Building a Room in a Garage

Do Your Homework

• You will need to review local building codes and restrictions during the planning and obtain a permit for building a room in a garage. If you can, talk with other homeowners in your city who have completed a similar project. You can learn from their challenges and make notes about productive ideas they share. Home remodeling books will provide design ideas as well.

Disguise the Garage Factor

• As you develop a plan, you will need to address camouflaging parts of the garage. Cover the garage door so the facade looks seamless with the rest of the house. Larger windows or French doors might look appropriate where the old roll-up door stood. You'll need to remove the driveway asphalt or concrete leading up to the garage's main door, too. The new construction should look original to the house, not added on.

Make Needed Repairs

• The outside area of the garage may need repairs before any work begins. The roof may have areas that leak, and you will need to replace concrete flooring if it has deep cracks. Old windows may be damaged, so plan to replace them with energy-efficient windows. You'll need to take down the garage roll-up door and all tracking, so figure out who might help you accomplish this. The door can easily fall from the tracks if tracking is bent, so line up several people to assist you.

Go Over Electrical and Plumbing Issues

• You will need to review how to route electrical wiring and water lines into the space. Of course, you will build interior wall studs to house these materials under drywall. Hire an electrician to help you assess the existing breaker box in the home or the garage. If you plan to run duct work from your heat pump, you may need a bigger unit. An electrician and heat pump expert should offer opinions on the best strategies to use.

Envision a Finished Room

• Drawing the new room in detail is important. By using graph paper, you can place all cabinets, bookshelves and light fixtures proportionately. A bird's eye view layout should include furniture placement you are planning. Colored pencils come in handy for defining a pleasing color for furnishings, window treatments and floor tile.