Converting a garage to living space

[GarageLogic]

We just made on an offer on a house, and the Mrs. wants more space. The attached garage is the standard 24x24. We want to convert it to a master suite, with a walk-in closet, bath, and laundry room.

My question is about the floor - the slab is cracked and uneven. Is my only option is to remove it and have a new floor poured?

What else do I need to consider overall?

Sorry, no pics right now.

 

[ducksface]

Zoning restriction and covenants.
Illegal conversion is many many parts of the country.

 

[wasfuzz]

If the floor in the garage is lower then the house floor and you have to cut it up to install water, sewer, etc. Why not dig it up and then re pour one continuous slab, of course if you raise the floor you will have to look at ceiling height.

 

[sixty4]

Zoning restriction and covenants.
Illegal conversion is many many parts of the country.

This is what the biggest issue was for us when building our detached. I wanted a bathroom out there very badly. I was given the OK to build and have water but absolutely no toilets or sinks. Apparently guys are putting up garages and renting them out as shops or apartments.

 

[GarageLogic]

If the floor in the garage is lower then the house floor and you have to cut it up to install water, sewer, etc. Why not dig it up and then re pour one continuous slab, of course if you raise the floor you will have to look at ceiling height.

I think the garage floor is lower than the house. If I recall correctly the ceilings are at least 9 feet tall, so there is room to raise the floor.

Sounds like a repour of the slab, and then treated framing to bring the subfloor up to the correct height. Sound right?

 

[bczygan]

Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!

 

[GarageLogic]

Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!

Knowing your profession, I respect your opinion and expertise - can you elaborate?

 

[EnduroRdr]

Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!

I think he probably meant "no don't give up garage space!" [emoji23][emoji23][emoji23][emoji23][emoji23][emoji23]


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[GarageLogic]

I think he probably meant "no don't give up garage space!" [emoji23][emoji23][emoji23][emoji23][emoji23][emoji23]


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Ah, that makes sense. The good news is I get to build a separate garage and workshop! Finally will get a dedicated space

 

[IMXCITD]

if you are going to build a sub floor anyway to raise the height to level w the rest of the house.....I wouldn't poor a fresh slab for that. I would consider taking out the old slab and running what you need and just leaving it gravel. Have you considered a formal addition so you can keep the garage?

 

[n20junkie]

Best way to kill a homes value. A converted garage always looks like just that.

 

[GarageLogic]

if you are going to build a sub floor anyway to raise the height to level w the rest of the house.....I wouldn't poor a fresh slab for that. I would consider taking out the old slab and running what you need and just leaving it gravel. Have you considered a formal addition so you can keep the garage?

That is an interesting idea - would you recommend putting in footers to support the framing, like what is done for a deck? The footers for the walls would remain as-is.

As far as losing garage space, I am actually gaining space by building a detached garage and workshop space. Also considering building with a loft space for a 'family room', with a pool table and bar above the garage.

 

[cowboy73]

Why even take out the old floor? The only part that really needs to come out is right where the garage door lands. Just wide enough to lay some blocks to set the plate for the new wall to enclose the opening.

 

[GarageLogic]

Best way to kill a homes value. A converted garage always looks like just that.

Can't disagree, have seen a few houses where it was clear that the garage had been converted. Total hack jobs.

For us, this is our 'buy and die' house. Last one before the dirt farm, or worst case, a retirement home. Don't care about the school district, resale value etc. Nice thing about this property is it is a bit of acreage in a city setting. Room to build a large garage and shop.

Plus, I am picky, but slow. Can't stand some cobbled up space conversion that I have to look at for years. Will take some time to make it right, but it will be a showpiece, at least someday

 

[GarageLogic]

Why even take out the old floor? The only part that really needs to come out is right where the garage door lands. Just wide enough to lay some blocks to set the plate for the new wall to enclose the opening.

Makes sense. This is my preferred option, just deal with what is there. The house was built in 1950, and whatever settling there is appeared to have already happened.

 

[matt_i]

I think I read that the slab is lower, which I think it has to be. I'd leave it alone and build elevated framing (2x10s, I-joist) to insulate piping & such from below. Build the infrastructure with the framing open and then insulate and deck it. Imo the wood floor with air gap is going to be warmer than a slab floor. Also if poured into a slab the piping must be perfect with the design or nearly-so.

 

[GYPSY400]

A house up the street from me is converted.. it is now a sunken living room or den you could say.
Where the wide door used to be is now 4 vertical windows, it actually looks really sharp. They also played with the roof line and added a covered porch in front and around the side of the " garage "

I can't say the conversion devalues the house as there is now more living space, and you can hardly tell it used to be a garage, and the 26x36 detached garage doesn't hurt either!
the owner is the contractor that built my garage

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[tjdux]

I think I read that the slab is lower, which I think it has to be. I'd leave it alone and build elevated framing (2x10s, I-joist) to insulate piping & such from below. Build the infrastructure with the framing open and then insulate and deck it. Imo the wood floor with air gap is going to be warmer than a slab floor. Also if poured into a slab the piping must be perfect with the design or nearly-so.

This right here. Build up a wood floor and leave the concrete alone. Unless its settles terribly it wont take much to shim it all level

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[Stuart in MN]

Best way to kill a homes value. A converted garage always looks like just that.

I've seen a few that were done well, I drive by one every day on my way to work. You can't tell there was ever a garage there (I think they built a new garage in back but I've never gone through their alley to find out.) It does take some planning and good design skills, though.

 

[Wood'nMetal]

As someone in the real estate profession, you will regret converting the garage when time comes to sell. Not saying don't do it, just make sure it can all be undone easily. Leave the garage door operable and just build a faux wall inside. '

How about building a raised floor over the existing slab? You can run your mechanicals through there and just pull it all out when you want a garage back.

 

[wasfuzz]

Look where he is from. MN you do not want that unheated space under your bedroom, bathroom.

 

[theoldwizard1]

Unless you are used to living on a concrete floor, you will not be happy.

They do make wood "tile" systems that provide a slightly elevated floor that has a much more "natural" feel. Plus, these provide a certain amount of vapor barrier.

If the floor is in bad shape, remove it and install insulation and a vapor barrier before pouring the new floor.

 

[PoorOwner]

If it's your forever home why not keep the garage and build your dream master suite as an addition to then house.

Even if you were building a detached one I never heard anyone said they wish they didn't have a second garage or storage.

 

[jmarkwolf]

Zoning restriction and covenants.
Illegal conversion is many many parts of the country.

This very thing has made the local news in the Detroit area in recent months.

Dearborn, a suburb of Detroit with a high middle eastern population, has a big problem with this because many residents are converting the garages to living space, and clogging the city streets with cars, because of lack of garage space.

So do your civic duty and keep your garage.

 

[jczv]

My Dad did this 30 years ago to the house I grew up in and literally no one who came into the house in the last 20 years ever knew it had been the garage. As long as the interior and exterior finishes are done correctly it can be a great way to add space. There had been two steps in to the house so he had 2x10 sleepers over most of the area and 2x10 plus 2x6 in what was the new entrance and used for furnace runs. As others said he just fixed up the garage floor put down a vapor barrier and went from there. He also put in scissors trusses (I think that's the name) so he had a cathedral ceiling and added big picture windows front and back. He hired a rough carpenter to help with the framing and did all the finish work himself. House is outside of Milwaukee so similar temperatures.

 

[scotw]

I also converted my garage into a bedroom suite and laundry room. A new garage was built in front of the old garage. The main house sits on a crawl space, and the old garage was a concrete slab on grade. I did standard 2x10 floor framing 30 inches above the old garage slab which made it even with the rest of the house.

Here is a link to the project. I was completed some time ago but I am still very happy with the results.

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=11967

 

[6768rogues]

I would not make an offer on a house that did not have enough space.