---

If you’re someone who inefficiently uses their garage and you’ve been looking for a way to get more space into your home, turning your garage into a living space is a great solution to both of these problems. If you’ve been considering expanding your living space you’re probably already familiar with the cost and hassle adding a new construction to your home can be.

Luckily, converting your garage is a much simpler and straightforward project. Whether you’re hoping to finally have your home office, a game room, a personal gym or an additional dining or living room, a garage conversion can give you the space you need. These are some things you need to consider before you begin a garage conversion.

How to Use Your Space Most Efficiently

Most garage conversions are done in suburban and urban areas. The reason for this is that converting your garage into a living space only makes sense if the space you have is at a premium and losing space for car storage won’t devalue your property. This is most often the case with larger properties that are located a fair distances from major urban centers.

If you have a two-car or an even larger garage then by converting it your property could lose a huge bonus in the eyes of potential future buyers. If you’re in a serious need of more living space, consider converting only part of the garage and leaving enough space for at least one vehicle.

Additional Utilities

All living spaces need utilities. Garages, not so much. This is why most garages are only equipped with basic electric lighting. Since there is going to be more demand on the electrics, they may require an update, or may need to be replaced. Depending on your intended use for the newly converted space you will need to add plumbing and gas lines for which you will need a contractor.

Once you know what the needs are going to be for the converted living space, visit your local contractors and get quotes about the potential cost of the project. If you’re looking to use your new space as an office you should also consider getting a phone line as well as data network cabling installed.

Decide What to Do With the Garage Door

After you have created the floor plan for your new living space, you need to consider where the garage door fits into the plan. You can choose to remove it and close the entrance by putting up a wall. This will provide the best protection, however it will also make it very difficult to convert back should you ever need a garage again.

 Many homeowners choose to keep the garage door as it was, and simply add false wall with a layer of insulation on the interior. This way you can keep the inside of the space looking as any regular room, while the exterior of the home stays the same and converting back can be as simple as tearing down the layer of insulation and your garage door will be waiting for you. Some homeowners choose to keep the door as a feature in the new space that adds an element of interest. A great way to do this is by installing an up-and-over door that showcases the room’s previous function.

Install a new floor

Most garage floors are made from concrete and can be very harsh and cold. This is fine for a garage, but will make any living space highly uncomfortable to stay in as well as unpleasant to look at. In addition, the heating costs will be much higher than the rest of the house.

 In order to avoid this, the converted room’s floor will need to be raised as to create a cavity for insulation. This can be done relatively easily as well as cheaply by creating a wood frame that will form a grid over the floor which can then be covered with plywood panels. Once you have your new raised floor you’re free to cover the surface in any way that suits your needs whether it’s with laminate, tile or carpet.

Know Your Garage

A garage conversion is different from a new construction in many ways, not the least of which is the fact that many garages have their own little peculiarities. Your garage may not be standard sized, it may have an odd corner, or it may offer you addition height. Instead of ignoring or trying to cover up these quirks, make use of them in a creative way.