Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
So, I am hoping this site is still active...while on the topic, we are considering the same thing. We have a two car garage, here is what we would like done... We have roof trusses, so I am thinking that we will have to tear off the entire roof, including the ceiling of the garage. We want to rebuild the entire room to include three doormers. One in the back and two in the front. We are hoping to have the contractor just build the exterior and stud the room out. No electric, no insulation, no drywall. Just the shell, any thoughts on the cost for something like this? By the way, the room is 20x27 just so that you can have an idea...Thanks!
Instead of asking people on the internet that have not seen the house, and may not be contractors, why not just call a few contractors and ask them to come out and give you an estimate?
At least then when you get a $$$$ number, it will be from someone that is prepared to actually do the work. You could get estimates here for $7500, but never find anyone who will do it for that price.
Another aspect not mentioned here is if this home has a septic system, adding a bedroom may violate the existing health permit for the system. Some sytems are designed for three bedrooms and other for 4 bedrooms. Yes it is strange, but here in Ct, they go by bedrooms and not bathrooms. Go figure.
So your first stop is the town hall and march into the building inspectors office to see if your property can support another bedroom. Then to the health dept to see if your spetic can support another bedroom. They will also refer you to Zoning enforcement to see if you are zoned for a bedroom or another room over the garage and meet all of the existing zoning laws or if you will need a variance.
After you have detrmined it is allowable, then see if it is feasible from a pro contractor, and check with three of them to compare their comments.
Otherwise, like others write here, keep shopping...
I did this in 1980, the room overhung the rear of the garage by 6 feet to increase the living area. I had to pull permits as a office. I had collected all the building material off the housing tracts I was working, the only material I had to purchase was one 4 x 10 beam to replace one that had twisted.
Rather than pay a engineer to draw prints I allowed the building department to tell me what they demanded. Their demands cost less than what a engineer would be paid. I had to remove some stucco and add sheer walls to several areas. Dig under the slab and add concrete under the sheer walls. The front of the garage I had to dig under the driveway at the garage, add a 4 foot deep by 4 foot wide square on both sides. This was to create a truss out of the entrance.
Living 10 miles from the beach cooling is never a real issue, for winter I installed a fireplace. Mostly for atmosphere, but some mornings were chilly.
The garage was a detached on, the house was two story as well. After the permit sign off I installed a bathroom and kitchen to the garage unit. Built a bridge between house balcony and garage balcony.
I am also thinking about an extra room above the garage .After some research I came across this page : Cost to add new space | Estimates and Pricing at Fixr.com . It will also allow you to get several estimates from local contractors and pick the one that suits you the most .
Hope this helps.
One thing to consider if you were to take the path using recycled materials and using the "this is good enuff" method. If you do build an addition without permits, or not notify your insurance company, you may not be covered by insurance when it catches fire because the guy that said he could do it for $400 did hack work.
.
Also if he does the work without permits, if the town finds out, they can make him rip it out, or bring it up to code, if there are any serious violations. There may be zoning laws against rooms over garages in his community. In violation, they certainly will fine him, back tax him with interest, and as you pointed out, if anything happens to cause the house to be damaged, even if it is is the main portion of the house and is related to that addition, the insurance comany will likely deny any claims responsibility.
It's just dumb not to go to the town / city hall and discuss your plans with the BI or other officials who sign off on these permits. Also, if you ever sell, it will be on the listing, and then the tax assessor will step in and assess it, and force one to pay the taxes upon it since it was built.
If you going to do it, do it the right, proper and legal way.
I am looking to build a walk in closet over the existing garage, which I believe is minimally framed. There is spray insulation in the area but that is about it. I do not need windows as it is a closet but would need electric and the hvac added. I will definitely be using a contractor as this in not a DYI project that we can handle. Thanks
I have a similar question. Our master bedroom backs up to the roof of our attached 2 car garage (22 feet all around) which has a truss roof. I would like to have my dream (Big) closet built over the garage. The entrance would be by having a doorway cut in the current exterior wall of our existing miniscule walk-in (5X5) closet. I want no plumbing and only two ceiling light fixtues and a wall switch by the door way. I would also like to add a small spa tub and a stackable washer dryer in what is now the closet. That would involve some plumbing (hooking into the current pipes, venting the dryer, and wiring for the washer/dryer. I will probably need a heating duct added to the new closet.
Any idea of what this would involve and cost if I hire someone to do the work? How big a closet do you think the space would yield? I live in Louisville, KY.
Would this be a better plan than building an addition on for a new master bedroom suite downstairs? Our house is at the mid price range of the subdivision but is next door to two of the smaller homes in the subdivision.
Going up is almost always cheaper than going out-
In your particular case, the existing roof over the garage would have to come off, a floor system installed, kneewalls and purlins for the new roof (unless you change the look of the exterior- then you might be able to go with trusses again). Insulation, drywall, a little trim, paint, and some nice closet organization system.
The stack W&D AND a tub in a 5X5 room with one existing door and a new door on another wall- Not happenin'!
As far as the cost standpoint- the only person who can answer that will be a GC that works in your neck of the woods. There are too many variables that cannot be seen with the description you have given.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
