It’s easy to see the appeal of transforming a carport or having an adu garage conversion. The excitement comes from the design challenge and the opportunity to increase your living space. It is also a method to add a bedroom, or bonus room without having to construct anything new or pull down existing walls.
Another frequent argument is that it might bring in much more money than you would imagine, particularly if you’re developing in a location where new construction is pricey. Even if you don’t add any square footage to the house, adu garage conversion may boost your home’s worth by 25% as long as you don’t damage the integrity of the original building. However, if you have to remove a portion of your garage or carport, it might be worth up to $10,000 in lost value. Before beginning your ADU garage conversion, there are numerous factors to consider. Here are some things to think about before you convert your garage into an adu:
Planning Permits
There are many factors to consider when planning an accessory adu garage conversion or extension. For starters, do you own the land? If not, would they consider selling anyway? Consider how much your potential landlord would love to demolish this building and replace it with something more desirable before signing a lease.
Can the building inspector get to the site easily with all their equipment? Does the city have any regulations (e.g., minimum measurements) that must be met when modifying existing buildings? Don’t wait until the project is complete to discover that your new addition can’t be approved because someone failed to check with the city. Consider how much room you need and whether or not it would make more financial sense to invest in upgrades rather than structural alterations.
Code Requirements
When planning an accessory dwelling unit (adu) garage conversion, the first thing you should check is whether or not such a thing is legal in your municipality. Some municipalities set minimum requirements for garage size or absence; if one applies to you, you may need more time. Check the website or contact the planning department in your region to learn about the specific regulations that apply to your project.
If you’ve already established that it’s feasible, many factors must be considered before diving into such a massive undertaking. To begin, consider how much room you need to make. To ensure that adding another bedroom to your house is feasible within its current framework, it is important to take accurate measurements of the area in question and consult a professional builder. You want to avoid breaking walls and finding out you’re stuck with them. Next, decide which garage doors, HVAC units, and any other permanent fixtures will be retained and which will be removed. They’ll need to be reworked, which will have a cost attached.
Parking and Accessibility
Determine whether you need parking space before converting your garage into a room. Providing, of course, that you intend to make everyday use of the in-and-out privilege afforded by having a vehicle. This is paramount if you reside in a region that experiences severe winters. You may skip this paragraph if you use the unit only as storage. But, you need a driveway that can accommodate your vehicle to have a garage conversion if you want to utilize it as extra living space (maybe an apartment or guest home).
Many people’s daily commute begins and ends with a trip to and from their garage. Their garage convenience and the frequency with which they enter and depart from their garages are closely related to how much time they spend in their automobiles. If this is the case, you’ll need a convenient way to enter and exit your new space with your cars.
Financing Options for an Adu Garage Conversion
Before turning your garage into a habitable area, you need the necessary funding. There are various ways to pay for a renovation like this to your house; you should carefully assess which one is the best fit. If you have existing mortgage debt and want to expand your home by adding a new room, a home equity loan may be a viable financial choice (meaning you earn interest on top of interest). A cash-out refinancing or construction loan is a preferable alternative.
Think about the interest rates and expenses associated with each choice as well. So that you may receive the greatest price, it is in your best interest to look into and compare the many local lenders. Yet, it’s wise to think about more than simply the financial implications of your choice. Consider the interest rate, the length of time it will take you to repay the loan, and whether or not you will save money in the long run if you refinance or pay off the loan early. You should also consider whether or not a loan will help you become debt-free faster than if you were to withdraw the funds from an equity line of credit.
It’s an easy enough home improvement project, but several restrictions about size, construction materials, and the like must be observed. Whether your garage is linked to your house or separated might affect these costs. Instead of trying to figure it out independently, hire LARC to do the garage conversion for you.
