It is at best a gross factor.
A smaller house is likely to have a higher per square foot price than some larger houses.
Kitchens and baths are expensive rooms, and the percentage of a smaller house dedicated to them can easily be higher than a larger house with a living room, a family room, and a dining room.

You must be reading my overindulgent, fantasy laden, decadent mind.
I see a luxery bathroom with a jacuzzi, steam shower and towel warmer etc... LOL

I need that bit of info ... thank you very much!!!!!!

Hello Mary... I have posted a link for a plan that I am probably going to use as the basis for an expanded version.

The stock plan is 26' x 34' but I want 28' x 44' at least. And like you I want a second story deck off of the back side facing into my back woods. So where the stock plan has the stairs, I want a French door opening onto the deck.

In a traditional 12/12 pitch roof, the roof line is going up at a 45 degree angle, so at roughly about six feet from the edge it will start to give six feet of headroom.

A 22' wide building... minus 12' (6' each side) leaves only ten feet down the center of good headroom. A 26' wide building will provide a much more useful 14' wide area of good headroom down the center.

In a few weeks I should have my plans in a form I can post. The link below should lead to many more garage/apartment plans.

Terry

Here is a link that might be useful: garage apartment

You are going to build a three-story structure in your backyard? If I am understanding your post correctly you are talking about an 800 sq ft garage with 1300 above it over two additional stories.

Unless your main house is an estate, that's going to look kind of weird. I'd also be surprised if it would comply with local regs.

Of course, if you are on a couple acres it could look fine. How big is the lot? How big is the main house?

OK, sorry to be all psychological, but before you start, spend some time imagining your home, occupied by someone else, while you sit up there in your appartment watching. Are you sure you are OK with that? I only ask because I know I wouldn't be.

Your next step is to visit you local zoning/planning office, and ascertain whether the structure you propose is even legal on your lot: no point designing it-- even in your head-- if it isn't.

To tackle some of your actual building questions: Like Brickeye says, $/ft. is a tool for getting you to a ballpark figure, but not a very useful one. The garage will probably cost less than that, the upper floor may be more, if you 'lux it up' a bit: it's not hard to spend $10/ft, even $20/ft on flooring, if you go high end. A kitchen sink can cost anywhere from $100 to $2,000 dollars. TOTL showers can go $10,000 for the sprays and valves alone...

As to width of garage: the extra 2 feet of length will require only 4 total more feet of wall, so will cost less than the rest of the structure. Will you need it? Hard to say: I like small cars, but also need a pickup truck. 24 would be the smallest I'd consider.

To Terry's explanation of roof pitches, let me add: you aren't goint to tuck a two level apartment up under that roof unless you add taller sidewalls. Gables can add a lot of useful space without raising the roof [so to speak], but that's only useful on the upper most level.

Is this a joke? I can't imagine someone willingly moving into a garage apartment and renting out their house...isn't this normally done the other way around? And, I can't imagine putting a luxury bathroom (were you joking?!) in a garage apartment. Anyway, sq ft costs are irrelevant until the home/garage/apartment is finished...then you can look back and say $XX/sq ft.

I think you're going to have a hard time having the 3rd floor be completly usable due to the reasons listed above. I think you definitely need to check with your zoning office. You'll probably want the first level (garage) to have at least 10' ceilings...so altogether, you're looking at a structure about 30' before the roof. I'm sorry, but in my opinion this sounds like a monstrosity. Do you already have a potential renter for your house? B/c if not, I think that by building this structure you may be impacting your ability to rent the house.

Hi, thanks for all the info. I really appreciate it!!!

My house is 1290 sq ft. I have a very large back yard compared to most in my area. IM calling the structure an apartment but what Im really wishing for is more space than I have now and with a better floor plan. I feel cramped in my house. If I build something I like better than my house I dont think I will be wishing to be back in my house.

I thought of moving because I wanted more space and a garage but the current location Im in just cant be beat. I looked all over the city and I really do have a primo spot. I also have a garden here that I LOVE!!!

I will only be losing a very small portion of my garden with this projest.

Im right next to the river and woods in the middle of the city so building something on my lot seems like a good idea. I HAVE TO LIVE in the city of milwaukee because I work for the MPS school district. Its a rule they have.

ALso, I am in an area where condos are going up all over the place. To the west of me is a three story condo that was just built and to the east Is a huge three story house with a garage apaprtment.

I used to have a lovely view of the trees lining the river but since the house was built I lost ALL My east view. I look out at a garage about five feet away. Uhg!
I want a view back with a more spacious house.

I already posted my house for rent on craigs list and have a lot of responces for the house. Its 5 min from downtown, the university and the lake.
I have a great deck off the back of my house and when you sit on deck, because its tree lined to the west, where my house/gargage will go, you will only see a very small portion of the new garage.

It probably would have looked strange a few years ago before all this development but now it would fit in with all the other crazy stuff going up around here. I already went to the zoning people and I can definetely build on the lot. It has to get an OK because of the height but he said that the only reason it would be denied is if a neighbor complained. I alreay asked all my neighbors and everyone thinks its a great idea.
ALso I talked to the city architect because they sell plans down there, I heard for 10 $ a page!!!!!!!!
He was going to lunch when I was leaving and we talked a bit. He said he may be willing to draw up some custom plans for me. HOW's that for LUCK??????
So , ya its weird, I know and I have had reservations about leaving my house but that only encourages me to design something really great!!!!! And if I live there a while and decide differently I can change my mind later. Its not the end of the world. ALso, Im thinking it a good investment and a FUN PROJECT!!!

Im curious if if it makes more sense to you now. IM open for total honesty because maybe in my desire for more space Im blinded to practicality.

Also I am a ministerial counselor and I want to run some spiritual groups in my new spacce. CUrrently the space I have wouldnt work so...

It doesn't make any more sense to me now. Why don't you just renovate your house?

BTW - You still haven't told us how big the lot is.

HHHMMMMM that still wont get me a view!

THe only place I have to build more space is to the west of my house, which looks at an ugly alley and other peoples houses. In the back I have a nice view of trees and my garden.

The proximity of the garage/house would be farther away from my current house than most houses are around here. Houses are on top of each other here in my neighborhood. Im in an urban area.

I do not know the dimesions of my lot but the surveyor is coming soon. I'll know then.
Also if I built a new house and rent this one out I would have someone help to pay the loan. If I remodel Im paying the loan without any help!

Can you be sure your new view won't be blocked? You mentioned a lot of new development in your area.

Mary, I used to own property on Franklin Place on the east side, which is close to where you probably live. What you are proposing is likely non-conforming from a zoning perspective. You almost certainly would need a variance, which may be possible, but not a guarantee. There are all kinds of funky two house on one lot properties in that area, but almost all were built long before current zoning rules were put in place. Also, $100/sq ft is likely unrealistic in metro Milwaukee. Think closer to $150, especially with it having to be custom designed/built. Just my two cents.

THere is no possible place to build east of me. There is one house there now and then the river.....THere is no possibilty of ruining the view. The river corridor right here has been zoned as a park and it is not possible to build right here.

I talked to the zoning people and he said I could build and that the only thing that would interfere would be a neighbor complaint.

Yes, you lived real close to where I am now.
I dont know how long ago you lived here but it's condoville now everywhere!!!! This whole area has changed. I am aware that I need a variance. Like I said the neighors right next to me built a garage with an apartment too.

Now im looking at my house and thinking about a remodel but at the same time it seems to me that would be a costly event too!

Im thinking it would be cheaper for me to build and have some one help pay the mortgage.

I'm starting to suspect that you don't understand how big the structure you are suggesting will be. I would be really surprised if your neighbors allowed the variance. Are you sure you told them you were thinking three stories?

Can you look at the neighbor's garage apartment and imagine a whole additional story sandwiched between the garage space and the upper floor?

BTW - we just built a cabin similar in size and shape to what you are suggesting and it cost over 300k. We had a very thifty builder. We also recently ran the numbers for a two-car garage with a +/- 400 sq ft guest suite above and we were guessimating $80k for a nice exterior, but bare bones interior finishes. We are not in your area, but just to give you an idea of how different what you are proposing is from the typical "garage apartment."

Yes, I understand how big the structure is and yes the neighbors are allowing the variance and yes I told them three stories. Im on a dead end with very few neighbors. Not many people even are aware there are houses where I am. Im tucked away off the main street.

Yes, the neighbors three car garage with 884 sq ft.of living area cost them $80,000.

Ok thanks everyone,
I am actually reconsidering for a moment and looking to see if there is any way of adding space to my house.

Yes, why not build UP on your existing house?

Yeah, put the money towards your existing house, building back and/or up. If you really want "view space" why not get a small out building, like a gazebo or "shed" that's finished nicely for work/contemplation/relaxation.

Also, if you need help on the money, what about incorporating a rental unit into the enlarged house? Create a lower-level kitchen/bath/apt. and that can help you out.

Based on some of the comments, I suspect not everyone is familiar with Milwaukee and its weather. I think it was Mark Twain who said "The snowiest winter he ever experienced was spring-time in Wisconsin."

From your description, it sounds like the Riverside park area... and I think its a fantastic idea! I can't help you out with the cost, but I can tell you that I currently live in a 1950's cape cod that is 1,250 sq ft. The outside dimensions of my house are approximately 25'x25'. The house was very comfortable for me and my wife. Now that we have a child we are starting to run into space issues.

The only thing I would caution you against is: Would you be able to comfortably afford paying your mortgauge and the "garage loan" if you can't get a renter? I've never tried to get a renter before, but it sounds like a lot of work.