House out of a Garage

[TJC]

We live ina a single wide mobile that has an addition, and we are considering converting our 30 x 30 garage into a home instead. Has anyone done anything similar?

[jonsey/downunder]

Welcome aboard TJC,
Here is a link to a couple from downunder, building a house out of a shed. Probably not exactly, what you are contemplating but it may give you a few ideas.

http://www.illowapark.com/index.php

[hunter63]

That's a pretty common practice for "retirement" homes, cabins etc.
Interestingly enough, a good friend of mine was going to do that, build a 30 X 30' garage, use it for a cabin, eventually build "the house", then use the cabin as the garage.
Building inspector said he couldn't do that, but building a 30 X 30 ft cabin as O.K.
So he built it, framed in the garage door, plumbed in a floor drain, then walled over the door with dry wall inside, siding on the out side.
It was approved as a cabin, go figure.
You need to check your local regs for particulars on codes etc.
They can have some funny ideas and may not give you an occupancy permit, with out certain conditions.

[glenn kangiser]

Welcome to the forum, TJC.

Are you in an area where you have to worry about permits?  A few areas have no requirements.  We have friends who converted their garage into a very nice addition to their house. Can't even tell it was a garage.

[Amanda_931]

There's a mystery writer named Sue Grafton whose heroine, Kinsey Milhone, has rather famously driven VW bugs and lived in a single-car garage through a handful of books.  After it was destroyed it was rebuilt as a story and a half or two story.  Pretty detailed descriptions, although I couldn't tell you which books--going alphabetically from A is for Alibi through S is for Silence have the best descriptions.  Our heroine is not a pack-rat--well, maybe some emotional baggage.



I once had a copy of F is for Fugitive--inscribed to me with "the F-word, Faithfully, of course"  I assume that was one of a handful of rotating autographs she used.  Lost in the fire, I expect.

[TJC]

Good Grief!,
I must check out those books. I drive a 71 Superbeetle that is painted up like a ladybug.
My husband built an office into our garage a couple of years ago and we are currently trying to incorporate that design into our plans so that we don't have to tear down the walls. We have to figure out how to add plumbing, and we may add a sunroom addition on the front where the garage door is. Currently, permits are not a problem, but may be in the near future.

[glenn kangiser]

No permits makes things easier.

What is the problem with adding plumbing? - Maybe we can help.

And did you see Johns  Sunroom Plans

and Sunkit?

[PEG688]

#1: No permits makes things easier.

#2: What is the problem with adding plumbing? - Maybe we can help.

[/url]

#1: No kidding!

#2: Walk behind concrete cut saw and a jack hammer and you got under grd. work done  

So waht ya got ?? We can help