Room Additions Above Your Garage – Pros And Cons
Adding a room above a garage can solve many problems for the homeowner who feels the need to expand. Using space above an existing garage will afford a bonus room without expanding the house’s overall footprint. Using the garage roof as the foundation for the extra room’s floor will cut down on costs associated with creating a new room from scratch. That said, there are some things to consider when adding onto a pre-existing garage.
Heating, Insulation And Drywalling
An unheated, uninsulated garage will mean any room built above it will be colder than the other rooms in the house. Fire code regulations mean the garage ceiling will have to be properly insulated and prepared with a fire-rated drywall. It would make good sense to insulate the garage walls at the same time and, if possible, arrange at least partial heating of the garage to allow the room above to remain comfortable.
Room Entrance And Impact On Existing Rooms
Making sure the new room has an appropriate entrance/exit will influence how it’s planned and constructed in the first place. How the new room affects existing areas must also be taken into account. Will a new stairwell or hallway need to be installed? Is there enough space for the doors of the extra room to be used properly? Considering the overall functioning of the house will be important when planning the layout of the new room
Garage And Extra Room Use
How you use your garage can affect the viability of the extension. Running vehicles, machinery or solvent use in the garage can emit fumes and noise that could be perceptible in the additional room. This might not be problem if the new room is used for laundry or storage purposes, but it might make a bedroom an unwelcoming place. Make sure your garage and additional room usages are compatible.
Structural Considerations
It will be important to make sure that your garage will be able to bear the weight of an addition above it. Professional inspection of the garage’s foundation, framing and ceiling joists will be necessary before construction begins. Addition of support beams, bolstering of the foundation or other alterations might be necessary to allow the construction of an extra room. Weighing the pros and cons of such modifications will be required before going ahead.
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