Is there any help with government funding home additions?

Vickijene74, moving in with you did not rid her of the 28,000 assessment. But it will add to your assessment if you add the apartment for her. Be sure you have a written share-of-cost contract in front of her. She may then decide YOU are too expensive.

She was in a high rise in Ft. Laurdale they had assessments due $28,000 and she thought it was time to move in with us! He wasn't happy about it but what can we do? She is 77. He has a older brother in RI but she says its to cold!!! This is just hard a hard pill to swallow.

vickijene, another thing to think about regarding adding another bedroom is if you are on a septic system instead of public sewer. Check with the county to see how many bedrooms are allowed for your septic system.

Oh my gosh, I can't believe your husband's mother just assumed you all would take her in without asking. What does your husband think about this? Where was she living prior?

Thank you for taking the time to answer, I think we are in this for the long hall.

I am on 4+ acres but we are zoned for single residence homes only. You would still need to pull a building permit. The building inspector will tell you whether or not you can add the suite and will want to see the complete plan. He may tell you to add smoke detectors, a bigger electrical panel, GFI circuits, sump pumps or whatever new codes call for. When you are done, the house is re-assessed and taxes go up and so does the utility bill and insurance.
If she is incontinent, you plan that into the design so every surface is easily cleaned and deodorized. Many people do this and a year after it is completed mom is in a nursing home anyway. Think far ahead.

Oh and forgot to answer the question about HOA we don't have one we live on 3 acres.

Hi, we just bought our house 8 months ago, which we love! We found out my mother inlaw was moving in a month ago ( we were told by her) not asked. I have been trying to go along and do the right thing which has been hard. We did not no she is sick, when she got here I had our guest room (which right next to our room) set up for her. She woke up I went to make her bed and it wasn't urine I will just say that. She said that my son must have "Got mad because you no how little boys are" I didn't know what to say, so said nothing...I have to make this work but she will need her own space. I spoke to a few contractors they say about $30,000. I am just trying to figure out how to do it. Thank you for listening I feel like I am in a twilight zone.

Vicki, you would need to check with your local bank or with a mortgage lender to see what type of programs are available in your area.

You probably have already made a list of what is involved to convert a garage into a bedroom. GardenArtist above mentioned plumbing and electricity. You will also need to extend the heat ducts and add insulation to the walls and ceiling. Carpeting would need a very thick padding as the garage floor is on a slab and will be cold in winter. But not too thick if your husband's Mom will need a wheelchair or rolling walker. And, of course, the garage door removed and a wall installed with a window, plus siding or brick on the outside. If you live in a HOA subdivision you would need permission before you even start.

I noticed in your profile you said you are already overwhelmed, and your Mom-in-law has been there only a week. Is the overwhelm part due to the size of the house and/or the amount of care that your mother-in-law needs?

You had also wrote that your husband's Mom had wet her bed and she blamed it on your 5 year old.... oh my gosh, that isn't a good start.... Grandma should be fun person to be around, not someone who is blaming a child for things that she herself is doing.

Before you even consider this plan any further, talk to the staff in the Building Department of your community to determine if building codes would even allow this, and/or to determine specifically which codes would apply. You might have to provide a handicapped full bathroom, for example, which would involve extending plumbing and electricity to the garage (if electricity isn't already existent).

If there are stairs from the house proper to the garage, you might need to make accommodations there as well, such as installing a ramp. And since this would be a living area, there probably would be 2 methods of exterior access required.

If MIL was married to a veteran, do some research on VA assisted retrofits for accessibility, then contact the VA to determine if MIL is qualified for a VA loan.

No the government considers that a capital improvement. You would need a home equity loan to finance the improvements. Rates are low now, talk to your bank.