Whether you have extra garage space due to the sale of one of your vehicles or your kid drove off to college with their car, the fact of the matter is, you have extra space. What do you do with that extra space in the garage? Do you just pile old stuff in it or should you do something different with it? You need to do a garage conversion!
Garage Conversion
When you have that extra space, it is space that you can use for a lot of things. On the top of the list of considerations include a guest room, a home gym, a man cave, a workshop, and a hobby room. These are just a few ideas that you can consider for your extra garage space conversion.
Before you break out your handyman and carpentry tools, however, there are a few things you need to think about. Converting your extra garage space into something else requires more than just your imagination. It also requires a bit of research, planning, and forethought.
Here are some of the things you need to think about before garage conversion into any of the many ideas you come across online:
Flooring
Most garages come with concrete floors, some of which needs polishing. If you are planning on converting part of your garage into a space that requires smooth and clean flooring, you will need to pick from a list of choices. These include tiles, vinyl, and polished concrete. If you have the budget for it, why not cover the entire garage floor with this new flooring. This will not only give your new space the proper covering you want it to have but it will also help give your garage an updated look.
Walls
If you are thinking of dividing the current space into two, with one being the place where you park your car and the other being the area that is being converted, then a dividing wall is in order. This will give you the kind of definition you need for each useful area and will give your vehicle the protection it needs for whatever you are planning on doing with the converted space.
Insulation
If your garage still needs insulation, and you are planning on using the converted space for an extra bedroom, home office, or recreational room, insulation is a must. You might want to approach this like you did the flooring situation. Instead of just insulating the area you are converting, why not insulate the entire garage? You will end up with a better garage and a properly insulated extra room in the process.
Windows and doors
You will also need to decide on whether or not you will add windows and doors to the conversion work you are taking on. If your garage is like most standard garages, you will probably have two walls and the front of the garage that has a garage door. You will want to think about changing your garage door first into one that can be used on a single car garage and then covering the gaping hole on the other side to complete the four walls needed for a room. Doors and windows can be cut out from the structure to give it the much-needed entryway and natural lighting that it needs.
Aside from these, you will also need to consult with your local building authority to ask about permits, fees, and taxes that may come with such a conversion. Remember, you are actually improving your home with this move and, in the process, will be increasing your property’s value. This is regardless of whether you have an attached garage or a prefab metal garage that you simply added to the structure fairly recently.
Get Expert Advice Wherever and Whenever You Can
It is better to avoid trouble than to court it, and going into your garage conversion plans without all the information you need is courting trouble. If you want expert advice from people in the know, you can ask the experts at Carports US for help. Aside from being a company that produces high-quality metal structures like customized garages, movable carports, and commercial metal structures, we also offer expert advice on any of your garage and carport questions.
Simply contact us at (844) 557-6375 and our team of certified garage professionals will be happy to assist you in any way they can.
