How important is a garage? 12 December 2010 at 6:10PM in House buying, renting & selling 46 replies 6.8K views

sonastin

I'm looking to buy a nice garage with a functional house attached. If I view a house with the garage converted, its only ever to see whether I can convert it back into a garage. The condition of the house matters less than the potential of OH's "playroom" (workshop to most people!)

shays_mum

I would convert it to a playroom!, most big houses i have seen have drives so i wouldn't want a garage as well.

molerat

Every house around here, probably 200, has a garage, some single and some double. I can count on the fingers of one hand how many actually ever have a car in them. We have sealed ours up with a window panel and door, nice warm workshop now. There is room for 2 cars on the drive though.

gauly

I've seen virtually identical houses side by side, one with a garage and one with a conversion, selling for the same amount. I've also read that a garage conversion adds no value at all, which I believe. You would be better taking the money intended for the garage conversion and knocking it off the asking price!

chris8

hazyjo wrote: »

If you have such a large driveway, one garage would suffice, I'm sure. I definitely wouldn't lose it for the sake of another room. Does seem top heavy though. Do you have an ensuite bedroom? I'm presuming yes... but if not, I'd definitely lose a bedroom and make it an ensuite. Might not lose as much money as you think. Would probably make it a very attractive 4 bed house. I'd even be inclined to lose that Bed 5 to a dressing room. Why the 4/5 beds? Is one bedroom off the other?

Jx

Thanks for all the replies, really really helpful. The drive is wide rather than deep, no scope for using as anything else. We do have an ensuite already and bed 5 has a bed in it now but we have used it as a study previously. I think people expect for 4/5 beds to have a separate dining room, Whereas, the only reception room is 27 foot long but is is lounger/diner. Could separate rooms with double doors but then that's 2 smaller rooms - thoughts on this would be useful. The reason we didn't want to add conservatory/sun room is that the garden is wide but not very deep and we thought it would eat into the garden space and possibly put future buyers off? The house originally was a 3 bed ensuite and we added the two extra rooms over the garage hence why the garden may now seem small in comparison to the number of bedrooms available. With regard to price of house we priced ours lower than others in the area but only one similar house has sold in the last 12mths and this was 2 mths ago for £40k more than ours was priced, but it had double garage and dining room! The others are still up for sale at higher prices.

Today have taken it off the market. We think we'll update kitchen and stay for 18mths/2yrs possibly. Am really keen to make sure whatever improvements we do will not decrease its appeal when we come to market again.

Sorry for epic post but it is so brilliant to have all your opinions and advice as it can be hard to be objective when its your home.

Geenie

poppysarah wrote: »

One of the most expensive houses in Devon has sold recently and that didn't have a garage.

I wonder at what point the buyers will notice.

Oh do tell poppysarah, I live in Devon!

I can't think of many houses where I live that have garages. The 1600/1700's were not that fussed about providing vehicular access, though stables feature a great deal.

We all have our cars outside and are use to get outing the scrapper or a container of tepid water to defrost the windscreen at this time of year. The grander places I have seen had coach houses, which have often been converted so even they park outside now. The people I know with garages don't use them for the cars, but storing all of the other stuff they accumulate, like garden furniture, barbecues. Haven't had a car in a garage for 25 years.

geoffky

We have a large 4bed and we would be lost without the garage as all my so called crap is stored in there,,where would all the stuff you have in your garage go? i do not put a car in it but would be lost without it...ours also has a extra freezer and tumble dyer in it..KEEP IT..

diable

If you want to see real garages then see this thread...........

jackieb

diable wrote: »

If you want to see real garages then see this thread...........

Oh.WOW! :eek:

diable

jackieb wrote: »

Oh.WOW! :eek:

Man's Paradise.................