Garage Remodel

[tsherrod]

I recently had a customer ask me to give a bid for adding 4-5 outlets in a two port garage that she is converting into a bedroom and living room. She is doing the remodel work herself. If she were pulling a permit to get the work done, she would have to do several things in order to pass an inspection. What should I do as an electrician? Should I add the outlets and ensure that the bedroom gets put on an AFCI breaker and recommend that she have more work done in order to bring her rooms up to code (c.e., the garage was unfinished so there are a lot of exposed cables)? Thanks.

 

[mwm1752]

Your license-- your responsibility if you work on it. Homeowners are able to get electrical permits for working on there own home here in Colo. I would walk away from the work if a permit was not pulled. Not worth the loss of license or fine. There are many issues that may come up -- zoning, building dept usually review minor remodels to make sure structure is not damaged & HOA approvals are in place.

 

[growler]

she is converting into a bedroom and living room. She is doing the remodel work herself.

There are many issues that may come up -- zoning.

Zoning can be a problem in many areas if they think this is going to be rented out to someone else.

I would have the owner pull a permit but if I thought they were going to have problems with zoning she could list the finish as say a game room and office.

Many people don't get permits because they think it will be to much of a problem or to much trouble. If you know what you are doing it's often not that big of a deal. She will need more receptacles and yes they will need to be on an arc fault protected circuit but she can get this added space insured and her property value will increase. There may need to be a smoke dectector and carbon monoxide detector if a bedroom. Don't forget the exits such as window size for bedroom.

 

[petersonra]

I recently had a customer ask me to give a bid for adding 4-5 outlets in a two port garage that she is converting into a bedroom and living room. She is doing the remodel work herself. If she were pulling a permit to get the work done, she would have to do several things in order to pass an inspection. What should I do as an electrician? Should I add the outlets and ensure that the bedroom gets put on an AFCI breaker and recommend that she have more work done in order to bring her rooms up to code (c.e., the garage was unfinished so there are a lot of exposed cables)? Thanks.

At least she is getting some professional electrical help.

If she is going to turn the whole garage into living space she is certainly going to have to do something about the exposed cables.

Around here turning an attached garage into more space for the house is pretty common. It can be an issue though as the village will not allow a detached garage to be in front of the house for some reason, so if you want to add a garage later on it can be a problem.