Sometimes you find yourself in need of some additional space. There are plenty of ways to make the most out of the space you do have, but sometimes that is simply not enough. Sometimes you just that extra room. But additions and construction can be quite costly and time-consuming. So what can you do if need wants that extra bedroom but don’t want to commit to constructing an addition? Convert an existing space of course!
Garage-Bedroom Conversion
The garage is a space that is often used for many purposes, and can also be converted into different space. I have considered changing my garage into a spare bedroom from time to time, so I have looked into it. It seems like a great idea that I still may consider, so I want to know what it takes to do a garage-bedroom conversion.
Is It A Good Idea To Convert Your Garage Into A Bedroom
If you are not actively using your garage space, you may be neglecting a large portion of your available square footage. Converting a garage into a new living space can on average add around 600 square feet to your home. This assumes that the garage is a two car garage. Not only does it add a significant amount of square footage to your home but it is also a significant amount cheaper than building an entirely new addition. It will likely take much less work as well.
Credit: smallhousebliss.com
The biggest drawback to converting your garage into extra living space is that you are missing out on your garage. If you have a car and want to keep it out of the weather, you will miss the convenience of the garage. You may even want that space for workshop purposes. Once you convert the room into a bedroom, it will be harder to do your other garage like activities in that space. So be sure that you know for sure that you want it to be a spare bedroom before you take on this project.
Some people that have converted their garage space into a bedroom have encountered resistance from neighbors. For some reason, people that live around you may not be on board with the conversion of the space. Check with your neighborhood to see if you will run into issues.
What Is The Cost Of Converting A Garage?
One aspect of the garage that saves the most amount of money is the foundation. It already has walls, a roof and in many cases wiring for electrical. If it does need work for wiring, it should not be too costly to run wires from your home to the garage. You should always consult professionals before attempting to wire electricity yourself. Plumbing is similar. The rare garage will have plumbing, and if you want the spare room to have facilities that may be an additional cost.
Cost is dependent on the features and additions that you want to be included in the spare room. On the low end of the cost, you may be looking at spending twenty thousand dollars. For larger garages, with more features you may end up spending upward to fifty thousand dollars.
To make a garage bedroom conversion self-sufficient, you can add a bathroom. This would make this room a fully contained space that could work as a guest room, or even a rental if you were so inclined. By adding plumbing, you can add a significant amount to the number you can expect to spend. On average, a bathroom addition to the bedroom will cost an additional fifteen thousand to twenty-five thousand dollars.
What Goes Into Making Your Garage Into A Bedroom?
While it is less involved than building an entirely new addition to your home, repurposing your garage is not without its fair share of work. On average, a project such as this takes between four and six weeks for a full conversion. The work can be quite involved, and there are many steps that many people would not think about or overlook.
First and foremost the floor of the garage should be raised. The reason you would want to make a raised floor is so that you can fit insulation over the concrete that is typically found on the floor of most garages. You will also have to insulate all of the walls and ceilings of the garage, as many garages do not come standard with proper insulation in these places.
Credit: budgetdumpster.com
You will also have to figure out proper heating and cooling for the space. Many garages do not come equipped with proper equipment to keep the temperature comfortable. There are many ways to go about this. You can expand the system from the main house and extend it out into the garage area. Another option would be to construct an independent heating and cooling system. Making an independent heating and cooling system makes the space more independent which can be great if you plan on making it more of a rental space.
Even if your garage is wired for electricity, you may need to upgrade the system. The reason you may need to do this is that a bedroom pulls quite a bit more power than a garage typically does. The system upgrade will help the so that the system can handle the new draw that the room will have.
Will also need to add windows and doors to the space if you do not already have different ones. This may be important depending on what kind of door the garage has. You may need to place this door with a new wall that has a door in it. Some people opt to open up the division between the garage and the house. By opening up this space, you can do more of an open floor plan although leaving it separated makes the rental space more separate and independent.
Extra Space
Credit: smallhousebliss.com
Converting a Garage Into a Bedroom
Remodeling and converting your garage into an extra bedroom can be a great idea if you are looking to squeeze a bit of extra room out of your home. It can cost less and be less work than building a new addition on your home. Although it is cheaper, it is not without cost. It also does take a bit of work.
Those in your community may have an issue with you converting your space, so make sure to know the regulations in your community. If you do convert your space, you can use this new room to expand your home or even option to use it as a rental space for people.
There are plenty of things you can do with your new bedroom. And you have options to incorporate it falling into your home or leave it a separate entity with independent facilities.
If you enjoyed this article about converting a garage into a bedroom, please ask questions and comments down below.
Leave a Reply