Q: Two years ago, I bought a home where the previous owner enclosed a single-car garage to turn it into a fourth bedroom. He put drywall inside on the walls so that it looks just like a bedroom. However, they left the garage door on the front of the house. How can I find out if he did this legally or not?
A:Β Check the appraisal for your home to see if the additional square footage is listed in the size estimate for your home. If the appraisal uses language that says the square footage is βas-built,β then the previous owner clearly did the work without a permit. It would be good if you would get the home inspected now and apply for a permit to make everything legitimate. You might not even have to make improvements if there are no code violations with the sellerβs workmanship. But if youβre planning to keep the bedroom, it would be nice if youβd remove the garage door. Be advised that your property taxes might go up if you increase the livable square footage. You can also check with your local building department to see whether any permits were issued for work done on the house.
For more do-it-yourself tips, go to rosieonthehouse.com. An Arizona home building and remodeling industry expert for 25 years, Rosie Romero is the host of the syndicated Saturday morning Rosie on the House radio program, heard locally from 8-11 a.m. on KNST-AM (790) in Tucson and KGVY-AM (1080) and -FM (100.7) in Green Valley. Call 888-767-4348.
