Your garage has more potential than you think. With a little bit of imagination and effort, you can turn a cold, somber place into a welcoming, peaceful area.
It doesn’t necessarily have to be peaceful, though. The result solely depends on what you want. The options are endless. However, you do have to take a few aspects into consideration.
Cost Considerations
A garage conversion costs depend on what you are converting your garage into. The national average for a garage conversion is within the $5,970 range, with top-tier projects costing up to $20,605, as of writing this article. But, of course, this will vary depending on where you live and where you are renovating.
You’ll need to be aware of the different factors that could affect the costs of your garage conversion, such as:
- the foundations may need reinforcing
- the ceiling height may need to be raised (you need about 2.2-2.4 m of headroom once the floor is raised to 15 cm above the external ground level)
- planning applications
- design fees
- structural engineer services
Other Considerations
Walls
Check for stability and possible defects in your existing walls. If satisfactory, your building control surveyor will most definitely consider it appropriate for structural designs.
Roofing, Ventilation, and Insulation
Make sure your garage roof is watertight.
A leak in the garage roof and exposure to moisture can lead to mold and dampness. Replacing a garage roof may be a challenging task but surely manageable by a DIY enthusiast.
However, we do recommend consulting a qualified tradesman like a roofer for replacement or repair of your garage roof. As for the costs, a single garage flat roof material replacement will cost you around $490 for material and $380 for labor. Similarly, a double garage flat roof material replacement has the material and labor costs of $750 and $380 respectively.
If you’re planning to turn your garage into a bathroom or kitchen, ventilation issues should be addressed. Also, in order for you to build a place that is comfortable, you may want to make sure there’s proper insulation in your flooring, walls, roof, and anywhere else it is required.
Sound
Any party wall between your garage and property should be insulated to prevent sound transmission. Check your existing wall construction – anything below 200 mm of dense blockwork will require further work — this may include some additional handiwork.
5 Inspiring Garage Conversion Ideas
#1. A Luxurious Media Room
Garage converted to a media room by stjohnshome
This garage conversion by stjohnshome is very praiseworthy. It’s just a brilliant idea to turn your old garage into a media room where you can chill, watch a movie, play games— the possibilities are endless!
If you have an old garage space that you no longer need, you may want to transform it into something cool.
#2. A Working studio
More of us are now working remotely from home than ever before. That’s why converting the garage into a workspace is an interesting conversion idea. Whether it is transformed into a study or a working studio for creative minds, feel free to convert your garage into something spectacular with plain white tiles, walls, and furniture.
We think you’ll absolutely love the home of rebekahburgess_art.
Garage converted to a studio by rebekahburgess_art
Rebekah has turned her empty garage into something really cool with plain white walls, tiles, and furniture. It looks calm and perfect for an artist. We think the rug and plants make it so homely looking, as well!
#3. Playroom for Kids
Kids love to play and explore new things. Try converting your garage into a room where all kids can play and spend some quality together. With enough garage space, you can ensure your kids’ play environment is safe.
A playroom is also ideal for nurturing your kids’ talents through various sporting activities.
Take a look at how amazing this playroom from my_persimmon_home is.
Garage converted to playroom by my_persimmon_home
We love how they’ve beautifully managed to add a lovely light color scheme and incorporate some color for the children, as well!
#4. A Delightful Lounge
Having an attractive, stylish lounge in your home is everything you’ll ever need. Create a nice living space where anyone can relax and unwind. One of the benefits of having a home lounge is that you’re able to add a bar, use special windows and glass doors to improve the overall appearance of your home.
Having a lounge means you can throw parties whenever. This will allow your friends and family to have plenty of space for entertainment.
Garage converted to a lounge by Louis Hansel
#5. Kitchen Diner
A kitchen and garage combination can help create a larger space. It’s a very popular garage conversion.
Consider working with an expert architect who can help turn your garage conversion ideas into a plan. You’ll then want to get a builder and work with both of them. The builder can then add new power sockets, radiators, and lights.
Once the required services are in, plaster the space and finish via painting. At this particular stage, you have room to bear, and therefore, should have a kitchen ready to fit to avoid delays.
Did you know that most kitchens are built within 6-8 weeks? Fitting your brand new kitchen should only take some days.
With a new kitchen and space, it’s time for final touches. Add in a beautiful dining table, some chairs, and other cozy accessories.
TheMalory on Instagram created a beautiful kitchen by knocking through from the existing small kitchen to the garage.
Garage converted to a kitchen by TheMalory
By converting the garage, they’ve converted the kitchen from a small galley kitchen to a large entertaining space.
We love the color of the units and the matching brass handles. You can sense a modern twist to this traditional shaker kitchen.
Wrapping Up
Most garage conversion ideas involve some design ingenuity to convert them into a practical living space. Which of the ideas mentioned above fits your needs the best? Don’t forget to leave a comment below and share your thoughts and suggestions with us.
