the same wall as the bathroom, to simplify the drain plumbing.

pgray007 · Jan 8, 2014

All,

Thanks for the advice. I'm working on a "version 2" based on the feedback and the fact that the plan doesn't match reality (I input the distance from the wall to window on the outside wall in the program rather than the inside).

In terms of code/insurance, the structure was built to accommodate a living space above the garage, and it's already built, just not finished inside. Unless the builder did something shady, the foundation and structure were designed to accommodate a full living space above the garage.

The insurance agent has seen the inside/outside of the detached garage, so I assume in its current state it's covered, and I'll be pulling permits and whatnot before I start doing work, and presumably need another insurance assessment when done. I don't want to do this "on the sly" and not have insurance coverage.

Any thoughts on what to do for heat/hot water? We have gas in the house but no gas line to the detached, although it's only about 20' from the gas line under the main house. There's 100A service in the detached, so my initial thought is a small electric water heater (do the tankless electrics actually work?) and mini split with a heat pump upstairs, and maybe a wall mounted electric heater downstairs. There is water currently run to the garage, and a utility sink (cold water only) in the garage space, with service/drain coming in right under the bathroom in the plan.

NUTTSGT · Jan 8, 2014

Since you plan on using it as a possible guest room, you'll need a bed or sleeping bags. Yet you currently need the space, I'd suggest looking into Murphy beds. They look like a wall unit until you open the doors and fold down the bed. The black box were the TV was is the basic (somewhat to size for a full size) closed unit and the erd is the approximate layout of the bed down.

I'd ditch that table and put in a counter top to the right of the sink. Using a couple of stools, it creates a place to eat at or it gives extra area. When adding the extra counter space, you'll have cabinets underneath creating a ton more storage area.

If case you have never seen a Murphy bed, this is mine at the FD which is a twin size mattress.

CNGsaves · Jan 8, 2014

You'll get more replies and best advice . . . IF . . . you supply MORE INFO !!

Hard to guess what might work for your shop as totally different gameplan if in northern Canada versus southern Florida !!

Now would be good time to Update GJ Profile with your LOCATION of City / State / Country.

rancherbill · Jan 9, 2014

It is a great guest room and a great one person office.

When you add 1 or 2 employees it is substandard. You need a private office! Noise level will be very high and distracting.

Rough in the kitchen, but do not do any cabinets etc. Finish the ceiling and floor coverings etc as though it is an apartment. Then build a temporary will for the office. The temporary wall can come easily out in the future.

k1rodeoboater · Jan 9, 2014

I'd say mirror the bathroom to the other side of the room, mostly because you've got it right next to the stairs. It might also make the space seem bigger too since you walk into a larger area. If you can shrink the bathroom any or change it's shape that might not be a bad idea. You could just make it a toilet and shower room, and use the sink in the kitchenette to save some space

pgray007 · Jan 9, 2014

CNGsaves said:
You'll get more replies and best advice . . . IF . . . you supply MORE INFO !!

Hard to guess what might work for your shop as totally different gameplan if in northern Canada versus southern Florida !!

Now would be good time to Update GJ Profile with your LOCATION of City / State / Country.

Great point, oops! I'm just south of Charlotte, NC in sunny (albeit a bit blistery lately) South Carolina. Detached is about 15' off the house and is a physically separate building, but wired to the main panel in the house, and plumbed to the house (currently cold water and effluent tank that pumps into the house/city sewer). Detached is currently bare studs in garage and room above, with very basic electrical with outlets/florescent lighting in garage, and a couple bulbs upstairs.

pgray007 · Jan 9, 2014

Thanks for all the great suggestions. Here's version two... I agree that moving the bath really opens up the space, assuming that 4' 3" is wide enough for a bath. I'm handicapped by the existing window, but worst case I could close it up.

I do like that this makes the kitchen a bit more compact, and gets all the plumbing on one wall, although I'll need to run it across the basement since supply and drain come in on the top left downstairs.

I could ditch the table in the top left for a murphy bed, and currently plan on a pull out couch in the little alcove for an initial sleeping space.

In terms of 2-3 people working in there, I've definitely been in consulting too long... I've had clients stick 6-10 of us in 2 or 3 person conference rooms, dusty warehouse corners, and crappy cubes!

Any other ideas/suggestions?

Thoughts on garage upstairs office/guestroom

pgray007

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borgdog

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