Has anyone converted a carport to a garage? (Fort Lauderdale: how much, house)

[night0wl]

Hi all,

My vintage 1956 Fort Lauderdale home has always had a carport. We're thinking its time to finally enclose it in and make a garage. I'd like to do this project DIY, however permitted and on the up and up.

Has anyone done a owner-builder permit in Fort Lauderdale? What are they now requiring? I know in the past, there were drawings that were required to be signed by an engineer/architect. However what about all the work itself? Is it required to use a contractor now? Or can you DIY? What about electrical, plumbing, and garage doors?

I know people will say just hire a GC - however two factors are keeping me away from this. First, is that I simply dont want to have to have to deal with a GC in SE Florida. Been burned too many times. Second, I want to get experience building w/Concrete Block construction so that I can decide whether I would ever build my own home from scratch on a remote piece of property I own. So this is a bit of a learning excercise.

DIYers....please chime in!!!

[City Guy997S]

Here is the jam......most carports are too short. Since they often put the laundry room at the end of the carport the carport is shorter by 5-8 ft. If you imagine the new garage door being flush with the edge of the house (aesthetics) then look at the space you have left you will see that it is now a Mini Cooper garage.

The roof overhang can deceive you on how much space you will have left. My buddy was going to do it but decided in the end he would rather have covered parking than a garage just good for storage!


Good luck........not sure though you need plumbing and electric in your garage. The carport probably already has existing outlets.

[night0wl]

Originally Posted by City Guy997S

Here is the jam......most carports are too short. Since they often put the laundry room at the end of the carport the carport is shorter by 5-8 ft. If you imagine the new garage door being flush with the edge of the house (aesthetics) then look at the space you have left you will see that it is now a Mini Cooper garage.

The roof overhang can deceive you on how much space you will have left. My buddy was going to do it but decided in the end he would rather have covered parking than a garage just good for storage!


Good luck........not sure though you need plumbing and electric in your garage. The carport probably already has existing outlets.

The laundry room and such were enclosed in a while back before I even owned the house. What are the standard dimensions of a single car garage? We see lots of our neighbors have done this already to...single car garages.

[City Guy997S]

Originally Posted by night0wl

The laundry room and such were enclosed in a while back before I even owned the house. What are the standard dimensions of a single car garage? We see lots of our neighbors have done this already to...single car garages.

Hanging the door makes it look like a garage but if it is 12 ft long inside won't get too many cars in there. My first house had a one car garage that was 16 ft wide (4 ft on each side of the door) and 25 ft deep......it was insane! A normal one car garage is closer to 10X20.