To think we can have ‘utility room’ in garage

We did this OP, a proper conversion with tanking, insulation etc. made the back 1/4-1/3 into a utility area with tumble, washing machine, coat storage and loads of shelving. We had a stud wall added with double doors to access it, and the remainder we made into a study with a new big window. It was a great space.
if you have room elsewhere for garage storage I would go for the window option to make the most of the room and have all the natural light.
We checked with local estate agents before we did it and they said some future buyers would want a garage and some would want the space so it wouldn’t make much difference. We love the space, it’s made a huge difference. I think we’d have moved without it!

Current prospective house buyer here. Have a really good think about the usable space and aesthetics before you do this.

We’re going to look at a house next week and the vendor has converted their garage into a tiny utility (no room for a drier), plus a shower room. The shower room is impractical, plus they’ve put a window in the utility and then have blocked this with shed that is replacing the storage lost in the garage. It looks poorly thought through and if we like the house we’ll be knocking money off as we need it to address these issues.

This thread has made me realise absolutely none of my friends have garages! Literally 100%. All houses either never had one, or garage has been converted. The 1 friend who does have a garage is in a rental. So I personally really wouldn’t worry about there being no market for garage-less houses!

Yes and no.

I wouldn’t leave the garage door on as that will affect saleability. It’ll appeal to people
who in the first look want a garage and then disappoint when they realise it doesn’t exist. It will also mean your living space will be windowless as you can’t add side windows the same way that you can replace a garage door with a window to the front.

You also need to be aware that losing the garage without having dedicated parking will massively impact saleability and weigh that against the need for more space and storage now.

We added a utility room to a garage conversion in a previous home and loved it. As others have said, we had a large shed and loft for storage. But it was definitely mentioned (a lot) when we were selling.

Yes we had a miniscule kitchen with only an under-counter fridge, and a garage 4x the size 🙃🙃 so we had fridge freezer in the garage which broke from the cold one winter, plus got pretty mouldy round the trims etc!

We never ever put the car in the garage and just filled the garage with crap. Now the garage has been turned into the kitchen and utility and I have no idea why we held onto all the crap we had in the garage, not missing it at all! Your plan is good OP.

I wouldn't buy a house with no garage and I don't want to be lugging washing from the house to the garage and back again

It was the first thing we did when we moved to our current house. The garage ran alongside the entrance corridor. So we opened up a door from garage to the hall wall. Then split the garage into two. Left the back area as the utility,loads of storage, washer dryer. The front we got a new roller garage door for and it's storage.

It works really well. Go for it.

we did this in our old house , people love utilities and they can always take it out .

Me too! This is only my second vented tumble dryer and we’ve lived here over 20 years. Both have been in the garage.

Fairly easy for someone to remove utility bits in a garage though

This is my thinking too. It's a bit pointless having a full up-and-over door on a space that's no longer big enough to store anything that wouldn't fit through a normal door.

@Flossflower she lives in the SE of England

I've never seen the benefit of a garage in the house, it seems like such a waste of space especially if the property has a driveway. I'd love a utility room!

Some retailers won't install washing machines in a garage. (Unless a proper conversion, I mean.)

Your first and second paragraphs are contradictory or confusing, at least to me. I doubt you'd have room for storage, living space, and washing facilities.

I've known several people who've converted garages. One kept the garage front door and many years later, new owners rebuilt the whole thing because it was cold, and did a proper conversion into living accommodation.

Another put in living space and shower/utility and used roof space above for storage and installed a garden shed for keeping lawn mower and other essentials.

Another joined the garage conversion to a further ground floor extension behind and kept the garage door front and a bit of the garage to store bins and bikes.

@Newmumin23 We are thinking of doing the same thing, back half of garage would be a utility room, front would be storage. Would want it all properly insulated and up to building regs. Have you had any quotes? We really have no idea how much this might cost.

Yes this is what I was bothered about. I would like to make the garage into a utility but I was bothered about pipes freezing. I have had a tumble dryer in there for ages. I also have a second fridge freezer in there. It is Beco which I believe are designed so they can be used at cold temperatures. Where in the UK does your friend live?

I absolutely would not keep the garage door. If you're making it into a proper room, do it properly. You can put it big windows or sliding glass doors/French doors in its place.

You mean washing machine in there? Think of the costs of adding extra plumbing etc.

My parents have freezers in their garage. Plus excess cleaning/laundry products, wine, food cans, store cupboards stuff on shelving.

They can't park their car in garage - even if garage is empty. They can park it in but unable to open the driver's door to get out. This house is 22 years old and builders don't incorporate size of the wider cars when building houses. Its a VW Golf.

My friend has her washing machine in the garage (there is no space for it in the kitchen or bathroom). Every time there is a cold snap, her washing machine stops working for the duration. She spends a lot of time and money in the launderette!

When we moved into our house washer and drier were in the dining part of the kitchen diner which we hated. The very first thing we did was split the attached garage into 2. One half workshop, one half utility room. We are lucky to have a second garage and a garden shed so still have plenty of storage.
A utility room or option to incorporate a utility room was a must when we were looking. The garage is accessible from the house and is close to the kitchen

I think it would be odd to have a garage door on the side of a utility room. Is there no way of boarding out the loft of your garage for storage space? That’s what we’ve done in my husband’s mancave aka our old garage 😂

Echoing the thought above about not trying to fit too much into one space.

If ive read it right, you want 1/3 to be a utility - probably a reasonable size of a single garage, but then you also want storage space and a living space?? And keep the garage door, so possible reduced head space if you've got an "up and over" door style, and no windows?
Garage conversion can be great. But they can be awful. Look carefully at light and dimensions before committing.

I currently don't have a garage, not important for me if I was to move.
Shed in the garden, it's a mess.

I'd far rather a utility