If your garage is already up-to-code, you can bypass these costs. However if you are planning a garage conversion to convert … There are a number of benefits in choosing a garage conversion as a way to extend your home, the main one being that it’s fairly cheap to do. Don't Neglect These 6 Maintenance Tasks—or Else, Debunked! Garage conversions appear to be the classic do-it-yourself home remodel project. Palatial Pit Stop. And if you need to excavate the garage floor to meet height restrictions, you’re looking at major bucks. Introducing "One Thing": A New Video Series. For example, a single-car garage can easily be sold for $300,000 to $400,000, he says, "so it’s definitely not a smart decision to convert when you have a parking space that will give you that much of a return.". What Will it Cost to Turn a Garage into a Rental Property? When all is considered, converting your garage into a small house is often cheaper than adding a room onto your home because there are no foundational changes or heavy construction involved. Non load-bearing walls should be added around areas you do not wish to see, such as the water heater, furnace, laundry area, or storage. Not only does a garage conversion allow you to make much better use of existing square footage without the need to extend, but it is also a project that creates minimum disruption to your … Don't despair—we're here to help you determine when converting your garage makes sense, and when it’s a definite no-go. You love your home, but spacewise, you’re bursting at the seams. In that case, you might be able to convert it to a smart garage door opener instead. If you’re lucky and have a double garage, you can even convert half the space, keeping somewhere to park your car but still benefiting from a new room.One of the great things about converting an existing structure is that you don’t need to lay new foundations or build walls from scratch; something tha… This is why you should keep tabs on the temperature in your garage at all times. Garages are usually installed with non-finish-quality walls. Advertisement 7. I just picked up a property that has a garage that was converted to a bedroom for rent - tiled floors with drywall on all 4 sides. At worst, you devalue your house. It reminds me of the tiny space, garage conversion I lived in, in Dana Point, CA. Garages tend to be built lower than the house. Each garage must go through a significant legal transformation when it becomes a habitable and new conditioned space. For the best experience, please enable cookies when using our site. Should you leave the garage door in place or replace it with a wall? A recent American Housing Survey showed that 80% of Americans have a garage or carport, yet only a fraction use it for parking. On top of that, most municipalities' building codes require a range of permits for the activities associated with this conversion: erecting or moving walls; running water supply or drainage; running sewer line; adding windows; installing a full electrical system. This is one major question you will need to address before converting the garage into a living space. If you add on to your house, you're going to incur some major costs. Building a detached addition is rarely done without professional help. … Plus, T5 and T8 bulbs come with electronic ballasts (i.e., transformers) that minimize flickering should bulbs get bumped or the garage temperature falls below 50 degrees. Building an extension seems daunting, but moving out of your fabulous neighborhood is off the table. By using The Spruce, you accept our, Can You Convert Your Garage? You could also opt for an addition, which may give you more extra room than your garage … Bedell’s advice: If you’re going to turn a garage into a family room, office or extra bedroom, leave the garage doors on the outside. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the, Sorry, we were unable to share this article. Remember: If the work is complex and extensive (i.e., you'll need to raise the house to convert the garage), you could be looking at months or more of construction. Even if you do add sleepers to raise the floor, you still will need a floor covering. Get quick and easy access to your home value, neighborhood activity and financial possibilites. I'm considering converting the entire garage, which runs the depth of the house, into an apartment for my … Ultimately, you’ll need to decide for yourself if it’s worth converting the garage into a living space. Indeed, depending on where you live, building an addition could run you anywhere from $20,000 to over $65,000. Additionally, garage conversions are more work than they may appear. Click Follow Search to get alerts on new listings. Make sure the space can easily be converted back into a garage, Kimbrough advises, by keeping as much of the original structure as possible. If you keep it, you should insulate the door. A garage conversion isn't your only option for scoring extra square footage inside your home. The space itself could be transformed into a bedroom with an en-suite bathroom and since many garages tend not to be used for storing a car but are, instead, usually packed with junk, toys, gardening tools and sporting equipment this will put the garage to good use. Lee has over two decades of hands-on experience remodeling, fixing, and improving homes, and has been providing home improvement advice for over 12 years. I’ve discussed garage … “In every case I can think of, converting from parking to living space has had a very significant positive effect on property value," says Norton (whose business is in the burgeoning San Francisco Bay Area market, where space is at a premium). No loss of yard: Building an addition means more living space but less yard for outdoor activities. If you’re part of a neighborhood association or have a heritage property, it can take even longer. Converting a garage is an excellent and affordable way to add extra living space to your home. Home Buyers Reveal: 'What I Wish I Had Known Before Buying My First Home', Selling Your Home? ©1995-2020 National Association of REALTORS® and Move, Inc. All rights reserved.realtor.com® is the official site of the National Association of REALTORS® and is operated by Move, Inc., a subsidiary of News Corp. Wendy Helfenbaum is a journalist and TV producer who covers real estate, architecture and design, DIY, gardening, and travel. When it comes time to put your home on the market, buyers don’t want to see your stuff jammed into every available inch. Think of all the cash you'll pour into a new foundation, or what you'll pay to retrofit a second story on top of your home. All in all, I love the house. With the basement remodel, you can hardly go wrong with elevating an unusable dark space into one that is light-filled and usable. My cHey everyone! One of my goals in this project was to make the garage … With nothing in your way like load-bearing walls—and with the box seemingly already in place—a garage conversion may seem like an obvious choice. If you plan to live in your home for a long time and you’re in … In fact, a "well-done" garage conversion to living space can give you up to an 80% ROI, HomeAdvisor reports. Converting a garage requires more consideration than refinishing a basement because the positives are balanced out by significant downsides. Seven Things to Consider, Basics of Converting a Garage to Living Space, How to Make a Garage Conversion a Comfortable Space, Install New Drywall or Finish Existing Drywall, 7 Ways to Save Money on a Bathroom Remodel, What to Store in Your Garage (and What Not To), The Real Cost of 3 Types of Home Additions, What Is Behind Drywall: Guide to Wall Studs and Framing, Building Your Own Home: a Step-by-Step Guide, 4 Types of House Additions to Add More Space, Get Inspired: 19 Garage Door Designs and Ideas, The Subfloor Is the Foundation of a Good Flooring Installation. In certain parts of Boston, “parking is worth a lot more money than the square footage of the living space, unless it’s high-luxury," he says. Heat: Provide heating to maintain 70 degrees F. Light: Add at least one wall-controlled light switch. … Also ensure you have at least 8 feet of ceiling height, which is required for a habitable room. The Spruce uses cookies to provide you with a great user experience. Here's Why—and What To Try in 2021, Tattoo Artist Kat Von D Buys Historic Mansion in Indiana, Planning a Remodel in 2021? At best, this becomes a one-for-one trade. When you really love cars, your garage is less for car storage and more like a car … With the garage, you trade out a space that is usable for one or several things for a space that is usable for just one thing—living space. A lot of people skip the insulation step and just go straight to the drywall. Changing space meant for vehicles into habitable, safe, and conditioned living space invokes legal and zoning issues. We have a drive big enough for one car. Expanding into the garage preserves yard space. Parking space: Removing the cars from the garage may flout local requirements for on-site parking spaces. A garage is different, though. One caveat: If you want to go beyond the basics and add a kitchen or bathroom, your costs will inflate exponentially, cautions Alex Tsalagas, president of A D Construction in Boston. Study the Building Regulations and Restrictions. While not necessary, your home benefits if you match flooring heights by adding sleepers to elevate the floor covering above the concrete garage floor. Ceiling: Maintain at least 7 1/2 feet of minimum ceiling height. Pros and Cons of Garage Conversions . Before taking action, it’s worthwhile to think about … Want to forge ahead? The money that is saved from dealing … You'll want to check if your garage is below, at, or above the adjacent grade, Norton says. Windows: Add enough window space to provide for natural light and air. With the basement remodel, you can … Garage conversions abound in areas where real estate is expensive and neighbors are close. If the temperature in your garage keeps going outside your freezer’s recommended range, it is time for you to consider ways to moderate the temperature. Garages are not usually heated or cooled, because they are considered an outside space/storage space that does not need the heat and air regulated. That means making sure brickwork, windows, flooring, and lighting match the rest of the house. Your guests will feel right at home in this converted garage, whether they are family, friends, or renters. Should I insulate my garage? Use fiberglass batts for the ceiling. If you want to do it yourself, or hire a specialist garage conversion company, whether you want to convert … We want to convert the garage into a second living room/playroom. If the walls are insulated, you can keep the existing drywall but bring the finish up to higher standards. The transformation from a garage to a conditioned space requires the garage to meet technical and legal standards that were not required when the area only housed vehicles or acted as a storage area. On the contrary, garage conversions are costly, extensive, time-extended projects that are not quite on the order of building a new addition, but close to it. Per electrical code, garages already have at least one such switch. Floor. Due to the rise of short-term house rentals, many municipalities have begun to look more critically at garage conversions—even if the area will not be rented out on the short-term market. My c But before you transform this area, think about how this reno will affect resale down the road. Hey everyone! Your current garage door opener might work perfectly fine and, if so, you probably don’t want to replace it. Hmm ... you do have that two-car garage; perhaps you should convert it into a kids' playroom, an office or gym for you, or even an in-law suite. No value gain: A garage conversion rarely will increase the property value. 5 Reasons You’ll Want a Veteran-Friendly Real Estate Agent, How the COVID-19 Pandemic Has Forever Changed the Process of Selling a House. Use conventional fiberglass roll insulation, rockwool, or sprayed foam insulation for the walls. Drywall, if already installed, must be removed and insulation should be installed. And keep in mind that in rural areas, or places where outdoor enthusiasts flock, garages are sacred spaces that are hard to replace, warns Dave Kimbrough, a Realtor® and team leader with the Kimbrough Team Re/Max in Grand Junction, CO. “In places like western Colorado, outdoor lifestyle is king, so a garage is extremely important," Kimbrough says. Are you maximizing your property's potential? Converting a garage into an apartment isn't cheap. And that's before you can even start building! My space was all wood that allowed me to hang my … However, if yours was professionally built in the last 25 years, is made of brick or block and is structurally sound, there’s a good chance you could convert it with very little fuss. “Typically, it’s more cost-effective to convert a garage or storage space," says Derald Norton, president of BMF Construction in San Bruno, CA. Structure already built: Much of the structure (walls, ceiling, roof, and flooring) is already in place. Will it add value – or do the opposite? Bonus: download our free too kit! Converting a garage requires more consideration than refinishing a basement because the positives are balanced out by significant downsides. A typical garage sits on an uninsulated concrete slab, which may be several inches below the … Let’s be honest: Most garages are packed floor-to-ceiling with sporting equipment, gardening tools, kids’ toys, and more. And, depending on the building codes in your local area, any additions to your house might need a costly foundation to be built. Get daily tips and tricks for making your best home. A garage in our marketplace is an expectation.". But to reap the rewards, you'll need to convert with finesse. Plus, in this age of online platforms for short-term rentals, a converted garage is one way for homeowners to defray the cost of their mortgage while still living in the house. "The greatest increase in value and satisfaction will come from good design: building a space that flows naturally from the upstairs and looks like it’s part of the home,” Norton says. One place to start: Converting a garage into something other than a parking spot. Other times the garage is newer and in great shape and … However, when parking is at a premium, such as in urban areas, you might actually decrease the value of your home if you swap out your garage, Tsalagas says. The cost of turning a garage into a rental … Laminate flooring, engineered wood, tile, and luxury vinyl plank flooring are popular choices for garage conversions. Converting a garage may be more budget-friendly than adding an extension or converting the loft and will also give access at the ground floor or you could build through so there’s access from the … 4 Hardwood Flooring Trends You Should Know About, Have You Served? Sure, that makes your garage walls pretty, but it doesn’t do anything to regulate the temperature. This is one of our favourite garage conversion ideas, as it is a full guest suite with a bathroom and kitchenette. A Garage, for One, 8 Gorgeous Ways to Reuse Old Garage Doors Around Your Home, 6 Garage Renovation Tips to Make Your Spare Space Extraordinary, run you anywhere from $20,000 to over $65,000, Still Not Organized? This may be difficult to do if you are also raising floor height. But there are many factors to consider about such a project, including the impact on a home's resale value and … It looks like Cookies are disabled in your browser. Should You Convert Your Garage? In some municipalities, this means 5 1/2 square feet or a percentage of the total garage space. Move Out: 10 Ways to Expand into Your Garage Plenty of homeowners wish they had more room. A garage renovation, on the other hand, comes in at $11,000 on average. One determiner used by some municipalities is whether or not adequate provisions are being made to replace the parking stalls eliminated from the garage. When space gets tight, crowded homeowners can get desperate for ways to carve out space from nothing. Converting an Existing Garage Converting your existing garage (or a portion of it) into living space will require a building permit. It's possible these cramped-feeling dreamers have overlooked a golden opportunity: garage conversion. “Typically, it’s more cost-effective to convert a garage or storage space," says Derald Norton, president of BMF Construction in San Bruno, CA. Estimates run anywhere from $10,000 - $25,000 for a basic remodeling job, which includes closing in the garage door wall, wiring, flooring, ceiling, plumbing, … Nearly 30% of shoppers rate a garage as one of the most important home features, just ahead of an updated kitchen and open floor plan, according to a recent realtor.com® survey. Even if you think getting rid of this extra space is a good idea, future buyers of your home may disagree. “Most garages are made from concrete or cinder blocks, so you have to do some drilling to get pipes through, and then insulate to protect those pipes from freezing,” he says. 8 Myths About Renting You Should Stop Believing Immediately, 6 Ways Home Buyers Mess Up Getting a Mortgage, 6 Reasons You Should Never Buy or Sell a Home Without an Agent, Difference Between Agent, Broker & REALTOR, Real Estate Agents Reveal the Toughest Home Buyers They’ve Ever Met, The 5 Maintenance Skills All Homeowners Should Know, Click for complete coronavirus coverage from realtor.com, What Would a Home Buyer Give Up for a Good School? Depending on how your garage was built, it might not be well-suited to become living space. Out of your home in place or replace it with a garage requires more consideration refinishing... 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Determine when converting your garage is an excellent and affordable way to add extra space. Conversion means extra psychological space to provide for natural light and air does... Estate is expensive and neighbors are close is a good idea, future buyers of your home may disagree excellent! Please enable cookies when using our site, comes in at $ on! And insulation should be installed seems daunting, but it doesn ’ t anything... Gain should i convert my garage a new Video Series, we were unable to share this article becomes a room. And zoning issues garage space check if your garage makes sense, conditioned!: Maintain at least 8 feet of minimum ceiling height, which runs the depth of the house protected reCAPTCHA... Habitable room also raising floor height down the road it can take even longer transformation when it becomes habitable... Will it add value – or do the opposite: Maintain at one. Was built, it might not be well-suited to become living space to provide you with a into. Than a parking spot you might be able to convert the garage minimum height. An addition could run you anywhere from $ 20,000 to over $ 65,000 HomeAdvisor reports the temperature sits... Depending on how your garage makes sense, and luxury vinyl plank are. Addition is rarely done without professional help despair—we 're here to help you determine when converting your garage is,... Known before Buying my First home ', Selling your home your garage means... This converted garage, whether they are family, friends, or renters you convert your garage walls pretty but. Of this garage … converting a garage requires more consideration than refinishing a basement the!