Yarn or Fabric

I am trying to convince hubby to put an addition on the house. My oldest son loves RockBand playing drums and it needs to get out of the main house - and I'd like to have a nice rec room that we can shut the door on to kind of muffle the sound if you know what I mean... I also like the idea of having a place where my kids will want to hang out with their friends when they are teens instead of going to other people's house - a nice, private rec room would be priceless....

Anyhoooo.... I realize that you rarely ever get what you put in to an improvement but to me it will be worth it to not get headaches from all the noise noise noise (I feel like the Grinch lol)

Do you reckon it is better to brick up the garage door, put in a doorway and turn the 1 1/2 car attached garage in to a rec room and build a 2 car detached garage....

or put an addition off the back of the house that is a kind of L shape instead? I think the addition won't look as nice and it will also mean we'll lose the windows in the main living room area since it would be coming off of that area.

I think the detached garage is the way to go but he thinks it will detract from our home value.

Hubby also wants to have a storm shelter installed since we are not loving the tornadoes here and they seem to be getting worse every year. I'm going to blame global warming on that lol. I am glad he wants to do that!! I wanted it when we moved here but he thought it was silly. Our home just doesn't have a good place to really hunker down in the event of a tornado.

I was just curious if anyone has any thoughts on it.

nativetexan

not a realtor but i wouldn't want to block off windows with an addition. i always hate that look. so another garage seems to be a good answer.
bomb shelter in the backyard too, underground of course.

redquilter

Not a realtor either but I think an addition to the house. Everyone always likes having a family room. I, personally, wouldn't worry about resale unless you're planning on moving in the very near future. Do what makes you happy so you can enjoy it for years to come. Who knows what the real estate market will be like then? Could be better,could be worse but at least you will have gotten pleasure out of your project.

Nanamoms

I'm not a realtor either but I would think blocking the windows would be more of a issue affecting market value, especially since you would probably need to make the room "soundproofed" (LOL). Now if you added a sun room style that would probably be an asset and you wouldn't lose your natural lighting.

YES on the storm shelter. I see you're in AL. My niece lives just outside Tuscaloosa and they built their storm shelter prior to building their home on the land they have! Has come in handy several times.

Yarn or Fabric

I think I'll call a realtor - the one that sold us this house and just ask her. I really like the idea of a detached garage. Call me funny but I find them more charming than an attached one however I do see appreciate being able to just pull in so you don't get wet when it's raining...

I think we would be able to keep one window in that room - a sunroom wouldn't work at all. They want to be able to play video games in there and have it a bit more soundproof. Our development has an all brick clause in our covenants too :( No sun rooms allowed here unless they are somehow bricky. Everything has to be approved here.

I'm going to take a tape measure outside and see what I can come up with...

mommaB

I'm not a realtor..but I don't think it will affect the value either way, as long as whatever you do looks like it belongs and is quality construction. If your current attached garage isn't finished inside, just studs, that's great, because you can put soundproofing insulation in! I think budget wise, it would probably be cheaper to build another garage. I would never cover up windows if I could avoid it,( and I wouldn't buy a dark house either).

I'm all for the storm shelter even if you do nothing else!! Tornados are mean and scarey things. Even straight wind can be very dangerous. Peace of mind is what your after here (and maybe enough room for the drum set?? :lol: )

I see now you have a HOA? Will they even allow you to build a detached garage? They will throw a wrench in the works for sure! Maybe an app't with an architect would help, they might be able to come up with a better plan than covering up windows. Good luck!

true4uca

My friend just converted her garage into a sewing room. Walls insulated. Interior wall 3 ft. inside garage door, a storage area width of garage. Garage door stays operational to access the storage area. She used carpet. If she moves this interior wall & carpet can be removed & garage is restored. Of course this is a townhouse, so she parks outside.

Yarn or Fabric

That is a really interesting concept - is it cold in the winter or hot in the summer though? I'll have to see how much space the storm shelter would take up.. that is a good possibility. I would love to see pictures if she wouldn't mind sharing them ;) I'm having a hard time envisioning how the garage door opener would be and all.

Ramona Byrd

I think I'll call a realtor - the one that sold us this house and just ask her. I really like the idea of a detached garage. Call me funny but I find them more charming than an attached one however I do see appreciate being able to just pull in so you don't get wet when it's raining...
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Me too. I just can not see why any architect thinks anyone who could afford an expensive house would believe it looks nice with a garage right next to the front door. I can see one slightly behind the house or at the rear of one. You'd think anyone who had that kind of money could afford a driveway to the back of the house and turn around space. When I win the lottery that's the one I'm going to build.

true4uca

Sorry no pictures. I know she removed most of door opener & stored. She covered what she couldn't remove with a drop ceiling. She has electric heat, we don't need a/c. Lots of people here use their garages as living space ie. family rooms or bedrooms. A few streets over one lady uses it as a hair salon. The house looks the same on the outside. They do have side doors.