Do you have a garage? Could you open your garage and [maybe with some cleaning] park your vehicle inside? Or have you remodeled your garage and converted the space into a rec room, extra bedroom, or family den? Maybe you have walled over the interior of the garage door or removed the door entirely and replaced it with a new exterior wall. You may not be aware, but if you have enclosed or remodeled your garage and did not obtain a building permit, you have an illegal garage enclosure.

Within the City of Blythe, when you enclose a garage, you must provide alternate covered parking. The Blythe Municipal Code outlines the number of required covered parking spaces and prohibits the removal of covered parking from residential property.

Most garages are not constructed to be energy efficient. There are many specific improvements that must be performed to bring a garage into compliance with the State of California Building and Energy Codes. Plus, as garages are not constructed for living space, they are not safe sleeping areas without important life safety alterations.

If a fire occurs in an illegal garage conversion, your homeowner’s insurance policy may not cover the loss. Should you decide to refinance or sell your home, many banks and finance companies check with the Building Department to see if garage conversions have been permitted and inspected, prior to authorizing financing.

In the long run, enclosing your garage without permits may be more trouble than it is worth. For additional information, contact your local Building Department at 235 North Broadway or via phone at (760) 922-6130. Our office hours are Monday-Friday from 7 a.m.-4 p.m.