A garage is a multipurpose room in a house that can serve as a workshop, a storage space, and a place to park your car. So, can you have a bedroom over the garage?
Yes, you can have a bedroom over the garage. While it does not increase the house’s footprint, which can help to reduce cost, it presents unique design challenges in the planning and construction.
If you’re a homeowner looking to add a bedroom over the garage, here’s our expert advice before taking this add-on route.
Pros & Cons of Having a Bedroom Over Garage
Here are the benefits of having a bedroom over the garage. We’ll also discuss the cons of this space addition.
✅ Advantages
More Privacy
A bedroom over the garage is typically more private than other bedrooms in the house as its location is away from the main living areas.
Spacious
Another advantage of having a bedroom over the garage is that it often provides more space, as the garage is typically one of the largest rooms in the house. The extra space can be great for families who need more room or for individuals who want to use the area for storage.
Can be Made into A Suite
If you’re looking for an extra guest bedroom, you can build a suite that includes the bedroom, kitchen, and bathroom to translate to a comfy space for guests.
❌ Disadvantages
It Can Be Noisy
Because the garage is where people park their cars, the noise from the engine and tires can be loud. Additionally, if the garage is attached to the house, the noise from the rest of the home can also be quite noisy.
The room may also be noisy when the garage is in use. Maybe you have a workshop below or store your gardening equipment in the garage. Every time someone takes something in and out of the garage, it translates to unnecessary noise in the above room.
It May Be Difficult to Heat or Cool
The garage is typically not as well-insulated as the rest of the house. More so, the garage door is large and metallic. Thus, it can conduct heat and cold, proving a problem in the winter when trying to keep the room warm.
Bedroom Over Garage Safety
When adding a bedroom over the garage, you need to consider safety.
Fire-Rated Drywall
Safety regulations dictate that you have 5/8-inch thick fire-rated drywall on the base floor and ceiling walls. The fire-rated drywall should also be in the shared wall between the house and the garage. In addition, the opening for electrical conduit pipes in the drywall must be sealed.
Fire Escape
One main concern is that the space above the garage can be difficult to escape in the event of a fire. Therefore, you may need to have separate access from the outside apart from the internal access. This will enable one to escape quickly if a fire occurs.
Keeping the Garage Safe
There’s a need to know how to keep the garage safe. This is because the garage door is never the most secure, and adding doors and windows can make it easy for burglars and rodents to enter. Hence, ensuring that the garage door and other entrances are as secure as your home’s front door is essential.
Design Considerations for Bedrooms Over Garage
There are a few design considerations to remember when adding a bedroom over the garage.
Structural Reinforcements
Adding a second story can require structural reinforcements on the first floor. The original bottom level was not designed to support a second floor, so it may need to be redesigned. Sometimes, it’s as easy as adding a few shear panels to the wall corners. Nonetheless, you may be required to tear down walls on the bottom floor to add isolated footings, columns, and shear panels.
Heating and Insulation
A bedroom over the garage needs to be well-insulated so that you can stay warm in the winter and cool in the summer. Secondly, you want to ensure it doesn’t get too hot or too cold, as this can damage furniture and items in the bedroom.
Moreover, you can waste tons of energy when the AC runs if the insulation is not high-quality. Therefore, you can consider a heated floor to help in the winter.
Another reason for high-quality insulation is to stop noise from cars parking below, noise from the street, and the garage door opening.
Electricals and Plumbing
Electrical and plumbing systems in the garage must be up to code and should support the additional bedroom. You don’t want to have to deal with electrical or plumbing problems down the road.
Enough Headroom
You also need to ensure enough headroom in the space above the garage for bedroom furniture. The furniture should not be too close to the ceiling, as it can feel claustrophobic.
Strong Base Floor
The base floor needs to be strong enough to support the weight of the bedroom furniture and the people who will be using it. The best way to determine if the floor is strong enough is to have it inspected by a professional.
Bedroom Access
One needs to plan the access to the bedroom. It is vital because you don’t want to go through the garage to get to the bedroom. The two main options for accessing the bedroom are a staircase leading from the garage to the bedroom and a separate entrance for the bedroom.
Conclusion
Adding a bedroom over the garage is a great way to add extra useable space to your home. Due to its design challenges, it’s best to consult an architect or designer to guide you through the process. Hopefully, you’ll successfully add a bedroom over your garage with the advice outlined here.
Read More About Bedroom:
1. Does A Bedroom Have to Have a Closet? (Alternatives Included)
2. Can A Bedroom Have No Windows? (Alternative to Windows)
