Your garage is filled with untapped potential. Small as it may seem, a two-car garage has enough square footage to become a functional one-bedroom home. Though living in tight quarters might take some adjustment, you can turn your garage into livable space with planning, creativity, the proper tools and some help.
Instructions
1. Plan your one-bedroom home. Sketch rooms, record measurements, take notes and clip pictures from magazines for inspiration. Consider where you'll keep your belongings and how you'll furnish the space. Will you need to build shelves, cabinets and loft space to accommodate everything? Design the space according to your needs.
2. Research costs. Estimate the cost of paint, lighting, utility work and changes to the walls and floors. Decide if you need and can afford to hire a professional contractor, electrician or plumber.
3. Obtain the necessary building permits. Check with a local building official to learn about building codes and requirements before you begin converting your garage.
4. Prepare the floor. Many garage floors are made of concrete slab, and if your slab is cracked or damaged, you should talk to a construction professional about your options before you begin the project. You may be able to pour a new 4-inch-thick slab over the damaged one.
5. Replace the garage door. If you have electric doors, unplug the power unit before pulling the release cord to take the door down manually. Disassemble the springs with pliers, take the door apart and remove the hinges and door jambs with a crowbar. Purchase and install a patio door that fits in the garage-door frame.
6. Build walls to divide your garage into rooms. Use lumber and nails to assemble a frame and fasten it to the existing garage wall.
7. Add plumbing to the bathroom. Talk to a plumber about which toilet options are best for your garage. While it may be possible to drill through your concrete slab floor to install plumbing, that option could be costly and time-consuming. In most cases, you'll want to use a chemical toilet, up-flush toilet or a free-standing sewage ejector system. For the shower and sink, you can install an above-floor sump box and pump.
8. Install counters, cabinets and appliances in your kitchen. You can use small kitchen appliances, such as a microwave and mini-fridge, if space is tight.
9. Insulate the ceiling, walls and floors. Cover floors with carpeting. Consider using blown-in cellulose to insulate walls. Cover wall frames and insulation by nailing or screwing sheets of drywall to the wood frame. You also might want to build windows to heat the rooms with sunlight.
10. Decorate your home inside and out. Add landscaping and fencing if desired. Building a front porch or patio will add to the home-like appearance of your new house.
Tags: your garage, before begin, concrete slab, one-bedroom home, take door, walls floors