Would a converted Garage put you off?

ian1246

Hey Guys.
Myself and my wife have been toying with the idea of looking to move recently from a 3 bed semi to a 4 bed house, since we want to get a little more living space ready for when we (hopefully) have kids in the next 2-3years - the main reason for moving before having kids would be both of us working full-time, which would maximise our mortgage opportunity vs. when we have kids and wife drops to part time.

However, I am also conscious and worried about stretching us too far with buying a larger house, given the (largely for us, unknown) costs associated with children. Right now we live in a 3bed semi-detached property and pay £576 a month on our mortgage, whilst having 46% Equity in the property - a comfortably affordable amount.

We love our house and the area which it is in. We have a detached garage (connected to next door's garage, which is also detached from their house), which is situated at the end of our drive, which runs alongside and past our house, to the back garden. Part of that drive is fenced/gated off - basically incorporating part of the drive & the garage itself into the garden.

This basically makes the Garage a glorified shed currently, since we never park a vehicle in it and just use it for storage. One possible solution we are looking at - rather than moving house, is converting our Garage into a Garden Office by bricking up the Garage door (with a window) and instead putting in a set of patio doors and a window in the side of the garage, which would open onto the garden and a new patio - whilst getting the garage insulated and plastered with modern electric fixtures/lighting. This would give us the extra living space we want and allow us to put off moving for a good few years. We would look to pay for such a conversion by borrowing more on the mortgage (pretty affordable at current interest rates).

My question is - if you were a hypothetical buyer, would the garage being converted into a garden-office put you off or be a desired feature? Would such a conversion add value to the house or reduce it?

Doozergirl

I'd prefer the conversion. I've no desire to keep a car in a garage and find that we'd just fill it with junk.

Lots of people convert garages, so it's more likely to improve the value when done properly.

There will always be people who do want a garage, but not every house will suit every buyer.

I think it's important to have storage space somewhere and a shed, for example, but I think it's worth keeping clutter to a minimum. Houses are expensive.

Bossypants

Personally, as someone who never parks in the garage but really appreciates having an additional room for laundry, storage, etc, it would be a bonus for me, so long as it is done WELL, meaning that it is fully insulated, proper ceiling height, the layout makes sense, and it is aesthetically pleasing both from the inside and the outside. On the other hand, nothing is more off-putting to me as a buyer than a poorly planned or poorly built extension, because it can cost a fortune to put right and makes you wonder what else has been bodged/skimped on.

NaughtiusMaximus

Bossypants wrote: »

Personally, as someone who never parks in the garage but really appreciates having an additional room for laundry, storage, etc, it would be a bonus for me, so long as it is done WELL, meaning that it is fully insulated, proper ceiling height, the layout makes sense, and it is aesthetically pleasing both from the inside and the outside. On the other hand, nothing is more off-putting to me as a buyer than a poorly planned or poorly built extension, because it can cost a fortune to put right and makes you wonder what else has been bodged/skimped on.

My thoughts exactly.
Properly done conversion = BIG plus point and something I would pay extra for over an identical house with a garage
Bodge job done on the cheap = less desirable than leaving the garage alone and reduces the value of the property

pinkshoes

I love our double garage. (aka the man cave)

We don't park cars in it, but do store a motorbike, bicycles, tools, gym equipment, workbench, power washer, beer fridge, and all the other useful stuff I don't want to store in the house!!

It was on our priority list when buying and we wouldn't have touched a house without one.

Silvertabby

We do park in our integral garage - but it's a squeeze. Our next car will likely be the same make as our current (super mini) but, as the new model is bigger, it will have to live on the drive.

Mr S is already making plans for his new workshop.


ADD: I'll be happy to be able to store the lawnmower in there, as well as the garden furniture over winter. That way I'll be able to get at my gardening stuff in the shed without skinning my ankles.

jackomdj

We love our double garage, like pink shoes it houses motorbikes, push bikes, kids toys, sports/fitness equipment, freezer, garden equipment. We would not coincider a house without a garage.

I think a four bed house without a garage will eliminate quite a few potential buyers in the future.

GDB2222

Is the garage close to the house? How will you get to it from the house, and how practical is that when wet and cold? Can you extend the central heating?

In other words can you really use it as extra living space?

On the other hand, do you want an office that is separate from the house, so as to make a distinction between work and leisure? Some people do definitely want that, but probably not that many.

AnotherJoe

Some potential buyers will prefer it, some wont, so thats a wash.
And you'll have enjoyed years of the benefits for you.
So do it.

FreeBear

ian1246 wrote: »

However, I am also conscious and worried about stretching us too far with buying a larger house, given the (largely for us, unknown) costs associated with children.

https://www.moneyadviceservice.org.uk/blog/what-is-the-average-cost-to-have-a-baby

In the first year, the average cost of a baby is around £11,500. By the time it reaches the age of 18, you may well have spent in excess of £200,000. And if the current housing market is anything to go by, don't expect the child to move out until it is 25 or more.

That garage conversion could end up being the kid's pad until they are old enough (and have the funds) to move out for good.

Waterlily24

My hubby always parks his car in the garage always has since I've known him. When he lived with his Mum they didn't have a garage and he used to rent one a ten minute walk away.



One of our houses only had one of those you put up in bits can't remember what they are called, that got pulled down straight away and an extension was done to the house including a double garage.