For many the household garage is a dim, dusty, misused area of the house – a space that is often neglected and left to its own devices. The garage is invariably a home for household detritus, random boxes, tins of paint, garden tools, bicycles, and anything else that does not have a regular home in the house.
However, if you are after some more living space in your home, the garage may provide the perfect answer. Converting your garage into a new room or living area is a great option, but is a garage conversion right for you?
More living space
A garage conversion will give you more space. The additional room could be used as a bedroom, home office, gym, kids’ playroom, or home cinema. Most household renovations and updates will add a slight increase in value of your house although this is not guaranteed.
Relatively cheap
There are several benefits in choosing a garage conversion to extend your home, predominantly it is relatively cheap to do so. A standard garage conversion should cost between £5,000 and £7,500.
When compared to building a typical external extension, a garage conversion presents an obvious choice. A brand new three by four metre extension could cost upwards of £15,000.
An existing structure
One of the great things about converting an existing structure is that you do not need to dig and lay new foundations or build walls from scratch – this will save time and money. In addition, many garages will already have an electricity supply, and this will help simplify the build and further reduce project costs.
Quick and easy
Converting a garage can be a relatively quick and simple job. Building costs for a garage conversion are minimal because work is carried out on an existing structure. Without any delays, conversion work should be completed in a matter of a few weeks.
Key considerations
There will be some major alterations to make so do not forget to consider the following:
- removing the garage door and blocking up the space
- adding doors and windows
- the floor and type of floor covering to be laid
- interior stud walls will need to be constructed
- the provision of heating
- enclosing and fitting a ceiling
- insulation should be added to ensure the room is energy efficient and entirely useable
You will lose some (storage) space
If the garage is used as a storage space for everything else that does not fit in the house or even for a car, then this space will be lost as the trade-off for gaining a new living space. Remember that all the household ‘stuff’ that resides in the garage will need to be stored somewhere else.
Council Tax
Adding an extra room to your house may affect your council tax. This is should be investigated to find out if there would be an increase in charges.
Planning Permission
Planning permission is only needed if you plan on changing the exterior of the garage, but always worthy of consideration.
Assess the pros and cons
Converting a garage may seem like a great idea but be sure to weigh out the pros and cons before starting any conversion project. With the relative costs of extending your home being much higher, a garage conversion remains a great option for more living space.
