Garage Conversion: Why Consider It and What's Involved

If you're interested in adding some extra space to your home without having to go all out, you may want to consider converting your garage. You'll spend less upfront while also increasing the overall value of your home. Plus, you can finally have that detached garage you've been dreaming about.

More Square Footage = Increased Property Value

According to research conducted by the National Association of Realtors in 2003, just 1,000 extra square footage added to your home can raise the value of your home by over three percent. With percentages, this may not sound like a lot, so let's use some numbers. Let's say you have a home that is currently valued at $300,000. You're looking at an increase of more than $9,000. When you consider the fact that the study was performed in 2003, there's an additional 11+ years that have allowed that number to increase.

Getting Your Garage Conversion Project Started

The great thing about converting your garage into a part of your home is that it already has a foundation, a roof and walls. Therefore, you have most of the hard work (and the most expensive) out of the way. Most high-quality garage conversion projects will take around four to six weeks to complete from start to finish. This type of project will generally include the following:

• Walls and ceiling will need to be fully and properly insulated.
• The floor height will need to be raised so that adequate insulation can be installed beneath the floor and on the concrete slab.
• Tap into the main HVAC system of the house or install an independent system for heating and cooling.
• Due to the larger load of electrical current, the home may need to be rewired or upgraded.
• The garage door will have to be replaced with insulated stud walls.
• Windows and doors will need to be installed.
• The wall that initially separated the garage from the house will need to be torn down so an open floor plan exists.

Don't worry that you don't have a garage anymore. You can add a detached garage to your home now that you've enclosed your original garage and made it part of your home. All of this combined increases the value of your home significantly. It's an upgrade that you will regret not doing.