It’s been two years since we finished converting the garage into a bedroom and bathroom. I remember when we bought a house, the first thing Craig said was that we should turn the garage into a living space. I turned a deaf ear to him because it seemed like a really tough job and we had a lot of other projects to work on. Lesson learned, don’t doubt Craig when he’s determined to do something. Once I found out I was pregnant and our 2 bedroom house was going to feel cramped, I started thinking about remodeling the garage, which we are just using for storage anyway. As soon as I got on the boat, he started working. What started as a painting on the back of a napkin turned into a beautiful space we built from scratch. Today I will share the details of transforming our garage into a bedroom and bathroom and the before and after of the renovation process.
How we converted a garage into a bedroom and bathroom
The process of transforming our garage into a bedroom and bathroom was a huge undertaking, Craig was very methodical and really helped in the long run, especially when we were working with a wire and plumbing contractor. The whole project took 9 months from start to finish considering he started when I was pregnant and very ill, and finished when we had a newborn and Covid just hit. If it weren’t for these things, it would probably do it faster.
Prepare the garage
The first step is to prepare the garage to become an indoor living space. We bought a shed for our backyard and now we use it for storage. A lot of people ask how we get out of our garage, but the truth is we don’t have that much. Whatever is in the garage, we can put it in the shed or basement. Here’s the process of preparing the garage:
- empty garage
- Seal all cracks and insulate foundation with spray and rigid foam
- Remove the garage door and build a wall to close the space (left end of the garage door – we don’t have a window on this wall)
- Remove side windows and add 3 casement windows (windows behind our bed)
- Replace the outer shingles with a new front outer shingles
Build the subfloor
The next step is to build the subfloor, which is crucial as it is the foundation of everything else. We determined that the floor was structurally sound and a subfloor could be built on top of it. Craig built a 2×10 subfloor and a main beam with a main beam in the middle with anchor bolts screwed to the ground on the knee wall (according to local building codes). The goal was to match the new floor heights to the existing floors of the house. Craig uses a laser level, breaks a line and measures down, subtracting the thickness of the plywood and the floor we plan to use. He is able to perfectly match the levels of new and existing floors as shown below. Craig insulated the subfloor with fiberglass insulation before installing 3/4″ tongue and groove plywood. Craig also glued plywood to the subfloor frame.
Install the support beam
The garage ceiling had no drywall and we wanted an attic ceiling, so Craig removed the existing ceiling joists and ties and installed support beams in their place. He used three 2x10s to create three beams (he later finished them so that the three 2x10s looked like one beam).
Frame interior walls and doors and pocket doors
Craig had to build several interior walls and doors to separate the bedroom and bathroom, create a hallway, and enclose a separate staircase to the basement.
- Bathroom frame walls and doorways, including bathroom pocket doors
- Staircase to frame wall between basement and bedroom
- Framed doors and walls to create entrances and hallways to bedrooms from existing homes.
Install electrical wiring and thick pipes
Once the framing and subfloor were in, we arranged for an electrician and plumber. We talked to them at the beginning of the project to determine when is the best time for them to come and rough it up. An electrician came to install the wiring for the ceiling lights and the junction boxes for the sockets and switches so that Craig could cut them while doing the slate. Plumbers installed rough plumbing on the shower drain, sink and toilet pipes, and we connected them through a hole in the wall under the subfloor, from the garage to the basement. Electricians and plumbers scheduled inspections of rough work.
Install drywall and insulate walls and ceilings
We have a company that spray foam insulation for bedroom ceilings because it saves us a lot of time and labor. Craig installed drywall on all interior walls insulated with fiberglass insulation. He then taped all the seams and made a veneer jacket with Venetian plaster, which made it more durable and helped eliminate odors. Then he sanded all the walls.
Install the ceiling
We really wanted to do a vaulted ceiling in the new space. Originally we planned to use 1x10s, but the wood supplier didn’t have the resources to complete our project, so Craig decided to alternate between 1×8 and 1×10 primed pine, which he then painted with ceiling paint. Craig also installed a skylight in the bathroom before doing the ceiling.
bathroom installation
In the bathroom, Craig started to shower. This was one of the more challenging aspects of the project, so it took longer. The shower space in the bathroom was a bit big for the base we purchased, so he built the walls to mount the shower tray (you can see them bulging out slightly below). He used cement board for the inside of the shower, then did a layer of plaster, then waterproof paint for the shower. He then applied several coats of Venetian plaster and sealant over the topcoat.
bathroom floor tiles
In the bathroom, Craig installed a layer of cement over the plywood before laying the tiles. Unfortunately, I couldn’t find any tile installation photos or videos, but I wish I could track them down to show the process.we chose hand painted clay bricks And used white grout.
Primed
Craig primed the ceiling before installing the wood floors. We then paint and prime all the walls, trim and doors.
Install wood floors and trim
After painting, Craig installed the floor.we used Sawyer Mason of Oak Bluffs. This is an extraordinary product we have used again in vermont. Floors are pre-finished with multiple installation options you can read here. After installing the floor, Craig installed baseboards (1×6) and window trim with 1×4 primed pine.
Install vanities, toilets, fixtures and shower doors
Craig installed the vanity (with countertops), sink, toilet, fixtures and shower door after the tile and paint was done. Vanity is definitely the job of two people, but it was in the early days of Covid and Craig decided to do it himself. Somehow he managed to do it, but it’s difficult and I don’t recommend it. Craig did the vanity plumbing himself and we had the plumber install the shower and toilet. Electricians eventually came back to install sockets and lighting.
Install IKEA pax wardrobe
Installing the IKEA wardrobe was the last step before we moved in all the furniture. We measured the space and figured out the max we could have, then Craig installed trim pieces on the ends to make it look even more custom.you can see The whole process of the IKEA wardrobe is here.
Final Thoughts on the Project
Converting a garage into a bedroom and bathroom is the biggest project we’ve ever undertaken. This was our first project to create our own space from scratch and had to plan, coordinate, execute and learn how to do a lot of things we hadn’t done before. I absolutely love this addition and keep looking around and am amazed to see that Craig built this whole thing himself. It was tough work, but not only created the bedrooms and bathrooms I love, but added tremendous value to our house while keeping costs down by doing almost all the labor myself. We have learned a lot after going through this project and have led us to believe that we can solve a similar problem in our Woodstock house, which has a very similar layout, including one that we would like to convert into a living space. garage. I’m excited to see what we can do to transform this space and make it something we love, just like this house.
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