If you want additional space in your home but don’t want to pay for an expensive addition, there may be a solution. For homes with a garage, it may be possible to have access to an average of 600 square feet that can be converted into numerous options. Not only will you end up spending less on this than a full-blown addition, but you’ll also be able to put your own unique spin on your future room. Discovering how to convert your garage into a living space can really open up endless options.
However, if you have no idea where to begin, don’t worry. Whether it’s figuring out how much to spend, the types of renovations involved, or what types of living quarters you can create, converting your garage into a living space can be a great home renovation project.
Glass Doors
If you’re looking to convert your garage into an area of your home that looks stylish and has plenty of natural light shining in each day, consider using various types of interior glass doors. This can be especially stylish if you decide to turn your garage into a bedroom for your resident teenager, since this can make the room much lighter and also appear bigger.
Along with this, many people find that using sliding barn doors as closet doors for a bedroom is a great idea, since it gives the room a fun and modern look found in few other places. To get more ideas about using interior glass doors and sliding barn doors for closet doors or other uses, it’s best to work with a business such as the Sliding Door Company to ensure you get just the look you want.
How Much Will it Cost?
While it won’t be cheap to convert the garage into a living space, it will still cost only about half of what you would spend building an addition from scratch. Since a garage will already have a foundation, roof, and walls, the typical two-car garage that’s renovated will usually cost between $20,000-$50,000. However, if you’re wanting a bathroom in your living space, plan on spending an additional $15,000-$25,000.
What’s Involved in the Conversion?
Since you’ve probably never converted a garage into a living space before, you’re naturally curious as to what’s involved in the conversion itself. For starters, it takes four to six weeks on average to do a conversion from start to finish.
This can include doing a variety of tasks, such as insulating all the walls, installing a heating and cooling system for the space, doing the electrical wiring, and opening up the partition wall between the house and garage to create an open floor plan. Just be sure that if you plan to convert your garage, don’t try to do it on the cheap, since most contractors agree you’ll get what you pay for in the end.
How Can it Look Like a Real Room?
On many of these projects, people are often disappointed because they feel that rather than look like a natural part of the house, the renovated garage simply looks like a room that includes some furniture and other items. To keep this from happening to you, eliminate any and all evidence of the previous garage door openings, add as many windows as possible, and maybe add some rooftop design elements to add a unique touch.
If you feel you need some help on this, consider hiring an architect to draw up some plans for your consideration. However, their services won’t come cheap. On average, professional architects charge $50-$150 per hour for their services, so carefully consider if you really need this level of help with your project.
Are There Any Downsides?
While converting your garage to a living space sounds like a great idea, there are times when you may want to consider other issues that will result from the changes to your home. For example, a converted garage instantly eliminates indoor parking for your vehicles, which can be a problem if you live in an area that’s prone to harsh winter weather.
In addition to this, having to park outside can put your vehicles at risk of break-ins, and you may lose additional storage space you’ve been using for such items as lawn mowers, snow blowers, and other items. In rare instances, parking issues can present problems that may result in legal ramifications.
Since some towns and cities have laws regarding off-street parking spaces, if you will be unable to provide this space elsewhere on your property, you may not be allowed to do your renovation.
By taking all of these issues into consideration, it may be possible to convert your garage into a living space that will look great. By having a clear vision for what you want from the beginning, you’ll end up with a room you’ll love to use each and every day.
The post How to Convert Your Garage into a Living Space appeared first on VectorCentral News, Stories and Reviews.