Space Question....Garage As Daycare Room..Anyone?

[frugalmama4]

Hello,

Does anyone here have their daycare in the garage? I'm thinking of moving my daycare into the garage to claim back some space. Now I do still need the garage to function as a garage for storage (family of six here)...But I DREAM of having my house back at least some of it.

I have thought of just using the garage as an alternative play/eat area in order to keep it functional for storage...IJDK

Just some information-

The 2-car garage is attach to the house
Open to kitchen (would be great to get my breakfast nook back) dck's would eat outside
I would still use the inside for naps
I would still use the inside towards the end of the day(my dinning room is currently the daycare room, I would keep it set up)

Please POST PICTURES IF YOU HAVE ANY! I did check out previous threads on this topic...but not much information


Thanks

[Meeko]

When I did day care in Air Force base housing, many of the providers used the garage area for day care. I know several do it in my area now.

When we bought our current home, we converted the garage (which goes under the house) into a family room, decked out to look like a cabin!

I got these pics off the web, but it gives you an idea of how a garage can be used (and be turned back into garage later if wanted)

[Meeko]

some more pics of day care playrooms in a garage

[GretasLittleFriends]

My hubby would strangle me if I tried to move the dc out into the garage. He is often gone with his line of work, and when he is home, the garage is his "man cave", "hidey-hole", "escape". However you want to put it, the garage is his space.

My former provider turned part of her garage at her old house into a daycare play room. They had a 2 car attached garage that walked into the house. She divided it in half. The front half was accessible by the garage doors and was used for lawn/garden/outside toy storage, and the back half was used as a playroom. It may have been more than half used for a play room. Though none of it was used to park a vehicle anymore. It looked very nice when they finished it.

[Heidi]

I wish I could do that, but my garage isn't attached via a door to my house (it's attached, but you have to step outside and then up the porch to get into the house), so potty would be an issue.

It's also REALLY COLD in WI in winter, so I'd have to spend a pretty penny installing in-floor heat. It would be nice, though, to have a room that large ((24x24) designated daycare. I have definately fantasized about it....

[Oneluckymom]

I was told by my licsensor that for a garage to be used in california it needs to have an attached bathroom. So that's gonna cost a pretty penny too

But gotta admit... a great idea!

[frugalmama4]

Originally Posted by Meeko

When I did day care in Air Force base housing, many of the providers used the garage area for day care. I know several do it in my area now.

When we bought our current home, we converted the garage (which goes under the house) into a family room, decked out to look like a cabin!

I got these pics off the web, but it gives you an idea of how a garage can be used (and be turned back into garage later if wanted)

Thanks Meeko.....Your super in my book!

I just ran this Ideal by the hubby...he says oh no that's my man cave!
I say whatever...I getting my house back one way or another and since you don't wanna get a second job so we can buy some property...I guess you will share your man cave with the dck's...I'm so mean

[small_steps]

I recently had my garage converted into my daycare room. I love it! I'm on a tight budget and so there's still plenty of stuff I want to do to it but just doing a little at a time when I can afford it. The main thing I want to do is have some cabinets and more storage areas put in. I don't have a lot on my walls so there's plenty of room for some cabinets space at the top of the walls. I can try to post pics later.
I actually added a wall and took out the garage door so my parents have a separate entrance to come into. But if I ever close the daycare more than likely it will just be a game room or an extra bedroom or something. I highly doubt I would want to put up the money to turn it into a garage again.

[frugalmama4]

Originally Posted by small_steps

I recently had my garage converted into my daycare room. I love it! I'm on a tight budget and so there's still plenty of stuff I want to do to it but just doing a little at a time when I can afford it. The main thing I want to do is have some cabinets and more storage areas put in. I don't have a lot on my walls so there's plenty of room for some cabinets space at the top of the walls. I can try to post pics later.
I actually added a wall and took out the garage door so my parents have a separate entrance to come into. But if I ever close the daycare more than likely it will just be a game room or an extra bedroom or something. I highly doubt I would want to put up the money to turn it into a garage again.

Kool beans...thanks small-steps

Please post pic's when you have a min!

[safechner]

Originally Posted by frugalmama4

Hello,

Does anyone here have their daycare in the garage? I'm thinking of moving my daycare into the garage to claim back some space. Now I do still need the garage to function as a garage for storage (family of six here)...But I DREAM of having my house back at least some of it.

I have thought of just using the garage as an alternative play/eat area in order to keep it functional for storage...IJDK

Just some information-

The 2-car garage is attach to the house
Open to kitchen (would be great to get my breakfast nook back) dck's would eat outside
I would still use the inside for naps
I would still use the inside towards the end of the day(my dinning room is currently the daycare room, I would keep it set up)

Please POST PICTURES IF YOU HAVE ANY! I did check out previous threads on this topic...but not much information


Thanks

I think it is good idea! Is your husband know about that? If I do that, my husband would kill me because it is HIS garage. He works in the garage all the time to keep clean his freak motorcycle and tools things. He would fix up a lot of motorcycles from his friends, which he is good at it. That would make him happy in the garage! lol...

[AnythingsPossible]

For licensing purposes, for me it would have to be a complete conversion. Some of the pictures showed that the garage door was still in place. That wouldn't fly with my licensor. There were so many rules and restrictions on what needed to be done, it wasn't worth it for us to spend the money to do it.