Do you need extra room in your home but all of your existing living space is maxxed out? Taking space from your garage may be a great solution. You may be hesitant because the garage is where you park your car and store loads of stuff. Depending on the size of your garage; you can actually only take a portion of the space. Here are a few tips on doing a garage conversion.
Foundation
If your garage is not attached to your home on the original foundation, you may want to check your foundation. Be sure the foundation is free of cracks and is nice and level. You may be wanting to frame in a room and need a steady foundation so everything is up to code. Check with a structural engineer to be sure the foundation will stand up to new construction.
Garage door
If you’re only taking a portion of your garage for conversion you can definitely keep your garage door. This is the perfect time to for any garage door repair you’ve been putting off. Since you’re going to be doing construction anyway, it’s good to make everything look and work great. This is also a great opportunity to replace your existing door with one that is more stylish and gives a prettier curb appeal.
Insulation
Since a garage is used for vehicle parking and storage and not for living space, you may want to beef up your insulation. A man cave, for instance, needs to be kept cool in the summer and warm in winter. This will be much easier to achieve if you have adequate insulation. Most garages that are attached to a home will have the same insulation that’s in the home.
If you’re only taking a portion of the garage, be sure the room you’re framing in has the same level of insulation as the existing garage. Adding carpet to the flooring will help to absorb sound and give an over all homey vibe.
Electricity
Most garages already have electrical outlets and lighting. Converting the garage, however, will likely need to have plugs added. Installing wiring into a living space is not something most homeowners are comfortable doing. Be sure you hire a licensed electrician to add any plugs, light fixtures, or ceiling fans to be sure everything is in code. The wiring must be done correctly to be sure there is no fire danger from faulty wiring.