Services · Garage conversions
The cheapest square footage you already own.
The structure exists. Converting it is a code and paperwork problem — our kind.
If it doesn't need a permit, we'll say so.
What a garage conversion turns on.
Habitable space is a different standard
Insulation, egress, ceiling heights, heating — the set shows the city how each is met.
Conversion, or conversion ADU?
Extra room and an independent unit are different permits with different value.
Already converted without a permit?
Common, and fixable — as-builts, a permit, and corrections. Better now than during escrow.
A-2.0
How cities differ
Parking rules and tolerance for legalizing existing work vary widely — and ADU law overrides some of it, which can decide your path.
Your city
What does a conversion take to approve in your city?
If it doesn't need a permit, we'll say so.
The deliverables.
- 01As-built documentation of the existing garage
- 02Conversion plans — insulation, egress, energy compliance
- 03Conversion-ADU sets where a unit is the goal
- 04Legalization of unpermitted conversions
- 05Submittal and corrections through approval
A-4.0
What we don’t do
We design and permit; your licensed contractor builds. If the structure can't reasonably reach code, we say so early.
Asked about garage conversions, specifically.
01Is my unpermitted conversion a problem?
At sale, refinance and insurance time, yes. Legalizing it is routine work for us.
02Will I lose required parking?
If it becomes an ADU, state law removes most parking requirements. Otherwise it depends on your city — first thing we check.
Your project
Get a conversion quote for your garage.
Send the address and what you have in mind — we’ll reply with what your city requires and the cost.
- What your city will ask for, specifically
- What we'd draw, and what needs an engineer
- A quote for the drawings, the expediting, or both
- A straight answer if it doesn't need a permit at all
If it doesn't need a permit, we'll say so.
Or send it now