Anyone tried converting a basement into a garage?

[davehoff]

I'm thinking of remodeling our basement area into a garage, but don't know the basic things we should be aware of, say we are amateurs with a plan in our mind. The basement is always leaky and we have to fix it with the help of Doctor Rooter, Mississauga basement waterproofing and mending company. I would like to know what all precautions should I take first?

[WillH]

Better answers should be found here The Garage Journal

[Timco]

Here major fire codes would apply. Then CO exposure. Garages must be outside the living space and not have living space above unless designed that way. It's not that easy.

[healthservices]

Reminds me of the guy who built a car in his, then digs a hole in the ground, and bust the wall out to get the thing out! Totally wild build and should be made into a movie.

The Bull

[CoBeerToad]

I would have just kept that car in the house and drove it from the couch to the refrigerator.

[Box4two]

Originally Posted by Timco

Here major fire codes would apply. Then CO exposure. Garages must be outside the living space and not have living space above unless designed that way. It's not that easy.

Same applies here in Ontario, the garage has to be totally gas proofed, and cannot share the same HVAC system.

[coreseller]

Long story short, you can build a basement / garage during construction but you cannot turn a basement into a garage. At least not in a financially viable manner and meet code.

[mikefocke]

So involve a structural engineer, and architect and the building inspection unit of your local government. Figure twice as much to plan it as you have mentally budgeted to build it.

I added on a solid brick extra large two car garage but it was alongside the house and I has to put a 8" (IIRC) lip around the half stairs to the basement to prevent low flowing gasses from going from the garage to the basement. When I took the building plans to the local plans approval agency, they took a look and asked me if I was going to park a tank on the slab, it was so freaking over-engineered.

[dbear61]

Growing up, my brothers and I kept our Hot Wheels and Matchbox cars in the basement. Voila - it was our garage.

DBear