How to Add an In-Law Apartment at Home
As baby boomers get older, they often find themselves in situations where their parents or in-laws move in with them due to financial or health-related concerns. If bedroom space is full because of kids still living at home, one option to consider is converting an existing room, such as a garage or basement, into an in-law apartment. This allows your elderly relatives to live in your home, while still allowing them a sense of privacy and independence with their own apartment. Does this Spark an idea?
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Instructions
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Design the layout of the in-law suite. You can sketch it out on paper, use a computer-aided design (CAD) program or hire an architect. Adhere to all local building codes when designing and building the apartment. Include a bathroom in the design, making special accommodations if one or both of your in-laws is disabled or sick.
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Hire contractors to install the plumbing, electrical and heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) lines in the apartment. Even if you have the knowledge and skills to do this work yourself, the building code will most likely allow only certified contractors to do it.
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Inspect the floor for signs of damage, such as cracks. You can patch small cracks yourself with patching compound, but have a professional inspect larger cracks as they can be a sign of problems with the foundation.
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Remove or hide the garage door if you're using the garage as the apartment. You can take out the garage door entirely and replace it with sliding glass doors or French doors. You can also extend the exterior wall over the space where the door was. A less-involved option is to remove the door tracks from inside the garage and build an interior wall over the garage door to hide it.
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Build new interior walls and finish existing walls as needed. Construct the wall frames and attach them to the ceiling and a sill plate connected to the floor. The sill plate is a pressure-treated board that protects the wooden wall frame from moisture damage. Apply insulation between the wall studs, then cover the frames with drywall and paint the walls.
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Install new doors and windows. In addition to replacing a garage door with new doors, replace an older door with a new, more energy-efficient door that provides more security. Installing new energy-efficient windows may cost a little more up front, but they will save you money in the long run.
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Install new flooring. While the bathroom will be tile or hardwood, you can use tile, hardwood or carpet in the main part of the apartment.
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Tips & Warnings
Acquire any needed permits and learn the local building codes you must follow before beginning this project.
References
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