Converting Carport To Bedroom
- Thread starter obxbronco
- Start date
ManglerYJ
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Mar 20, 2005
- Location
- Lexington, NC
Not a bedroom, but I did convert ours into a living room. Biggest issue we dealt with was drainage when we had the gravel driveway. Rain water would pool around the front and seep underneath even after sealing with several things. When the concrete driveway was poured, he made it drain away and have never had a problem since.
Flooring is an issue as well. Our concrete in the carport was poured in such a way that it had a slight pitch to get rid of rain. When we enclosed it, we were concerned about the rain collecting up front and only painted the floor with concrete paint. It was just OK. We finally put down a laminate floor, but first put down this to level it a bit, add a little insulation and a rain water "channel" under the floor incase of any seepage:
DRIcore 7/8 in. x 2 ft. x 2 ft. DRIcore Subfloor Panel-CDGNUS750024024 - The Home Depot
They were expensive, but in my opinion very worth it. They lock together with tongue and groove to make a very firm subfloor. We definitely saw an insulation benefit as well. The room is now just like the rest of the house.
Because the carport is already part of the footprint of the house, no inspections should be needed. Your mileage may vary. Only thing I would make sure of is that since it is a bedroom, make sure you install windows that allow for egress (in other words, a firefighter with a full pack can get in). Your building supply person will know.
Flooring is an issue as well. Our concrete in the carport was poured in such a way that it had a slight pitch to get rid of rain. When we enclosed it, we were concerned about the rain collecting up front and only painted the floor with concrete paint. It was just OK. We finally put down a laminate floor, but first put down this to level it a bit, add a little insulation and a rain water "channel" under the floor incase of any seepage:
DRIcore 7/8 in. x 2 ft. x 2 ft. DRIcore Subfloor Panel-CDGNUS750024024 - The Home Depot
They were expensive, but in my opinion very worth it. They lock together with tongue and groove to make a very firm subfloor. We definitely saw an insulation benefit as well. The room is now just like the rest of the house.
Because the carport is already part of the footprint of the house, no inspections should be needed. Your mileage may vary. Only thing I would make sure of is that since it is a bedroom, make sure you install windows that allow for egress (in other words, a firefighter with a full pack can get in). Your building supply person will know.
Fabrik8
Overcomplicator
- Joined
- May 27, 2015
- Location
- Huntersville
If you're on septic, you must make sure your system is sized for the (new) total of bedrooms, etc.
rockcity
everyday is a chance to get better
- Joined
- Apr 10, 2005
- Location
- Greenville, NC
Are you on septic? If so, you will need to review your septic permit and possibly have your system upgraded for the additional bedroom. Also, you will need to see if the existing HVAC system can handle the added sq ft without overloading the system. You will need to check the electrical panel to verify there is enough space to provide sufficient circuits to that new room. You will need to ensure any upgrades are done to 2015 IRC standards.
RobMcBee
Slow n easy when you're not gettin greasy....
- Joined
- Jan 12, 2009
- Location
- Fort Mill / Indian Land SC
Yep septic, HVAC , and electrical are most important. Can't tell you how many houses I've shown that had a converted garage with a window unit. It's not even summer yet and they're sweltering hot!
ManglerYJ
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Mar 20, 2005
- Location
- Lexington, NC
RatLabGuy
You look like a monkey and smell like one too
- Joined
- May 18, 2005
- Location
- Churchville, MD
um, plus electrical...
To meet (current) code for living space, would the rafter/truss system over the space matter? Or the footers?
In a lot of older Ranchers, the carport doesn't always have the rafters or trussus on 16 or 24" centers. Even though it was continuous in the attic with the rest of the house, my old house in Lewisville (built '68) only had 1 or 2 across the whole span (making it like a 4' spread). I guess this was b/c there were no walls to support them on the sides or center. Side effect was that the ridge line over the carport had a slight sag to it.
And since there are no load bearing walls there often aren't footers poured into the concrete. I know that is a problem around here, I know a guy that got snagged on that when he wen to go get the permits to enclose his carport.
... his solution was to just do it anyway, and say, "I dunno, it was like that when I bought the house"...
rockcity
everyday is a chance to get better
- Joined
- Apr 10, 2005
- Location
- Greenville, NC
The problem is that electrical and HVAC work is also included, which would normally require an inspection. In Pitt County, I need an electrical inspection to change out a light fixture; I'm sure adding an entire room would require one with or without the bedroom and septic concerns.
You are changing the purpose of the room entirely from an outdoor space to an interior "living" heated space and thus would need to ensure all the typical standards are adhered to (fire blocking, fire caulk, insulation, electrical, life safety, proper wall construction, moisture control, etc) thus requiring an inspection.
RatLabGuy
You look like a monkey and smell like one too
- Joined
- May 18, 2005
- Location
- Churchville, MD
rockcity
everyday is a chance to get better
- Joined
- Apr 10, 2005
- Location
- Greenville, NC
You aren't adding load bearing walls, so foundation likely isn't a concern as the rafters/beams/etc above are already carrying the load through the existing walls, columns, etc. so long as you don't modify that, foundation and load on new walls should be a non issue.
- Joined
- Mar 19, 2005
- Location
- Raleigh
Congratulations on your pending addition to the family!
Contact an architect or general contractor in your area who can quickly itemize what you would need to do to enclose the carport and turn it into habitable space and what permits and inspections you would also need. Get three quotes for the work.
Consider bunk beds as a budget alternative.
Contact an architect or general contractor in your area who can quickly itemize what you would need to do to enclose the carport and turn it into habitable space and what permits and inspections you would also need. Get three quotes for the work.
Consider bunk beds as a budget alternative.
thank u, I have some guys that have done work for us before. Just got to get them over here.Congratulations on your pending addition to the family!
Contact an architect or general contractor in your area who can quickly itemize what you would need to do to enclose the carport and turn it into habitable space and what permits and inspections you would also need. Get three quotes for the work.
Consider bunk beds as a budget alternative.
- Joined
- Apr 16, 2005
- Location
- Sharon, SC
I dont know what yall talking about.
Id close that beotch in and the wife permitting me to do the work is the only permit wed discuss
Id close that beotch in and the wife permitting me to do the work is the only permit wed discuss
If there are no closet then it's not a "bedroom" right? I'm ok with the inspections and stuff, member of my fd is county inspector. We are upgrading our electrical and hvac anyway. Thanks for all the info!
RatLabGuy
You look like a monkey and smell like one too
- Joined
- May 18, 2005
- Location
- Churchville, MD
Consider bunk beds as a budget alternative.
As an aside - our daughter's room is tiny, and I was amazed at how much space magically appeared when we changed her bed to a loft.
I bunked w/ my little brother for years as a kid.
rockcity
everyday is a chance to get better
- Joined
- Apr 10, 2005
- Location
- Greenville, NC
Correct.
For resale, I'm putting a closet in our bonus room and it will count as a 4th bedroom. Otherwise, it's just a bonus room.
RatLabGuy
You look like a monkey and smell like one too
- Joined
- May 18, 2005
- Location
- Churchville, MD
I have yet to see anywhere in a legal code that requires a closet to be a bedroom. That seems to be a realty definition thing.
A surefire way to make sure it's not considered a bedroom is to have small, or no windows and no outside door.
I once took plans for finishing part of my basement to teh county for a permit. Guy looked at it, p[ointed to a room in the corrner labeled "media room", said, "Is this a closet? This looks an awful lot like a bedroom"
"No sir, for storing old games, a safe and media controllers. There's no windows, it's no ta bedroom..."
He insisted that the plans should just remove the closet so the health dept didn't get suspicious of what we were going to do with it (yes, here they have to send all the new habitable space permit apps to them for review).
He commented, "You know, this is a framed out closet, it would be pretty easy to add in later." hint, hint.
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rockcity
everyday is a chance to get better
- Joined
- Apr 10, 2005
- Location
- Greenville, NC
You are technically correct. But, who has a bedroom without a closet?
Don't forget the primary and secondary means of egress requirements must be met.
Really, you could just close the walls in and call it the dungeon, bedroom, or whatever you want. For a resale standpoint, to count as a bedroom, you will need a closet. If you want it to be a true bedroom, you will need primary and secondary means of egress and septic system to be made for the # of bedrooms in the house.
For your standpoint, if you don't care about resale, you could do whatever you want and as little as you want but knowing it may just be "living" space and not an actual bedroom on a marketing side of things.
So, really, what you have to do depends on you and your investment and potential resale.
Consider bunk beds as a budget alternative.
Yup, and get the kids used to "sharing" as they will do it the rest of their lives. I shared a room with my older brother and I think it was a good thing growing up.
criket
Blue Ridge 4x4
- Joined
- Aug 18, 2010
- Location
- Dobson, NC
Make the garage room a bedroom/game room for your boys. Put the baby in the current bedroom. Use wardrobes and dressers for the boys clothes that way you don't have to build closets
- Joined
- Mar 13, 2005
- Location
- Raleigh, NC
From a technical standpoint, water intrusion is probably the biggest unknown. Carports are intended to get wet, and typically aren't designed to keep water out. Where water gets in, termites soon follow.
Aside from that, the room will have to have windows, and the house will have to be retrofitted with hardwired smoke detectors by law. One in each bedroom, one on each floor, one outside the sleeping area, blah blah etc. If you have any fuel gases in the house or have an attached garage, you'll have to get CO detectors.
Aside from that, the room will have to have windows, and the house will have to be retrofitted with hardwired smoke detectors by law. One in each bedroom, one on each floor, one outside the sleeping area, blah blah etc. If you have any fuel gases in the house or have an attached garage, you'll have to get CO detectors.
My thoughts exactly!
Being a firefighter I probably have more smoke and co2 detectors than anybody! Lol I'm alittle paranoid.