Home Appliances

Design

Building a small house from an existing garage begins with space planning and design. Adding a second story to the garage to increase the overall square footage of the house may be an option, but the costs for a project this size can be significant. Depending on where you live, new construction averages between $80 and $200 per square foot. There are additional costs for removing the old roof and preparing the garage structure to bear the weight of the second floor that will further increase the overall costs. It is much more cost effective to allocate the existing space for living essentials, like a bathroom, small kitchen, bedroom and living area. Before you begin building a small house from a garage, obtain all of the necessary permits and building code specifications from your local office.

Walls, Plumbing and Electrical

Construct the walls for the small house according to the design layout. There is no need for load-bearing walls since the garage structure is already intact. If your garage flooring is concrete, you may wish to build a wooden platform floor to lay carpeting or hardwoods. Build the walls separating the rooms with 2-by-4s and 2-by-6s as outlined in your local building codes. Once the wall structures are in place, you can add the plumbing and the electrical. The garage may already have some type of electrical power, but this will need to be upgraded to handle the additional power. Look at green alternatives for your power source such as solar panels and tankless hot water heaters. These choices may cost a bit more up front, but they do pay for themselves in the long run. Install the wiring for the power and the pipes for the plumbing in accordance with local building codes. It is more cost effective to place the kitchen and bathroom in close proximity so that you can run fewer and shorter pipes for the water source. Once the wires and pipes are complete, add Sheetrock to the walls and install the fixtures in the bathroom.

Finishing Touches

Transforming a garage into a house may allow for only small interior rooms, but they can still be comfortable, attractive and eco-friendly. Select and install cabinets and countertops for your kitchen that are made from recycled materials. Architectural salvage yards offer a wide selection of materials that can easily be refurbished for your small home. Bamboo hardwood flooring is a beautiful renewable resource and can be placed throughout the home. Add warm colors to the walls and sparsely placed furnishings to make the home seem larger than it is. Add vinyl siding to the exterior of the garage for a fresh, completed home.