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Daycare Center and Family Home Forum>Converting Huge Shop Into Daycare?
tehck_1013 05:34 PM 10-01-2017
We bought the 4 acre 'farm house' 2 years ago. I had previously ran an in-home daycare out of our old tiny house (this farmhouse was our upgrade). Well, we still have a tiny house, but now we have a huge property. The 30x40 shop is huge, is about 30 second walk from the front door, and would make a quick and easy finish since it has a small bathroom and office already, just needs carpeting and paint. I am gearing up full force on becoming licensed again... but does running the daycare out of my shop mean that it now becomes a child care center and must abide by a whole different set of rules?
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tehck_1013 05:49 PM 10-01-2017


the house is on the right... shop is on the left
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flying_babyb 05:54 PM 10-01-2017
wouldnt it count on the amout of kids? I know a lady who runs a home daycare (8 kids) out of a house (converted to a two bath, tiny kitchen, one bedroom (storage) daycare) two miles from hers.
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CalCare 09:03 PM 10-01-2017
Every state is different. In CA, we have to do it in the house you live in. Not 2 miles down the street and not in a shop on the property. It has to be a "home" to be a Family Childcare Home. But, it may work in WA. If so, it seems like you've got a perfect set up
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jenboo 09:03 PM 10-01-2017
It depends on your state. In my state, it would be commercial because you do not live in that building and its not connected to your house
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Josiegirl 02:00 AM 10-02-2017
All I can say is you are so lucky to have a space like that!! As far as legalities of center or home daycare, I have no clue. But wow, all that space, child care OUT of your own living space. Perfect situation for running a child care.
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DaveA 03:41 AM 10-02-2017
Originally Posted by jenboo:
It depends on your state. In my state, it would be commercial because you do not live in that building and its not connected to your house
This is IL also, you would have to license that building as a center. Find a local child care resource and referral agency and get the details on your local regulations.
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daycarediva 03:52 AM 10-02-2017
Originally Posted by CalCare:
Every state is different. In CA, we have to do it in the house you live in. Not 2 miles down the street and not in a shop on the property. It has to be a "home" to be a Family Childcare Home. But, it may work in WA. If so, it seems like you've got a perfect set up
Same in NY.

We converted our walkout basement (drive under garage), house set into a hill) for a completely separate area.

Maybe an attached garage conversion would work for you if licensing is the same in your area.

We also considered a center on our land (we have 5 acres) BUT we would have to have it zoned commercial and subdivided. PITB!
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Meeko 06:59 AM 10-02-2017
Depends on the state. here in Utah, the rule is you must live where your daycare is. However, I know several people have got variances and run their daycare from a converted building on their property. I think licensing were OK with it as it's still on site.
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tehck_1013 08:41 AM 10-02-2017
Thanks everyone for commenting. I am at the beginning stages right now, editing all my paperwork, and my handbook and all that jazz ( I'm a perfectionist when it comes to that stuff :/ ) but talking to the county is my next step to see if I am even allowed to do anything with the shop. Man, I wish daycare was actually about taking care of kids...
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Blackcat31 08:44 AM 10-02-2017
I operate my child care in a separate home other than the one I live in. I am licensed as family child care.

Whether or not you have to reside on site, in the building or off site all together is different for every state/area. I'd check with licensing to be sure before you start anything.
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Blackcat31 08:45 AM 10-02-2017
You can find your state rules here: https://www.daycare.com/washington/
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Blackcat31 08:47 AM 10-02-2017
Family home child care" means a facility licensed by the department where child care is provided for twelve or fewer children in the family living quarters where the licensee resides as provided in RCW 43.215.010 (1)(c).

"Family living quarters" means a licensee's or license applicant's residence and other spaces or buildings on the premises that meet the facility requirements of this chapter and are approved by the department for child care.


According to this ^^ you would be perfectly legal to operate your family child care in a building on your property but one in which you do not live.
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tehck_1013 10:06 AM 10-02-2017
Black cat, I must have totally missed this line altogether! No way! Well thank you so much, you are always so helpful blackcat
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Unregistered 02:47 PM 10-03-2017
This is morningrl, logged out cause my password won't work and its not working to reset my password from my email. Anyhow, I am from WA as well. The info blackcat gave you is what I am seeing too for now. However, dig much more carefully as WA is going through a HUGE change with licensing. They are completely redoing all our rules as we speak. So the rules you see as rules right now will not be the rules in, we believe Nov. I say, we believe as they changed it from Oct to Nov a while ago. Who knows if they will change it again.

They are aligning centers, home daycares and ECAP to have all the same rules. So those of us working alone with 6 kids with a mix of infants, toddlers and preschoolers have to follow the same rules as ECAP where one is in charge of the kids, someone else does the paperwork, another does the cooking and others the cleaning etc. We have to do it all ourselves with ECAP education, paperwork, health and safety regs, environment and teaching standards etc. WA was already one of the strictest licensing states as it was.

Many of us are just now quitting, will be quitting or are very seriously thinking of quitting. Others are even talking of moving out of state.

I recommend you look up del.wa.gov and look up the standards alignnment. It will take quite a while to read and try to get your answers as the DEL website has stuff mixed up everywhere about this topic on the site. Currently licensed providers, have been reading a little at a time as the rules have been proposed over the year as commenting has been aloud and finalizing has been done. We have even had a very hard time getting a hold of licensors that we normally can get a hold of easily as they are also super busy getting ready for the changes. They have just changed all of the licensors jurisdictions as well as now they will be licensing differently.

It would be super cool if you could have your daycare on the same property but not in your house! But definitely make sure its worth it to start changing your place into a daycare first. Good luck!
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Tags:farm, opening a child care, starting a child care
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