Many Homeowner in Los Angeles and surrounding cities have avoided renovating their garage space due to all the red-tape and headaches in the past, all that has changed with new ordinance passed by the nice people in Sacramento. A garage is one of the most common dead spaces in the home that are being converted. A garage as most people know it is a roofed structure usually attached to the home or detached in the backyard, around 10 feet away from the main house to store your vehicles. As a homeowner you may have many reasons why you would want to convert your roofed garage structure, could be for an extra bedroom, a guesthouse for in-laws or a home office. This month's blog article will walk you through your options converting your garage into a legal dwelling, including the cost to complete the project.
Are you looking for an experienced Garage Remodeling Contractor? We Can Help!
If you’re looking for a turnkey contractor to convert your garage into a useful living space CentrePoint Construction is field tested and client trusted. Weather it’s a garage conversion or a new build accessory dwelling unit you can relax and let us take control from the design phase of the project to completion, handing you over the keys to a ready converted garage.
What’s the first steps in converting your garages into a legal unit’s?
If you hire CentrePoint as your contractor first, we will verify all the possible legal option you have to convert your garage into an accessory dwelling unit. This will include checking your local building codes, zoning, setbacks and all planning regulations.
Once we do a thorough check at the department of Building and Safety at your local city we will move on the planning stage. This is where we can provide you a seasoned Architect/Engineer that will interview you and design your vision into a set of working drawings that will meet city requirements.
Upon your initial plans being reviewed and approved by your local Building and Safety department, you’ll obtain the mandatory building permits for a legal conversion. Once we have approved permits CentrePoint will start building your new legal accessory dwelling unit.
During the building stage, be prepared for repeated visits from the city inspector making sure we meet city codes and guidelines.
What you should consider when budgeting and designing your garage conversion.
1. If your main reason is turning your garage into a studio apartment, you’ll also need to install a kitchenette. The Kitchenette will be useful when renting your studio on a short or long-term basis.
2. When building a bathroom make sure your septic system is up to the job. You may need to install a Septic Tank Pumps if the detach garage is far from the main line.
3. Creating a niche for a laundry machine is highly advised. Stackable washer and dryer machines are the best option to minimize your space and create added value.
4. Install heating and cooling system, we recommend you go with an independent system like a mini split HVAC. Depending on the size and model unit, power requirements maybe 110 or 220-volt service.
5. Make the space welcoming and homie by providing enough natural light by building at least 2 to 3 windows in the space.
6. Tankless water heater will be sufficient for the new garage conversion and the tankless unit can be attached to the exterior wall providing you additional space inside the unit.
7. If you don’t have the vision to create a well-designed floor plans, it’s crucial to seat down with a professional designer that can utilize the most out of your converted space.
Be Prepared for the Price to Convert your Garage.
Current cost converting a garage in Los Angeles is cheaper then building an addition to the home. As you take on this new project to convert your garage into a habitable dwelling you’ll need to allocate sufficient amount of budget to complete the project with no delay. Home owners that have a double car garage and want to convert it into a legal adu dwelling unit with modern appliances and finishes are looking to spend between an estimate of around $120,000 to 145,000 in Los Angeles county.
When looking at the cost you should also look at the added benefit when turning your garage into a legal apartment. As a homeowner extra income is always good and once you cover your expenses for the renovation your Accessory Dwelling Unit will start earning you extra income to cover your mortgage or used for retirement.
Centrepoint's design build team can assist in planning your upcoming garage renovation to utilize the most out of your space in a 3D design to add functionality and beauty. Call us to set up an appointment 1-323-536-3741
CentrePoint is a general contracting company serving the Southern California region with over 15 years of experience. Serving Beverly Hills, Brentwood, Burbank, Calabasas, Calabasas Hills, Chatsworth, Culver City, Encino, Glendale, Granada Hills, Hermosa Beach, Hidden Hills, Hollywood, Long Beach, LA, Los Angeles, WLA, West Los Angeles, Manhattan Beach, Marina Del Rey, North Hollywood, Northridge, Pacific Palisades, Palos Verdes Estates, Rancho Palos Verdes, Redondo Beach, Reseda, Rolling Hills, Rolling Hills Estates, San Fernando Valley, San Pedro, Santa Monica, Sherman Oaks, Pasadena, Studio City, Tarzana, Toluca Lake, Topanga, Universal City, Valencia, Van Nuys, Venice, West Hills, West Hollywood, West Los Angeles, Toluca Lake, Westlake Village, Westwood and Woodland Hills.