Three-Car Garage ADU Conversion

Garage conversion is one of the most sought-after and frequently cited projects in the world of accessory dwelling units. Every homeowner knows that a converted garage is a dozen financial and household benefits that come to life immediately after completion of all work. However, in the focus of almost every review or article, you can find a standard two-car garage, but this is not the only parking space configuration for your cars.

Today, we will highlight the most unusual and rare ADU project from the garage conversions category, namely, the car garage conversion. We will reveal the exceptional features and privileges of this accessory dwelling unit, present all the construction steps that are unique to this construction draft, and also tell you about the main reasons why three-car garage conversion construction is the prerogative of purely general contractors and not amateur builders.

3-Car Garage Conversion: Core Feature

A simple question: what is the main concern that the majority of homeowners feel when transforming an existing garage? The answer to this question will open up the unique feature of 3-car garage conversion for you. The fact is that when creating an additional living unit instead of the garage space, people lose their parking zone. Of course, they can park the car in the driveway, start using the car-sharing system, or explore local public transport hubs; however, this is all far from the usual comfort when your car is under your roof.

Three-car garage conversion eliminates this inconvenience. Thanks to the large area of the existing structure, you can use each square foot for different purposes. For example, equip additional bedrooms and bathrooms for receiving guests, create a home office/family room, and at the same time, you will have a place to park your car. 

For the sake of justice, we note that no other garage conversion ADU draft has a similar advantage, and this is not all, as in the next part,t we will reveal another five cool privileges.

3-Car Garage Conversion Inimitable Benefits

The construction of the 3-car garage conversion is an impressive investment, so every property owner, before making a final decision, wants to know what awaits him after project completion. An interesting fact is that you can see all the advantages of garage conversion ADUs during operation. Moreover, some privileges are so individual that it is impossible to find information about them on the Internet. However, we will pick the most intriguing strengths of the three-car garage conversion project for you.

Increased property value

You can immediately say that any additional dwelling unit in any city in California is a guaranteed boost for overall property value, but a three-car garage conversion ADU is a story from another dimension. The appearance of a modern, technologically advanced, and cozy living space that 100% meets such concepts as “comfort” and “safety” is an instant leveling of all construction investments, as well as such an impressive monetary increase that in the case of a possible sale of the property, the total amount will be enough for a comfortable life.

Additional full-fledged house

All ADU projects can become comfortable housing, but with a small caveat. In particular, in most cases, it is a small space with a compact kitchen, bedroom, and bathroom. In other words, it is very ascetic but with everything necessary for everyday comfort. Three-car garage conversion ADU is a completely different scenario, as as a result of the transformation, you get the real “royal mansion.” If we go into the details, then this is a spacious bedroom with a king-size bed, a technological kitchen with room for maneuvering, a bathroom with a safe design, and a large living area for family evenings, and you will still have a space for parking.

Work & entertainment space

The large three-garage zones also open up the possibility of creating a mixed zone that will combine work and entertainment purposes. As a possible option, you can consider a project with a home office with all the necessary attributes for effective work in combination with an entertainment room. The second part of this equation also has many variants, e.g., it can be a family room with karaoke, a location for active games, a home gym, or a man cave for cool weekends with friends or colleagues. In other words, the three-car garage ADU is a perfect space for maintaining a work-life balance.

Valuable laundry area

If you convert at least part of your three-car garage to the laundry zone, then you will solve all household problems. To give specific examples, you will receive additional storage space for any items from clothes to spare wheels; you can transfer most household appliances from a washing machine to a dryer to this ADU part and equip the vacated space in the main house for other purposes; you can streamline and facilitate all actions related to washing; it will be easier for you to maintain order and ensure the safety of the youngest family members.

Large family zone

It may seem to you that this paragraph duplicates one of the previous positions, but this is just an illusion. By a large family zone, we mean the implementation of unique projects such as a home theater, art studio, or a home library with a fireplace. Each of these options will bring unforgettable emotions and impressions to all family members, allow you to have fun, and create unbreakable family ties. This is the most valuable thing that every homeowner can get.

In addition, do not forget that all of the above advantages make the 3-car garage conversion ADU an ideal rental unit for large families who are moving to California for a long period. This fact means passive income generation every month or, if you read between the lines, making up for all construction costs.

3-Car Garage Conversion & Construction Process Essentials

The unusual structure of the 3-car garage conversion dictates special rules for the implementation of this project, starting with the floor plan development and ending with the building codes’ analysis. Therefore, only professional general contractors with many years of experience know all the details of the construction process. However, you also need to have certain knowledge, which we will now give you.

It makes sense to identify seven key stages in the realization of the three-car garage conversion draft, the understanding of which will help you avoid a variety of financial and emotional losses in the future:

Local building department permission

Three-car garages have a certain configuration, and they completely occupy the first floor of the main house. In turn, in the context of building codes of any city in California, be it San Diego or Fresno, the transformation of this part of the living space will require permit registration. The main explanation for this rule we can express in one sentence, namely, in the case of 3-car garage conversion, we are not talking about one small room but about a significant part of the living area, which includes such important components as load-bearing walls or foundation. 

To obtain permission from the local building department, you and your lawyers need to draw up a floor plan taking into account all zoning regulations, fire safety measures and height restrictions.

Garage door replacement

Any 3-car garage floor plan includes the respective number of garage doors, however, this is too much for ADU design. Moreover, local authorities will inform you that, from a security point of view, garage doors do not meet the parameters of living space. Considering these factors, the installation of new doors within the framework of the ADU garage conversion project is the main construction task that you should approach with full responsibility. 

Determine the format, location and material for the doors with your general contractor, and also do not forget about those doors that will lead to the main house.

New walls installation

As we noted above, three doors in a 3-car garage are too much for a living space. The most practical solution would be the installation of new walls or windows for the natural light flow boost. Nevertheless, we want to focus on the walls, as there are no walls inside the 3-car garage space, and this is unacceptable when it comes to maintaining privacy during the arrival of guests or relatives. Therefore, as part of the construction process, builders will update and install new interior walls.

Floor plan creature

However, you can not install walls in your own way; you need to fit them into architectural ADU plans. This stage is a professional field of architects with a rich living space planning background. These craftsmen will create an exclusive floor plan for you, taking into account all needs or requests, to make the new unit as practical as possible and eliminate all the disadvantages of primary residence.

Life support system improvements

The planning stage is not only thinking over the location of rooms but also considering ideas regarding providing living space with comfort, thanks to the installation of new components of life support systems. Cozy and technologically advanced garage conversion ADUs are impossible to imagine without the so-called “fantastic four,” namely, new plumbing, electrical wiring, insulation, and ventilation. Structural engineers perform the installation of these systems, and, among other things, only these masters can guarantee the long-term reliability of each of the four elements.

Lighting considerations

Let’s separately touch on the topic of garage conversion ADU project lighting because light determines the perception of a residential space. Depending on your preferences, you can turn to different methods of organizing the light in the new unit. For example, these can be floor-to-ceiling windows, artificial lighting, illumination on the veranda, and a lot more. The main benefit of the modern construction industry is that it offers many options for creating the best atmosphere in a living space.

New ADU design development

If all the previous stages most often involve mechanical work, then the moment of creating an ADU design is a chance to show all your inspiration and creativity. Of course, it will also be relevant to contact specialists; however, at this step, you are the main actor as you determine the interior and exterior of the future garage conversion ADU project. The masters will study your ideas and sketches of new ADU designs, and using this data, they will help choose colors and materials for all components of residential space, whether it is furniture in the bedroom or flooring in the kitchen.

Overall, as you can see, only industry professionals can handle all stages of the building process, from planning to creating a landscape design. The construction of garage conversion ADU is not only hard labor but also special insiders that allow specialists to always work within the established budget while performing top-quality jobs.

3-Car Garage Conversion: All About Financing and Construction Costs

The enhanced functionality of the 3-car garage conversion, coupled with a multi-stage implementation process, gives a direct hint that this is not the cheapest project. Indeed, the average estimated cost of such a draft will start from $150000 – $180000.

Fortunately, today, property owners have a dozen financing options, and here are the most effective ones:

• Home Equity Line of Credit (HELOC). The most affordable way to finalize all your ADU plans. In order not to delve into financial terms, let’s say that HELOC is the value of your property multiplied by a certain coefficient, taking into account the deduction of the part of the mortgage that you have left to pay. In most cases, the total amount resulting from these calculations is sufficient for the implementation of the ADU idea.
• Construction loan. This method allows you to get almost any amount for construction. Its peculiarity lies in the fact that experts estimate the most probable value of the entire property after the completion of the ADU draft and give you an amount for construction equal to the difference between the current value and the future value.
• Personal loan. We are smoothly moving towards an even more affordable technique, namely personal loan. This form of loan permits you to borrow money for any purpose, including the ADU construction. The most crucial thing in the case of this loan is to make payments at the right time.

Another important financial aspect has a direct relation to hiring a specialized construction team. The craftsmen will help you save significant costs on construction in all possible ways, starting with a competent budget planning and ending with the purchase of materials at a special price.