Studio in the garage
$70k–$120k
- Garage door opening framed in
- Floor raised and insulated
- Kitchenette with full fridge
- Shower bathroom
- Mini-split heat and cooling
- Egress window and entry door
Garage apartment conversion · Licensed & insured
Garage apartment conversion, planned for independent living.
A garage already has a roof, walls and a slab, which makes it one of the cheapest ways to add a second home on your lot. We convert the bays into a studio or one-bedroom with its own kitchen, bath, entrance and meter, or build the apartment on top, in three to seven months.
Text a photo of your garage from the outside and inside and a licensed supervisor tells you within five minutes on business days what to check first.
- $110kTypical 1-bed
- 3–7 moBuild time
- 4.9410 reviews
- 24hWritten estimate
How a garage apartment starts
The slab and the sewer line decide most of the plan.
A kitchen and bath have to drain somewhere, and a living space has to sit on a dry, level floor. The supervisor asks about both first, then checks zoning for your address and books a visit.
- Zoning for a second unit checked by address first
- A photo of the slab shows if it can stay
- Visit and estimate dates set before the chat ends
Hi, we have a detached two-car garage we barely use. Could it become a one-bedroom apartment we rent out?
Hi Steph, I am Mark, I handle garage apartments at ProBuild Remodeling. Often yes. Can you send your address, one photo of the garage outside and one of the floor inside?
Sent. The floor has a crack across the middle but it is dry.
A dry hairline crack is normal. Your zoning allows a rental unit in an accessory building, but asks for one parking space to replace the garage, and your driveway looks wide enough.
Good. Where would the plumbing go?
We cut a trench in the slab to reach the sewer line at the house. I can check the route Friday at 4 and send the estimate on Tuesday. Does that work?
What a garage apartment costs
Garage apartments cost $70,000 to $280,000. Building up costs the most.
Prices assume a garage in sound condition within 100 feet of the sewer line, with mid-range finishes. Most of our garage apartment customers choose the one-bedroom inside a two-car garage, which rents well without a second story.
One-bedroom
$110k–$170k
- Separate bedroom with closet
- Full kitchen with range
- Full bathroom and laundry
- Sewer trench through the slab
- Separate electric meter
- Permits and final inspection
Apartment above
$160k–$280k
- Engineered new second floor
- Exterior stair and landing
- One bedroom, kitchen and bath
- Garage walls and footings reinforced
- Fire-rated floor over the cars
- Separate utilities and meter
Price your garage apartment in ten seconds
Pick the plan, the size of the garage and the age of the house. The range moves with each answer, using the numbers our garage apartment supervisors quote from.
A range, not a quote. Your written estimate comes after the visit and does not change once you approve it.
Typical range for your answers
Turn this range into a garage apartment estimateWhere a garage apartment budget goes
The kitchen, bath and plumbing take a third. The shell you already own saves the rest.
Averages from recent one-bedroom garage apartments. Because the roof and walls are already there, most of the money goes to the parts a home needs and a garage lacks: plumbing, insulation, a warm floor and a kitchen.
Get my itemized garage apartment estimate
Convert the bays or build above
Converting the bays is faster and cheaper. Building above keeps your parking.
Converting inside uses the shell you have and gives up the parking. Building a second story keeps the cars below but needs engineering, a stair and stronger walls. At the visit we check the footings, the zoning and your driveway and write down which one works.
| If this is true | We recommend |
|---|---|
| You have room on the driveway to park outside | Convert the bays |
| Zoning requires the garage parking to stay | Build above |
| Your budget is under $150,000 | Convert the bays |
| The garage sits close to the rear lot line | Convert the bays |
| You need a workshop or storage below the unit | Build above |
| A height limit allows a second story on the lot | Build above |
How long a garage apartment takes
A one-bedroom inside the garage takes about four months. Plans and permits come first.
Plans and permits usually take six to twelve weeks. A studio takes three to four months on site and an apartment above the garage five to seven.
Weeks before
Zoning and plans
Zoning and parking checked, plans drawn and engineered, permits for a dwelling unit filed.
Month one
Slab and plumbing
Trench cut for the sewer and water lines, slab patched, garage door opening framed in.
Months two and three
Walls and systems
Floor raised and insulated, walls insulated, wiring, plumbing and mini-split roughed in.
Final month
Finish and inspection
Drywall, kitchen, bath, floors and paint, then the final inspection and the keys.
Remodeling concepts
Garage apartment conversion: conditions and possibilities.
AI-generated examples of existing conditions and remodeling possibilities. Each image is a separate concept, not a documented transformation of the same home.
What your garage apartment is built with
The parts that turn a garage into a home are named in your estimate, so you can compare quotes fairly.
The difference between a converted garage that feels like a garage and one that feels like an apartment is the floor, the walls and the air. We list the brand and spec for each so nothing is left vague.
Sleeper floor system
Treated sleepers and rigid foam from brands like Owens Corning laid over the slab, then plywood, so the floor is warm, level and dry.
Mineral wool insulation
Rockwool batts in the walls and ceiling that insulate, block sound from the driveway and slow fire between the unit and parked cars.
Ductless mini-split
A single-zone heat pump from Mitsubishi or Fujitsu that heats and cools the apartment efficiently, with its own thermostat for the tenant.
Fire-rated drywall
Type X gypsum board on walls and ceilings shared with a garage, required by code to slow a fire from spreading into the living space.
Egress windows
Vinyl or fiberglass windows from Andersen or Pella big enough for escape, set where the garage door was to bring in light.
Waterproof flooring
Luxury vinyl plank from brands like COREtec that handles tenants, pets and spills, and stays comfortable over an insulated slab.
Written into every contract
Six promises you can hold us to.
The approved price is the final price. Change orders only with your written approval.
A credit for every working day of delay we cause. Weather and inspections excepted, in writing.
Dust barriers, floor protection and a clean-up before we leave. Your home stays livable.
A text or email every working day with photos and tomorrow's plan, or the day is free.
Workmanship warranty in writing, transferable to the next owner, backed by a fixed address.
A small deposit, then you pay only for work that is already completed, inspected and photographed.
Who builds your garage apartment
One supervisor from zoning to keys, with the same crew every week.
A garage apartment needs a carpenter, a plumber, an electrician and the town inspector to agree. The supervisor coordinates all of them. Everyone on site is background-checked and named.
Apartment supervisor
Checks zoning, schedules inspections and texts you updates.
Lead carpenter
Frames in the door, levels the floor and builds the rooms.
Plumbing lead
Cuts the slab trench and ties the unit into the sewer line.
Illustrative project scopes
Garage apartment conversion: scope and budget examples.
Planning examples with illustrative budgets and durations. These are not completed customer jobs, invoices or promises about your project.
Two-car, one-bedroom unit
- Example budget
- $138,600
- Example duration
- 4 months
- Record type
- Illustrative scope
One-car studio
- Example budget
- $84,200
- Example duration
- 3 months
- Record type
- Illustrative scope
Apartment above garage
- Example budget
- $231,000
- Example duration
- 6 months
- Record type
- Illustrative scope
Your garage is not average
Every garage and every lot is different. Here is how yours changes the apartment price.
Garage apartment estimates start from the three tiers above, then move for the building, the lot and the rules in your town. Find the one closest to yours.
Rented to a tenant
A tenant needs a separate meter, a lockable entrance, smoke and carbon monoxide alarms and a lease-ready unit. We build to those standards and give you the numbers you need to compare the build cost with local rent.
Price my rentable garage apartmentAn adult child moving home
A garage apartment gives a grown child privacy with a short walk to the house. Sharing the main meter and a simpler kitchen lowers the price, and the unit can still be rented later if the rules allow.
Price a garage apartment for familyAn old detached garage
Older garages often have small footings, no sheathing and a slab poured without a vapor barrier. We inspect before pricing and tell you honestly when tearing down and building new costs less than saving it.
Check if my old garage can be savedParking and zoning rules
Many towns require replacement parking when a garage becomes a home, plus setbacks and owner-occupancy rules. We check yours by address before the visit and draw the parking into the site plan when needed.
Check zoning for my garage apartmentA careful budget
A studio in one bay, a kitchenette on one wall, a shower instead of a tub and a shared meter can keep a garage apartment near $80,000. We show where cutting saves money and where it lowers the rent you can ask.
Get my budget garage apartment priceA garage next to the alley
Garages on alleys hear every truck. We use mineral wool, double-pane windows on the alley side and a solid entry door, and place the bedroom on the quiet side, so the unit rents as a home rather than a garage.
Price a quiet garage apartmentCold winters
A garage slab is cold all winter. We insulate the floor and the slab edge, seal the old door opening tightly and choose a heat pump rated for low temperatures, so a tenant is not heating the driveway.
Price a warm garage apartmentRoom for two bedrooms
A three-car garage or an apartment above a two-car garage can often fit two bedrooms. The extra bedroom mostly adds framing and finish cost, while plumbing and permits stay close to the one-bedroom price.
Price a two-bedroom garage unitWhat this service is
Garage apartment conversion, defined the way we build it.
Garage apartment conversion is the transformation of an existing garage into a legal, independent dwelling unit with its own kitchen, bathroom, sleeping area and entrance, either inside the garage bays or in a new second story above them. ProBuild Remodeling does it as a licensed general contractor, with zoning review, engineering, permits and construction under one contract.
The service covers the zoning and parking check, plans, engineering, slab and sewer work, door infill, insulation, floor, framing, kitchen, bathroom, electrical service or meter, heating and cooling, fire separation and finishes. It does not cover turning a garage into a bedroom or office for the main house, or garage storage upgrades, which are separate services.
It is for homeowners who want rental income or a separate home for an adult child or relative, and who have a garage and a lot where a second unit is allowed. It is not for owners who still need the garage parking and cannot build above, or for garages that are leaning or rotting beyond repair.
Garage apartment words on your estimate
- Door infill
- The new wall, window and footing that close the opening where the garage door used to be, matched to the siding.
- Sleeper floor
- Wood strips and foam laid over the garage slab under a new subfloor, making a floor that is level, warm and dry.
- Slab trench
- A cut through the concrete floor to lay drain and water lines to the kitchen and bath, patched after inspection.
- Grinder pump
- A small pump that pushes wastewater uphill to the sewer line when the apartment sits below or far from it.
- Separate meter
- An electric meter just for the apartment, so the tenant pays the bill. Some utilities require it for rentals.
- Fire separation
- Fire-rated drywall and doors between living space and any area where cars still park, required by code.
- Replacement parking
- An off-street parking space some towns require when a garage is turned into a living unit.
- Dwelling unit
- A legal home with cooking, sleeping and sanitary facilities. A garage apartment must be permitted as one.
Garage apartment questions
Eight garage apartment questions we hear before every visit.
How much does it cost to convert a garage into an apartment?
A studio inside a one-car garage costs about $70,000 to $120,000, and a one-bedroom inside a two-car garage $110,000 to $170,000. Building a new apartment on top of the garage runs $160,000 to $280,000. The sewer route and the slab condition move the price most.
Can I legally rent out a garage apartment?
In many towns, yes, if it is permitted as a dwelling unit and meets local rules on parking, setbacks and sometimes owner occupancy. Some places limit short-term rentals. We check your address before design so the unit can be rented the way you plan.
Is it cheaper to convert a garage than build a new ADU?
Usually, yes. The roof, walls and slab already exist, so a garage apartment often costs 30 to 50 percent less than a new detached unit of the same size. The savings shrink if the garage needs major repairs or a second story.
How long does a garage apartment conversion take?
Plans and permits take six to twelve weeks in most towns. After that, a studio takes about three to four months, a one-bedroom four to five months and an apartment above the garage five to seven months.
Do I need to replace the parking I lose?
Some towns require one off-street space for the new unit, others waive it near transit or for ADUs. If you need it, we add a parking pad or widen the driveway, and include it in the site plan and the estimate.
Can a garage apartment have a full kitchen?
Yes. A legal apartment needs cooking, sleeping and bathroom facilities, and most of ours have a full-height fridge, a range and a sink. A studio may use a compact 24-inch range to save wall space.
Can you build an apartment on top of my existing garage?
Often, if the lot allows the height and the footings and walls can be strengthened. An engineer checks the structure first. Most garage footings need enlarging, which we price before plans are filed.
Does the garage floor stay concrete?
The concrete stays, but it is covered. We level and insulate it with a sleeper floor or foam layer and a new subfloor, so the apartment floor is warm, dry and level with the entry threshold.
Garage apartments near you
Your remodeling address, within our service area.
Garage apartments are built by local crews under the license of your state. Rental and parking rules differ by town, so every address is checked first.
- Maine
- New Hampshire
- Massachusetts
- Rhode Island
- Connecticut
- New York
- New Jersey
- Pennsylvania
- Delaware
- Maryland
- Virginia
- North Carolina
- South Carolina
- Georgia
- Florida
- Check your remodeling address
Free garage apartment check
Send your answers and two garage photos. Find out if yours can become a rentable home.
A garage apartment supervisor reads your answers, checks your zoning, texts you within five minutes on business days and books the visit.