This is *not* a garage apartment

The building inspector came out yesterday on one of his regular visits, and he told Wagner that he wanted to make one thing clear: He would not approve an apartment on top of the garage. (Remember the zoning laws in our neighborhood that allows only one appliance in a garage apartment, er, study.) Wagner assured him that the space on the top floor of the garage was definitely not an apartment. The inspector then asked him "well, then, what's this plumbing doing right here where it looks like you're going to install a sink?" Wagner said "It's going to be a break room, and they want a sink for making coffee."

The building inspector then fixed Wagner with a long and steely stare and finally said, "I don't know what's going to happen to this space after I certify it for occupancy. But I'm not going to approve it with a full-size sink."

So, it looks like our plans to re-use our old kitchen counter and sink won't work. We can use the base cabinets, but we'll have to find a new countertop with one of those little bar sinks. And that's fine by me, as I seriously doubt we'll have anybody actually living out there, unless maybe it's Isaac when he's in college. And I'm sure that if we're just using it as guest room space, a small bar sink will be more than adequate.

I was in fact worried that we were going to all this expense to build an enormous garage with a room that nobody would use at all. But it sounds like that won't be the case. Instead, we're all squabbling over who gets to use it. Hubby Jonathan wants it as a second home office/library for his coin books. Athena wants to use it for slumber parties, or as a gigantic free-range area for all the pets she plans to get to put in it. (Fat chance, that scheme!) It would make an excellent place for Isaac to practice his violin. Or drums. And I kinda have my eye on the space for myself, as a quiet place where I could choose to work/write at home if I wanted.

But whatever we use it for, it won't be an apartment. ;-)