Converting a garage - worth it ?

lentrix92

Like probably 75% of the population who have an attached garage - we use ours for storage (i.e junk!)

Therefore, we are thinking of converting it into an additional room.

The 2 options are full conversion with building regs (i.e removal of garage door and floor insulation etc) OR non-regs (door remains & no need for floor adjusting etc)

What are peoples views on this, both from a monetary view (add/decrease house value) and a practical point of view ??

Buzby

A neighbour attempted this and the council objected to the application for a Certificate of Comfort to rubber stamp a retrospective conversion (complete with windows). They were given 28 days to restore it to a garage.

Better to do it legally - are any others local to you legally given permission?

ladyabouttown

Does the garage stick out from the main part of the house? Those conversions always look weird as clearly it was a garage...

captainhindsight_2

It has to be a good job. So many people do this and they just end up being a cold room in the house that is never used due to under insulation and insufficient heating (existing boiler is sized for your house, it may not cope with adding more radiators to the heating system)

Also when you sell, may affect desirability. Some may like the additional room but unsure on the quality of the work and some may not want to buy a house without a garage. I certainly wouldn't.

pmlindyloo

OK we have done this.

Not sure if the circumstances are the same though.

Our garage and next door's garage are attached but since it is a small cul de sac we are both detached (hope that makes sense!)

So that we did not spoil the look of the houses in the close we opted to convert the back two thirds of the garage and knock through to the living room. This gave us a room of about 12 ft by 9 ft and left enough space in the 'garage' for storage.

We did not need planning permission but we did need building regs.

We are extremely pleased with the results as it opened up the downstairs (which is somewhat cosy!)

Since it leads into the living space downstairs it actually needs no extra heating. (but then it is extremely well insulated)

As to adding value well, who knows? No one uses their garage for a car and we still have storage. We have extra space downstairs. Depends on what a buyer is looking for!

zzzLazyDaisy

captainhindsight wrote: »

It has to be a good job. So many people do this and they just end up being a cold room in the house that is never used due to under insulation and insufficient heating (existing boiler is sized for your house, it may not cope with adding more radiators to the heating system)

Also when you sell, may affect desirability. Some may like the additional room but unsure on the quality of the work and some may not want to buy a house without a garage. I certainly wouldn't.

This ^^^^^

The previous people to me converted the attached garage into a room. In winter the room is freezing. There is a radiator in there but it is at the end of the line and too small to do the job, so it has ended up being a glorified store room (just as it would have been if it had been left as a garage!). So for goodness sake, if you are going to do the conversion, do it properly.

AdrianC

...and there's me, about to start building a triple garage - to put cars in.

pinkshoes

I wouldn't consider buying a house without a garage! They are SO useful!

Owain_Moneysaver

lentrix92 wrote: »

The 2 options are full conversion with building regs (i.e removal of garage door and floor insulation etc) OR non-regs (door remains & no need for floor adjusting etc)

The only option is a full conversion with Building Regs, if you want to end up with a ROOM and to add value. If you can fit a shower/WC room as well then you have the possibility of using the room as a downstairs bedroom, which can be useful and may appeal to buyers.

Non-regs is not actually a conversion, the resulting space cannot be described as a habitable room, and will ring loud alarm bells with prospective buyers and their solicitors.

But where will you put all your junk when it's converted?

boots_babe

I'd not buy a house without a garage, I'm sure many people would be the same.

If you want to extend, is it an option to build over the garage instead? Then you would get the best of both worlds.

Contessa

I only ever use the garage for storage-bikes, tools, garden tools, ladders, paint etc. Oh and lots of junk!

I'm selling and moving and I would not even consider a house without a garage.