Converting your garage? 7 Things you should know before you start

Glass Garage Doors

Get the facts before you start planning

 

Turning your garage into a comfortable and legal living space can be exciting and also extremely useful. Make sure you comply with your city’s rules and regulations and save yourself the money and headaches! We’ve got 7 things you should know before converting your garage into a livable space in San Diego.

Project Planning

  1. Permits are Required. To convert your garage obtaining a permit from the city is the law. To get more information and to request a permit from the SD City, visit the Development Services Dept..  If you want to make a phone call regarding questions, their contact number is 619-446-5300. Each city within San Diego may have different requirements regarding garage conversions, so be sure to consult your local office for more information (i.e. Solana Beach might require different permits or space limitations than the city of San Diego).
  2. Natural light. 10 square feet of the space must be flooded with outdoor light.
  3. Garage leading to a bedroom. The converted space cannot lead directly to another living quarters like a bedroom. Inspect your home and see if your garage shares a wall with one of your bedrooms. There might be a large amount of construction up ahead.
  4. Rescue Window. An escape window is required with a minimum opening of 5.7 square feet. The window’s height can’t be above 44 inches off the ground.
  5. Smoke Detectors. This is required and mandated by law.
  6. Room temperature maintenance. Your space must maintain 70 degrees with the help of a heater.
  7. Ventilation. A minimum of 5 square feet must be openly ventilated or 1/20 of the floor plan.

Be prepared for your garage conversion and don’t risk penalties or fines! Keep informed and enjoy the process of renovating the space you have.

Happy Home Renovating!

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