In the architect's plan the space around the toilet doesn't look like enough to accommodate someone in a wheelchair, so please check the measurements for that. In your design I'm not a fan of the toilet being right across from the door.

Since hanging clothes take up 2' of space (from the wall) your 5' deep WIC will only allow one rack across the back. You could turn that into a reach-in closet, have the same amount of hanging space, and add the extra space to the bathroom. Plus I'm not sure a 5' wide WIC would have an aisle wide enough to turn a wheelchair around.

Curious why the architect removed the closet that you had near the garage door. Even if you're in a warm climate you might want room for umbrellas, vacuum, broom, jackets, etc. In both plans there seems to be a lot of unused space between the garage door and the laundry area.

No I doubt she has worked in my town before. She did ask me about the entrance from the garage stating other towns with a similar addition require a connection to the house not just garage. I informed her the zoning officer was ok with that.

I’m not a pro, but I think you want the plumbing in the same general vicinity. Bathroom, laundry, wet bar/sink. But I have no idea of relationship between in-law area plumbing and house plumbing.....

My husband initiated the plan and originally put the laundry next to the bathroom. I moved the laundry across the space to the rear wall so the dryer can vent directly out to the back yard. We are hoping to build the addition on a slab as our garage is too. As long as we get the plumbing set up before we pour foundation I didn’t think it would be an issue to have it on the other side?

Yes there is some empty space as I wasn’t sure how large the walkways should be for an accessible space. Maybe we could put a desk in that corner by the laundry if the door to laundry isn’t centered.

The architect did make the Walk in closet 5x10 and the bedroom a foot deeper at 13x14. Maybe i should leave BR 12x14 and make the WIC 6x10? I put the toilet next to the wall for grab bars. Is there a way to do the correct grab bars if the toilet is in the center like the architect changed?

Does anyone think I should show this plan to the zoning officer to get his take on it to make sure he doesn’t consider it an ADU as the first commenter mentioned? When I spoke to him on the phone before sitting down to figure out a plan I told him it would have a bedroom, bathroom, sitting area and only be attached to our house through the garage. I hadn’t told him at the time we would have a laundry and wet bar as well.

My basement which is not below the garage, but is below my kitchen has the main waste pipe to the septic along the back wall of our house, and it pitches toward the center of my house along back wall so we are hoping to tie into that. Our septic is zoned for 6 bedrooms and our house is 4 bedrooms, so we should be good from that standpoint.

Did you verify if your "architect" is licensed by your State?

The spaces are not wheelchair friendly.

Do you really want your family to enter their unit by first entering your garage?

Is your garage a neat, tidy and enjoyable place? Do you spend a lot of time in your garage?

Both bathrooms are oddly proportioned and laid out. Both need help.

What do you think your architect might come up with if you told her to forget your plan and do her best for you?

If you MIL needs to come to the table for dinner ... you would have to wheel her through the garage and then into your house? What kind of thresholds or step do you have at those garage doors? Might not be easy to navigate with a cane or wheelchair. Do you park cars in the garage? Does it snow there and would you have to wheel your MIL through melting slush in the garage?

I live in a garage apt of similar sq ftge. One long rectangular room as you enter, llving area, dinette, kitchen. Other side of building is bathroom, bedroom, second bedroom hall with four closets (one of which is for washer/dryer combo). My building is more of a square (can do measurements tomorrow). Not wheelchair accessible but walker/rollator friendly.

Thanks everyone for your comments so far. Good points about the closet, bathroom and entry points. We have 2 entries on the plan, one into the garage and one outside near where she would park her car.

To be fair I did not mention the accessibility to the architect when I reached out by email last week. I guess I thought she would remember from other plans she drew up for us last year that we did not build. I reminded her in my follow up email after she sent the drawing. And I also asked her if she could see the space used any differently, but she didn’t offer new suggestions.

Yes we live in NJ so we get all the weather. She doesn’t have an issue with our garage steps currently. When she would visit with the wheelchair the first few months we would roll her in through our front door. So there are options, even though they may not be perfect in bad weather, if she were to be wheelchair bound. We liked this location for the addition to allow us more privacy. We all preferred to have her area as separate as possible.

I’m open to other layout suggestions if anyone wants to reconfigure a better layout.

Would it make any sense to convert the garage into the in-law apartment and add a new garage behind?

chispa I don't think it will work because our septic tank is behind the garage addition area and I don't think we would be able to go back far enough to fit a 3 car garage. If we were able to move everything forward a garage bay or two it probably would work, but we feel messing with the front elevation of the house is too much. We have stone and stucco and a 10 foot picture window at the front of the existing garage. We can't add a 3 car garage to the side either because we are limited to only 15 feet to our building envelope.

I've made some modifications to my excel diagram. Is this any better?

How much daily hands on care are you prepared for in the long term ? Many roads to hell have been paved with the very, very, BEST of intentions.

"When she would visit with the wheelchair the first few months we would roll her in through our front door. So there are options, even though they may not be perfect in bad weather, if she were to be wheelchair bound. We liked this location for the addition to allow us more privacy. We all preferred to have her area as separate as possible."

Just asking............: )

https://www.houzz.com/magazine/10-questions-to-ask-before-sharing-your-home-with-aging-parents-stsetivw-vs~122902618

Yes, your latest design is a lot better. I’m really not impressed with your architect.

Where are you thinking a table would go? And you should plan for a bench and shoe storage by the door she’ll use most- is that the one by the kitchen?

Assuming your MIL is in a wheelchair, how would she enter the apartment from the outside world and how would she get from the apartment to your kitchen? There does not appear to be enough information to begin a design.

Those paths should not have a change in floor level greater than 1/2" unless there is a ramp at a maximum slope of 1 in 12.

Some of these issues are regulated by the building code rather than the zoning ordinance although the officer might review for both.

The required egress door from the addition cannot pass through the garage and the required egress door to the outside must be side-hinged instead sliding. Since an architect would have known this, you should check your designer's credentials online. Fraudulent use of a restricted professional title is taken pretty seriously in New Jersey.

If the wet bar looks like a kitchen waiting for the stove to be delivered you are likely to have a problem with the local zoning/building officer but you can't know without meeting him/her face to face with a drawing. The officer cannot give you a written response; he/she is required to use the permit submission process described in the building code.

I just did this in an accessory building and got permission for a sink and dishwasher in a 5 ft counter but when I added more work counter the officer said no. Instead, leave space for a 3ft high table and don't show any furnishings on the plan.

If you want to design the best possible addition, post a rough plan showing the house, garage and driveway with exterior doors, level changes and septic system marked.

You need to talk to someone with wheelchair living experience.

For my mother we had a large room that had closets along one wall with about 8' of rails low enough that she could reach her clothing from the wheelchair and a shelf above that had her shoes and about 8' of shelving beside the closet. There were shelves above this for longer term storage of items that she didn't need to access daily. Doors should slide vs open out.

We had a vanity in the bedroom with a sink so that she could pull up and bush her teeth, do her hair and makeup. 3 drawers on one side and an open space under the sink that she could roll up to. Prior to the wheelchair we had a bench at the vanity because she was having difficulty standing for any length of time.

She won't be able to reach down into a washer tub so you need front load.

The bathroom needs a wide doorway, a roll in shower with a bench and room to turn a wheelchair around. We had a 4' doorway with the toilet on one side of the doorway and the shower on the other side.

Go visit some aging in place apartments and look at the setups. Spend a day doing your daily activities seated in an office chair on wheels. Try getting dressed - can you reach everything. Doing Laundry, brushing your teeth.

The turn around for your office chair is tight. Wheelchairs, not so much - The space needed for a smooth U-turn in a wheelchair is 78 inches (1965 mm) minimum by 60 inches (1525 mm) minimum.

Wide open doorways and spaces are needed Partial walls can provide privacy without interfering with accessibility. I am thinking a 4 or 5 foot opening to the bedroom space rather than a wall and a door. Doors are a PITA when trying to open and close from a wheelchair.

I agree with others that you don't want an entry only from the garage. Not only is it unsightly, but you need clear access for EMTs to get in and out with a gurney - they can't struggle past a car and whatever else you have in a garage.

Access to the addition would likely be through the exterior door so it should have a sidewalk as well as a ramp and weather protection at the door. I assume the purpose of the door to the garage is for accessing a car in bad weather unless she likes to work on cars.

https://grannyflatsolutions.com.au/special-needs/

Thinking back, my mom also used the kitchen table to do prep work - couldn't stand at the counter or reach up to the counter for prep work from a wheelchair.

Reviewing everything from a wheelchair accessible point of view, especially the toilet area and food prep area is very good advice.

Personal experience; start with the Universal Design bathroom and work from there. Avoid using any "swing" doors (cabinet as well as room doors). Access to bath from bedroom area so as to avoid a door. Closets should be reach-ins with swing-down upper rods. If this living space is to be occupied by one person do not use walls to create a sleeping area. Plenty of space to maneuver around everything is the goal. A decline in mobility can occur "overnight", best to plan ahead.

There is enough negative comments about the design that I would question the abilities of the person designing the addition. Architectural design always starts with the site and there is no mention of that relationship here. Back up and determine the best location for the addition on the site, then see how it relates or can relate to the existing structure/spaces, then look at the arrangement of those spaces as they relate to each other; always keeping in mind the massing of the new and old structure.

Did you check the license of the person you have currently designing your addition yet?

In my garage apt I chose to eliminate an actual stove/range in order to have more cabinet storage. So, my means of 'cooking' is: microwave, table/counter top oven (Breville) and two hob induction plate. I think the Breville was the most expensive item! I have a full size fridge/freezer plus an under counter freezer. Your MIL might not need everything I have (cook from scratch daily). I do not need any special accommodations at this time (I am 80) but do have grab bars in bathroom.

Mark Bischak, Architect I looked up the architect's website and didn't see any info there about her license, nor is it on her previous proposals or invoices to us. Where else would I look for this info without asking her directly?

I have been taking into consideration converting the existing 3 car garage into inlaw space and adding on the new 3 car garage to the back of the existing garage (I'm comfortable only going back 29ft). We would need to utilize some of the old space for our new garage and create a hallway to get into our house, these are dark gray. Here is a diagram of the blank spaces I can envision. Does anyone want to take a stab at creating the inlaw space for me? Please include an exterior entrance near the existing garage doors, wet bar, TV sitting area, sleeping area, and bathroom to include roll in shower. The white area is available for inlaw space. This would have crawl space underneath and it would be the same height/level as our existing house. We will have to also build a ramp and overhang on the exterior by the existing garage doors.

Here is a bit of our original floorplan (kitchen, mudroom, laundry, garage). We have changed the layout of our kitchen a bit in a remodel 2 years ago, but the windows and cabinets are still in same location.

I presume that if we go forward with converting the garage into inlaw space we will move the garage/house entrance to the existing closet space, so I included that revised space on the diagram one comment above.

I posted a link to the NJ architect's license verification site 2 days ago.

my apt is approx 28 ft long by 30 ft wide.The living area is 26 ft x 12 ft for the majority of it, the kitchen portion is 28 ft wide.. The other portion includes a bathroom, hall, 4 closets down the center then the other outside wall has two bedrooms, one of which has a closet protruding into the bathroom. If a sketch would help, pls let me know.

Before planning to convert your existing garage into habitable space, you should check your zoning ordinance.

Many communities require single family homes to have and maintain a minimum of two covered parking spaces.

The plan would be to convert garage into habitable space and add new garage simultaneously.

RES 3d Sketches thank you I missed that was a link the other day. I just checked the site and yes she is a registered architect. I will contact her again and see what she comes up with for a garage conversion and addition, with all the info I now know I need.

Wall-free is great for accessibility, but people sometimes want a more cosy feeling, especially when sleeping. A curtain wall around the bed is an opportunity to add good simple style at a reasonable price. Ikea and others. Adding a motorized option is a nice luxury if not on a budget.

With your proposed plan, you will have the added expense of re-doing the front of the house to replace the garage doors, in a way that doesn't look awkward. Why not leave that alone and save that expense, leaving more of the budget into the apartment itself. No need for new driveway either, or ripping out the old driveway for landscaping.

We have a side entry garage so nothing will look altered from the front of the house. I know what you are saying though, with the floor raised the windows will look higher when we have to replace the garage doors. Just trying to figure out the best option.

Before I go back to the architect how do you feel about this layout? Could this work?

Not a bad start. I still think you should strive for reach-in closets. But you should challenge your architecht to come up with plans for you to compare. If she can’t, then what are you paying her for?

Sorry, but the floor plan above is no better than other similar efforts. Sorry.

Architectural design should be left to your architect--it's what she does every day.

Why don't you give her your list of needs and wants, plus your budget and let her provide some options for review and discussion?

You really don't need to provide her with sketches.

What time of day does the light come into the house? One concern I have is that there will be little light at some times of day. I have read that exposure to bright light early in the morning helps with sleep disorders, which some people have problems with as they age. Is there an east facing window, or if not can a skylight be added?

If you have an architect, ask about light into the plan.

If you architect is designing to accessibility standards, then she will probably suggest a ceiling-height pull-down closet rod. It's the only thing that seems to work for the upper part of a closet, because a standard high closet rod or open shelves are not reachable. I don't think a walk in closet works for a pull down. accessible closet link

How old is your MIL now?

Also who will take care of her if she becomes less physically able to do basic stuff? What if she needs care givers? Where will they sleep?

My mother-in-law is 70. My husband is an only child and she cannot support herself financially. She was not able to save for retirement. So it has always been his desire to take her in.

Since her fall 2 years ago she currently/temporarily lives with her brother in his home that was remodeled for her sister (in a wheelchair) and their aging mother. We still have not figured out what to do with our home over all this time and I thought we had finally found a good solution my husband is on board with. 2 years ago we deliberated about putting on a 1 level or 2 level addition on the opposite side of our house. The architect did drawings for both. Original estimates weren’t too bad so we decided to do a 2 level addition for her and us. We were all on board with that idea as it would give all of us privacy. Then the final estimates came back and were much more than we anticipated. We scratched that idea and went house hunting. Found a house in town with an inlaw suite and amazing backyard and pool, but we didn’t love the house for ourselves. Decided to convert our first floor office and conservatory into and in-law suite for her and finish the basement for us, the architect again did the drawings and plans and we submitted them to the town for permits. As that was taking months and sent back twice my husband realized he didn’t want to convert our first floor space for her as he felt she would be “too close” and it didn’t achieve the privacy we all wanted at the start.
We went house hunting again and have been constantly checking the new listings. My husband then decided that he would prefer to just finish our basement for her (which she was against) and to install an elevator. Even though she wasn’t on board with that idea we still went forward researching elevators. Eventually we realized it wouldn’t be possible for an aesthetically pleasing elevator to service all 3 levels the way our home is designed. Then we came across a house in town that structurally had everything we needed for her and us, we put in an offer and lost because we would have a contingency. Now we find ourselves full circle and looking to put a smaller 1 level addition on to the house by our garage which would help provide all of us the privacy we want. I guess I thought if I could figure it out myself we could save some time with the architect.

Thank you for all of your feedback. I will reach out to the architect and request her unbiased recommendations and expertise to create the inlaw space. I guess I wanted to be in control of this project and wanted to do it my way.

I didn't have time to read all the comments, so someone may have already mentioned this. The only real difference between your plan and the architect's is that your bathroom is (or could be made) accessible, i.e. with a 5-ft turning radius in the room. So, yes, yours is better. The sink and toilet could be switched so that the sink is opposite the door, not the toilet.

Another thought is that the bedroom/closet/bathroom could be flipped. This would consolidate the plumbing. However, the bedroom would be adjacent to the garage and have windows on only one wall, so I don't think this is an improvement. I think your initial plan, with some tweaking, works the best.

My concern for you is what happens when your MIL needs more than just an accessible house. 70 is not old but if she has issues at her age it can only get worse. Who is going to be the one to help her in and out of bed, help her with her toiletry, help her with showering, etc?

Who is going to come and pick her up if she falls?

Where is she going to eat every night?

Is she still able to drive?

The question is, would she be better off with you or in an independent living facility that has the 3 stages of care? Independent, Assisted and Nursing?

Would she be better off isolated in your house or with others?

Be sure the doors are extra wide into bathroom and bedroom to accommodate a wheelchair, not standard size interior doors. The bathroom looks better, can always use more room for a wheelchair. A pedestal sink in bathroom is always better for wheelchair accessibility. A walk-in closet will have real problems being accessable for someone in wheelchair, even a walker, can't turn around well.

Also modifications to make kitchen area sink would not be a bad idea.

Zero edge walk-in/roll in shower with floor drain all along the outside edge, a floor gasket that can be rolled over with walker or wheelchair, enough room for a proper bench in shower, you can go online and find these items. No to shower doors, they get in the way, only curtain. (purchase a higher quality one in the first place,you will be happier) get dimensions on items that might be used. You could even go buy some used ones at a thrift store just to see how much room you need for these things. Donate back when you're done if you don't want to keep.

If wheelchair in future you may end up with a wheelchair van with ramp. How will that work in the configuration?

The plan is poorly drawn and apparently rotated so I can no longer tell how the addition relates the house. I assume the architect has a measured drawing of the relevant part of the house and can therefore draw something that can be more easily understood.

Throw this drawing away and sit down with the architect with a roll of tracing paper and work out a good plan.

I spoke with the zoning officer again in town and showed him our ideas to put an addition behind the garage. He was not sure it could pass zoning since the space we want to add would only have direct access to our garage and an exterior entrance, no way to connect into the existing living space from there. They are worried it could become an apartment in the future. They thought it over and told me that as long as we don’t have the exterior entrance to the addition it would be possible. I think that could open a new can of worms with building permits.

Please look at the existing floor plan (which is flipped from how we actually are) and let me know where you think the best spot for an inlaw addition would be. Inlaw will need to be ADA accessible with bedroom, bathroom, laundry, wet bar and sitting area.

Options we have explored: 25x40 behind garage
25x 17’8” behind conservatory.

If the traffic path will be through your house, be aware that wheelchairs track in a lot of grit and dirt in all weather. There isn't a good way to clean the knobby wheel treads. We replaced our flooring with tile because of this.