Garage conversion

You may benefit from converting your garage if:

• There isn’t enough room in your home for all of your belongings

• Your current storage solution makes getting around difficult or impossible

• The exterior aesthetics are unappealing (lacklustre paint job; many decades old)

A garage conversion is a process that requires a lot of attention. So, the first thing you should do is get informed.

Before you get started, research if any regulations apply to your state or municipality regarding garage conversions. Once you know the game’s rules, investigate what is already present in your garage and how we can use it during a conversion process. Also, consider:

• The layout (don’t forget about heating and cooling!)
• What type of flooring material will work best?

Once this groundwork has been laid out, sort through the foundation and superstructure components by separating them into “must-haves” versus “nice-to-haves.” When considering functionality, think outside of the box—the more creative you get with storage solutions now could save on costs later when looking for contractors to do the work.

While you may not be able to add on additional square footage, there are plenty of things that can make up for it in a converted garage: more windows and natural light, high ceilings, and exposed beams (if they’re already present).

Garage conversions are pretty different from other types of conversions in terms of the materials used. Such materials include:

• Concrete floors
• Wall insulation panels, which are typically made of polyurethane foam and plywood. The panelling is lightweight, high R-value (insulating power), and has moisture resistance.

The benefits of converting a garage include:

• More space
• Functional living spaces

The downsides of converting a garage are that it can be more expensive than other conversions, especially when adding bathrooms and kitchens. In addition, your local planning department may have to approve the conversion before construction begins, which could delay or even derail this project entirely. This is why it’s so important to do as much research as possible ahead of time.

Sometimes, you might want to start with a small space to see if you’re even interested in converting it into something else. You can then expand the size of your garage conversion later on, but keep these things in mind whenever working on one:

• Neglecting to plan

Planning is essential for all kinds of projects, not just conversions. Be sure that everything has been accounted for before starting work – from electrical outlets and water supplies to ventilation systems and plumbing ducts. If there are already appliances present inside or nearby your future converted area, make sure they’ll be safe once the project starts by checking their power supply and disconnection point first. Remember that some materials may emit hazardous fumes when appropriately burned: making an effort to ventilate the room well will avoid unpleasant surprises after the work has finished.

• Forgetting about volume and focusing on the footprint

When planning your garage conversion, you should always consider how much space to allocate for each room. If you’re wondering if a specific piece of furniture would fit in the converted area, measure its height, width or depth-first before checking whether the garage can accommodate it! Don’t forget that every wall requires some extra space – approximately one-third of its length is enough to allow people to walk around without bumping into things. Bear this in mind when repartition walls during renovation: don’t hesitate to leave empty spaces. They’ll help with sight flow inside for an overall feeling of openness!

• Not maximising storage space

It would help if you found a way to store all your stuff before the renovation. The most important thing to remember is that you should use every single spot available, including walls, ceilings and even floors if necessary! Don’t forget about storage under stairs (it’s a good idea to check for structural integrity beforehand).

• Breaking up the space too much

When you plan for your garage conversion, think carefully about the functionality of each room. For example, if there are multiple rooms in a closed space (e.g. bathrooms), they should have individual entrances instead of just one shared door between two areas.

• Failing to use mirrors

Mirrors are perfect at creating an optical illusion of more space in small areas: place them across from windows so they bounce light around. They also reflect existing furniture or other design elements, which helps with continuity throughout rooms. If you have big art pieces or decorative objects, hanging them on opposite ends of the room will give it balance – make sure they’re not too heavy! Finally, avoid making one-piece look isolated by placing it all by itself on a wall; groupings of art or decorative objects should be no more than three pieces.

• Avoiding bold colours

If you’re thinking about painting, keep it simple! A single colour will do the trick, and if you want to paint an accent wall (e.g. in your bedroom ), stick with lighter hues that won’t make the room feel smaller. If your walls are already white, but you still wish they were brighter, consider using cheerful wallpaper instead – there are always ways around basic design principles like these!

• Playing by the rules

Don’t be scared to break the rules – but you must know them first! Some people say that three is an unlucky number, so avoid using three pieces of furniture in a row; others may insist on five-centimetre gaps between objects. However, before deciding which rules are set in stone, consider your audience and what they expect from your home. Once you’ve decided which conventions need following or challenging, make sure every last one gets obeyed!

• Using furniture with the wrong proportions

You want to use furniture that’s not too big or small for the space you have, so if your room is long and thin, choose a sideboard with slim legs rather than one with large chunky feet. If there isn’t much height in the room either, don’t fill it up by stacking things on top of each other – instead, choose tall but narrow pieces like bookcases.

• Owning too much stuff

There comes a time when we all need to ask ourselves whether we really ‘need’ something else. It might be an impulse purchase from months ago, which has been gathering dust since you moved into your new home, or perhaps you’ve just acquired another item of clothing at yet another shopping spree. Whatever it is, it’s time to go through your belongings and weed out the things you no longer need.