What Are The Important Aspects To Consider For Converting A Garage Into An ADU?

Know about some necessary factors as you plan to transform the garage space into an accessory dwelling unit. 

Converting your garage or any such idle spaces into an ADU might be a good thing but you would need to deal with a lot of different challenges. You need to come out on top of them so that you can ensure that your residential unit comes out just the way that you wanted. There is serious work to do here and never the domain of a DIY professional. If you are searching for expert execution, one can fall back upon our services, Queen Remodeling. However, as a homeowner, you would also need to look at different tasks as well. Here, we would take a look at some of the things that you need to handle properly so that the garage conversion into a granny flat is smooth. 

Understand what you can do 

If you are converting your garage into a full-fledged ADU, then you would first need to assess the extent of work that can be done. For example, you would need to understand the structural reliability of the garage. Is your garage permitted? If not, you would find it extremely difficult to build a habitable ADU. This is the reason if you intend to build an ADU, you would need to get in touch with the local city office and know about the rules that you would have to follow. Are you converting an attached garage? If so the conversion will only be sanctioned, if it is four feet behind the property line. There are however no such guidelines for a detached garage conversion. Once you appoint us for your ADU garage conversion, we are ready to look into these issues and guide you accordingly. 

How long will this conversion process take? 

This could be your next question as you intend to convert the garage into ADU and before we have an answer ready, it would be appropriate that you show us the space. There are certain factors to take into consideration before we can commit a deadline for the conversion.

• There is a need to take a look at the garage and inspect everything from the framing, foundation, and sliding. Our team will also inspect the roof and if there are signs of degradation, then it will first have to be repaired. 
• There may have been unpermitted work in the garage space. It would not be proper to call it unpermitted work because the building codes are constantly changing. Hence, before the core conversion, there will be a need to bring unpermitted work according to the current code. 

These are the factors, which might delay the conversion work, and only after our experts have seen the space, we will give a proper estimate on the time to be taken for the job. 

Is it possible to have an ADU above the garage? 

Your garage space is perhaps being fully utilized and if you convert it into an ADU, there will be problems in parking the vehicles. Some homeowners with whom we have interacted think of having an ADU on top of the garage. Is it possible legally and feasible? You might also desire to consider this option and we would like to say that it is possible. However, it is not a conversion in any form and there is a need to undertake full-fledged construction activity. The costs for an ADU on top of the garage are much more than a conversion. 

Understand the resources to be spent

Once you are clear about what you can do and what you want to do, you would need to arrange for the financial resources. You might think that only the price of materials and the labor are the two expenses that you need to incur. But that is not true and there is a need to spend more money. One would have to apply for permits and in most cases; you would have to pay charges to get them. On top of that, you need to have a fund for emergencies as well. We will initially sit down with you and discuss the finances for the ADU garage conversion.

Conclusion

Here we have discussed some vital aspects as you look to convert the garage space into an ADU. We are ready to offer critical inputs and also look into the core conversion. Once you give us the signal, we are ready to start work.