Au pair/in-law suite above detached garage?

[Anonymous]

If you are in DC, you might be able to get an exception under the new zoning regs to build your accessory building. But that depends on how much of your property is currently built on.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Zoning alert! Are you sure your area will allow it? A lot of places forbid creating what is, essentially, another apartment in a lot zoned for a single family.

Make sure you can even do this.

We are thinking of buying a house with a detached garage with an apartment over it. We thought it would be a nice option in case we could switch from our nanny arrangement to an au pair arrangement.

My DH had the idea that, instead of buying a different house, we could just renovate our house and then build a detached garage with an apartment above it.

We live in Bethesda. I thought I had read a year or so ago that MoCo was trying to make housing more affordable by allowing home-owners to have a tenant without having to go through a lengthy approval process. Is that still the case?

(This makes me realize I need to completely check out this house we are considering buying. We thought it was a great advantage that it had a detached garage and apartment above it. If anything, we'd love it for when my in-laws come, assuming we did not have an au pair.)

[Anonymous]

I am doing a version of this in Arlington right now.
Two car detached garage
Office with half bath above


125k- will possibly be more when finished.

[Anonymous]

My guess is $100 to $150k.

Theres a lot involved here - plumbing that has to connect to the mains, electrical panel distinct from house (or dug deep and connected), a basic kitchen ($10k), bathroom ($5k), plus air conditioning and heating unit ($10k), possibly gas connection, Etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My guess is $100 to $150k.

Theres a lot involved here - plumbing that has to connect to the mains, electrical panel distinct from house (or dug deep and connected), a basic kitchen ($10k), bathroom ($5k), plus air conditioning and heating unit ($10k), possibly gas connection, Etc.

Pp here. Forgot to mention - permits plus architect fees could easily be $10 to $15k on top. Probably closer to $150.

[Anonymous]

You can buy plans online (there is a small additional fee if you need design alterations (to fit the lot etc)), this would save you the architect fees.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:could be $100-200k depending on site work and finishes

it's tough to get a permit for these so I'd look into that first - especially if there is a kitchen

In some places it isn't considered a "kitchen" unless there is an oven. No oven, no kitchen. You can do quite a bit with a few burners, a fridge, sink and toaster oven.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Zoning alert! Are you sure your area will allow it? A lot of places forbid creating what is, essentially, another apartment in a lot zoned for a single family.

Make sure you can even do this.

We are thinking of buying a house with a detached garage with an apartment over it. We thought it would be a nice option in case we could switch from our nanny arrangement to an au pair arrangement.

My DH had the idea that, instead of buying a different house, we could just renovate our house and then build a detached garage with an apartment above it.

We live in Bethesda. I thought I had read a year or so ago that MoCo was trying to make housing more affordable by allowing home-owners to have a tenant without having to go through a lengthy approval process. Is that still the case?

(This makes me realize I need to completely check out this house we are considering buying. We thought it was a great advantage that it had a detached garage and apartment above it. If anything, we'd love it for when my in-laws come, assuming we did not have an au pair.)

As long as they don't have issues climbing stairs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Zoning alert! Are you sure your area will allow it? A lot of places forbid creating what is, essentially, another apartment in a lot zoned for a single family.

Make sure you can even do this.

We are thinking of buying a house with a detached garage with an apartment over it. We thought it would be a nice option in case we could switch from our nanny arrangement to an au pair arrangement.

My DH had the idea that, instead of buying a different house, we could just renovate our house and then build a detached garage with an apartment above it.

We live in Bethesda. I thought I had read a year or so ago that MoCo was trying to make housing more affordable by allowing home-owners to have a tenant without having to go through a lengthy approval process. Is that still the case?

(This makes me realize I need to completely check out this house we are considering buying. We thought it was a great advantage that it had a detached garage and apartment above it. If anything, we'd love it for when my in-laws come, assuming we did not have an au pair.)

I thought au pairs need to live in the house with you? Maybe a live-in nanny though.

[Anonymous]

If you don't put in a kitchen, you may be able to get away with it. We just bought a house with a suite above the non-attached garage. They had to ensure there wasn't any studio type set up, where is could be considered a rental unit.

I was told the cost was 50k for materials. Previous home owner built it himself. It's really nice and we've had mutilple people ask for the name of the builder.

Montgomery County

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you don't put in a kitchen, you may be able to get away with it. We just bought a house with a suite above the non-attached garage. They had to ensure there wasn't any studio type set up, where is could be considered a rental unit.

I was told the cost was 50k for materials. Previous home owner built it himself. It's really nice and we've had mutilple people ask for the name of the builder.

Montgomery County

PP here. Many thanks for the input.

Any suggestions for a builder who would do this? Perhaps we could just make it a suite above the garage with a bathroom (but no kitchen), if that's easier to get approved?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am doing a version of this in Arlington right now.
Two car detached garage
Office with half bath above


125k- will possibly be more when finished.

Greetings! If you like your builder, can you share the name? Thank you!

[Anonymous]

In was a nanny who had a set up similar to this. I had a room and bathroom above the detached garage. No kitchen though, had to go into the house for that.
I loved it....aahh fond memories, such a nice family.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:PP. if you ever sell your house you will probably have to rebuild the halway as your home will not comply with local zoning ordinances and you won't be able to obtain title insurance fir the non complying structure.

And in addition to that, the now detached garage is likely no longer covered under their homeowners insurance which likely insures an attached garage that no longer exists. Risky game.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am doing a version of this in Arlington right now.
Two car detached garage
Office with half bath above


125k- will possibly be more when finished.

NP here. Would love to consider building a detached garage with a family room above it (with just a bathroom -- no kitchen). I'm not sure where to start. Any recs of builders?