Say you want to add another room to your home, but you don't have the money or
patience to have an addition built from scratch. A viable solution to this
problem is to remodel your garage into a usable room. This guide will help you
figure out if remodeling your garage is the right decision and, if doing so is
right for you, how to convert it into a livable space.
Weighing Your Options
The first step in remodeling your garage into a new room is to
decide what type of room you'd like it to be. For instance, you could make it
into an additional bedroom or living room or into an office. You could even
build an extra bathroom and make it into a studio apartment. Whatever you
decide, you can find contractors to take on your project and make the garage
into the room you desire.
Before you start creating the plans for
your garage remodel, carefully consider what you need from your home. Consider
the following points:
- Since you wouldn't be able to keep your vehicle in the garage anymore, are
you okay with leaving it outside and exposed to the elements?
- Garages are great for storing all sorts of items. Do you have room
throughout the rest of your home to keep the goods currently stored in your
garage?
- Do you really need the extra space? If you plan on remodeling the garage
into a spare guest bedroom that won't be used that often, will it really be
worth the trouble?
TIP: If you have a two-car garage, you may want
to only convert half of it into a room, leaving the other half for its original
purpose.
The Specifics
Once you have decided to go with a garage remodel,
it has best to hire professionals to take care of the conversion process for
you. Although garages often have electricity, you might want to add more
lighting units and outlets. If desired, you might also want your new room to
have access to plumbing and your home's heating and cooling system.
While these two previous issues are more "wants" than "needs," there are
several things your garage will be required to have for it to be considered
livable space. These include ventilation, insulation, heating and cooling, and
proper exits. Keep in mind that any construction made to your garage will have
to be done according to code, and, thus, another reason to hire professionals.
The Process
Now that you know what purpose your room will be
used for and what amenities you want, it will be time for your contractors to
get to work. This will involve putting up finished walls, making the appropriate
utility connections, and everything else it takes to make the garage suitable
for human use.
Once the major construction is completed, you can decide
how you want the room to look. For instance, you'll need to decide on the
flooring and how you want to paint or wall paper the walls of the room. These
are things you can likely do yourself, but, if you wanted to, you can always
hire a contractor for these steps as well.
After these finishing touches
are completed, you can bring furniture into the room and decorate it however you
wish. Before long, you'll forget your new room ever was a place to park your
car!