To want to convert our garage into living space?

[EmmelineLestrange]

We (me, DP, and my 2 kids who are with us half the time and with their dad the other half) have a 3 bed house. It has a lounge, and a kitchen/diner. It's mid terrace, with a small garden at the back, off street parking outside the house for 1 car, and there isn't much storage space in the house. Low pitch roof so no opportunity to go up into the roof.

We have an integrated garage which is just used for storage, we don't put a car in there.

Kids are currently 12 and 9, and the lounge is a shared area to watch TV and they have their computer in there.

We are looking to either convert the garage into living space (probably a "grown up" lounge with a sofa bed to properly be able to accommodate guests), or to put a cabin in the garden, but that would be a lot smaller, take up a lot of the garden, and not get any direct sunlight.

As well as improving the living space for us, I'm mindful of what potential buyers might prefer in the future - this is not our forever home.

So, if you were buying a house, would you prefer it to have a garage, or another area of living space?

YABU - would prefer to have a garage
YANBU - not bothered about the garage and would prefer to have more living area

@CuthbertDibbleandGrubb

What I don't like is when this is followed by taking up all the front lawn and so there is just paving in the front. Denying any plants or grass and in a small way reducing biodiversity in our towns and cities.

There is no front lawn for any of the houses in the row. It is already all paved (and I suspect always was - built in the 80s)

We did it, converted a double garage into a playroom/storage. Our drive holds 4 cars so no impact on parking. We didn't just brick up the garage openings under the new window but instead matched the window sizes to the ones we already had at the front.

We did retain a storage space across the back of both garages due to layout but we also banked an entire wall in the playroom with storage. If you can go floor to ceiling with adjustable shelves and you can hide a million toys, tv, board games, shoes, coats etc in those cupboards. It means it looks tidy very quickly.

@wellhellohi we have done ours in such a way as to make it easy to convert it into an annex if ever needed at a later date.

@CuthbertDibbleandGrubb

What I don't like is when this is followed by taking up all the front lawn and so there is just paving in the front. Denying any plants or grass and in a small way reducing biodiversity in our towns and cities.

Converting the garage didn't impact the garden at all. Plenty of parking on the drive. Only my FIL parks his car in the garage but it is a Toyota Aygo thing, so teeny and only him to exit the vehicle, no passengers. Everyone else I know uses their garage for storage.

We did this. Agree, it was the best decision! We made a small room for the kids with a tv and sofa bed and patio doors out to the garden and a utility room (washer and dryer used to be in the garage - so lovely to now do washing inside now) We also made the roof into loft space. You cant please everyone, I'm sure plenty of people will like the space if we do sell. If they want a garage that's fine - ours just wouldn't be the house for them

@Viviennemary

I don't like garage conversions. They are usually cold and not very attractive. I wouldn't do it.

We had insulated flooring put down as well as a radiator fitted, added to insulated walls it's lovely and warm. It's a proper room

If it helps, our neighbours did this exact thing and it added value to their house and made it incredibly easy to sell!

DH on the other hand wouldn’t consider buying a house if it didn’t have a garage, but that’s because he uses it to store bikes and do woodworking.

If it’s going to work for you guys and let you use your house in a more logical way, I’d go for it!

If you do it as a proper conversion, with insulation and double glazing and carpet, it would be absolutely fantastic. Worth so much more than a cold garage where you just stick junk.

Also I wouldn't bother with what future buyers might want. If it makes the house better for your purposes, do it. If you like it, someone else will too.

I did this in 2007 as two of my children had outgrown their bunk beds. It gave the teenager her own room, which she appreciated. I had a sink put in and the end of the room was partitioned off to become a utility room to house washing machine and tumble drier + storage (entered from the back garden). It was an excellent decision. I had to declutter quite a lot of stuff and had a large shed installed for garden equipment.
Since 2/3 children (now adults) have left home the conversion room is now my studio where I paint - I'm glad I had the sink installed. I also have a sofa bed which can be used for guests as required.
The only disadvantage with the room is it is a bit cool. It's north facing and the lights are inset ceiling spots, which means there is no insulation above it. If I was having it done now I wouldn't have the spot lights. I use a small fan heater when if it is very cold weather but usually the radiator is sufficient.
Our conversion was done professionally by a company specialising in this. It met all building regulations and was inspected as required.

We have a huge, double, integral garage that is chock-a-block with random shite! We are converting ours this year just to stop all the random shite hoarding! Though I suspect it will become 'Mummy's room' pretty quickly! 😁

I've just done similar. Have a semi with integral garage. Ours is a bedroom and ensuite as I have disabilities and means I can live on one floor. I asked the estate agent if it would devalue my home. He said no, it would most likely increase the value because living space is more valuable than storage /garage, most garages are not suitable for modern cars, that as long as we'd got off road parking and storage still it would be acceptable to buyers.

I’m probably a bit of an outlier, but we bought our house precisely because it has an integrated garage, which we use for the (many) bikes.

The last 3 houses we've lived in the garages were very narrow anyway and would probably only accommodate a very small car so living space would be much better in my opinion

My DM and DF did this . They turned the garage into a dining room . They park on the drive . I warn you that they are extreme de clutterers though and we're past the stage of bikes and sleds when they did it. It has clearly increased the value of the house. They have 2 main garden sheds; one for garden tools, mower , compost etc and one for garden chairs and table and some overwintering dahlias and pelargoniums. You will have to think of your storage solutions.

I have friends who've done this to make a big kitchen/diner/informal lounge - it's the most-used bit of their house now and they never parked in it anyway!

I would go for garage conversion over cabin in the garden. Presumably not having a garage would primarily deter those who wanted to keep/work on cars in one. Can you convert it in such a way that it could still be used as a garge in the future? I can imagine some classic car enthusiast loving the option of storing and working on their car in a heated garage.

I tried to do this but the bastards denied planning permission!

We have done it, back half study and front half utility/storage. Plus a shed in the garden. It's great!

A house near me converted their garage but the front part still has the up-and-over door, and that’s where they store bikes etc, and the back part is in the house.
I thought it was brilliant, I didn’t realise what they had done because the garage door is still there. It’s only when it was open one day that I realised what they had done.

I totall would with the caveat of wanting some large built-in storage cupboards on one wall for all the "stuff" families seem to accumulate.

Garages are generally used for storage these days because cars are too big/garages are too small.

We also thought about converting our garage but had a garden office installed instead as it was cheaper and much faster and we would have needed an extra shed anyway to store all the crap stuff that is in the garage.

On my many covid daily exercise walks I have seen loads of houses with converted garages. I think they add value, no question. Sometimes they look a bit weird and take away the kerb appeal, so I'd be careful about how you do it, but generally they are a great idea.

@SophieGiroux

I tried to do this but the bastards denied planning permission!

I didn't realise you even needed planning permission! I would have thought it came within permitted development. Will go off to check my local council now

My parents did this when we were small. The garage became a playroom, then a games room then my brothers room when him and my other brother got too old to share. Having that extra space downstairs made the house much more livable and gave it longevity.
My parents lived there for 32 years in the end and it sold first time, I believe to a family with young children so I gave no doubt its back to its former life as a playroom now

Honestly op it depends, I’d rather have a garage than a conversion done badly and cheaply. If done well I’d rather have the living space.

So many people do it and just detracted from the value of the property. No proper heating, crap laminate, and it just looks cold and unloved.

If you can afford to do it properly and fully integrate it into the house, do it, if it is something you’re trying to do on a limited budget it’s probably best not to bother.

You do need permission, otherwise you may experience some awkward questions that will come up from you future buyers solicitors regarding the garage conversion.