The beauty of remodeling a garage is that the
shell of the building--often with both electricity and
plumbing--already exists. Structurally, all that's needed is to
close off the garage door opening and perhaps open up the wall
between the garage and the house. Since an attached garage is
usually close to the kitchen, it's a good candidate for conversion
to a family room or a great room combining kitchen, dining, and
low-key entertaining functions. However, a freestanding garage
offers the most flexibility for conversion. It might become a home
office, a guest house, an entertaining room that opens on the rear
garden, a living space for grown children, or an art studio or
workshop. A hallway or covered pathway linking it to the house
creates a sheltered compound. French doors on the garden-facing
wall can give it a cottage look, connect the house and garage by
removing traces of the old driveway and the old door.
As with any remodel, garage conversions
require building permits and must meet local codes and 
requirements. For instance, most communities mandate some form of
off-street parking, whether in a parking area, carport, or garage,
so if you banish cars from your garage you may have to build
another structure to house them. Honey...DO can help check with
local building officials before undertaking a garage
transformation.
Follow the link to see pictures of our most
recent garage and basement projects.
