With the recent property hike, space crunch has become a common problem in most household. Even if you want to shift to a bigger house, the astronomical figure of the price or rent forces to think you otherwise. As way of an effective solution, more and more people are converting their garages into extended part of the house. By converting the garage into a spare bedroom, dining room, study or even gym seems to work wonderfully in giving you that extra bit of space.
You do not require too much for such conversion, maybe just your idea of what you want to convert the garage into, and proper planning to make it uncluttered and useful. But first and foremost, you need to clarify the legal formalities for the conversion. Consult your local housing authority regarding any legal formalities or planning permission to convert your garage for using it otherwise. Usually, as the garage is part of the building structure, no separate planning permission is required, though you might have to get some kind of sanction for proper installation of safety measures on your part.
For your own safety, you should prioritise the installation of proper safety measures. If your garage does not have proper insulation, you need to get it done by a professional electrician. Hiring a professional might increase the cost of the conversion budget, but it would ensure safety and security against accidents.
The cost of the conversion also depends a lot on how well maintained or old your garage is. If you have equipped your garage well with proper electrical wiring, you do not have to overhaul it altogether. A complete overhauling involves a big amount, but it depends how you want to do up your converted garage and for what purpose. For example, if you want to make it into a guest bedroom, you need to have an attached bathroom. This includes the charges of the plumber and the cost of building a bathroom by adding necessary equipment and fittings. But if you want to convert the garage, you have to ensure that the job is done properly and the result is satisfactory. If you want to turn your garage into office room, you have to equip it appropriately with suitable wiring, furnishing, wall fittings, cabinets and other accessories. It can also be converted into a dining room, which does not require a lot of changes and is one of the cost saving options. If you are into exercising and want to have your own gym, the garage serves the purpose pretty well. Finally it is your requirement that decides for you. But for every kind of conversion, the cost varies. So, unless you really feel the necessity of having that extra space, it is better not to plunge just because everybody is doing it.
Here is a list that might give you some viable idea of garage conversion. A garage can be converted to:
- Dining Hall
- Bedroom
- Study
- Gym
- Office
- Computer room
- Guest room
- Bathroom/Washroom
However you may plan and organise your budget, the conversion cost would remain a big amount for certain factors. The garage is lower than the main house, so you need to raise the floor. The whole process of breaking and rebuilding the floor can be pretty expensive. But you too have to find every possible way to make your investment worth it. When you are rebuilding the floor, install the heating system under the new floor. This would save you a lot of space. Another instance could be when you are converting your garage into bedroom, guestroom or living room; you have to convert the garage door into a window instead of pulling down a part of the wall to make one. But whatever planning you do, it must be sanctioned by an architect and electrician and other professionals and mostly it has to be practical.
Garage conversion cost depends upon the nature of the plan. If you want to go for initial cost cutting options, you will be compromising on the quality of your home. It is better to invest well at the beginning so that it turns out profitable in the long run.
Garage conversion has now become pretty common due to scarcity of living area and the considerable hike in the real estate price. People are using the garage to accommodate more room in the house by converting it into part of the main house. A garage is used variously as bedroom, dining room, gym or even office room. The conversion cost depends on the nature of conversion, condition of the garage and other housing features like wiring and insulation. But it is far more convenient to convert a garage to increase floor area rather than moving into a bigger house in terms of expense as well as energy.
In limited space house, garage conversion has turned out as the most viable option for making the home look spacious. With the real estate price shooting up people are finding it hard to keep a separate garage. Thus, they are judiciously using this place by turning it into a washroom, office, computer room or study.
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