Extension - garage or extra living room

[emmakc1977]

We are in process of buying a 3 bed house. We have three kids so want to do a wrap around two story extension and loft. The current box room will give way for staircase and make ensuite for one of the bedrooms.

I think we should have a garage on the side and build a bedroom above. That will give us four good sized bedrooms including loft.

We will have a good sized front room and then a kitchen, living area.

I think rather than an extra front room we should have garage as that will give storage. My dh says extra living room for kids when older.

What would give it best future resale, garage or extra front room.

Living room, every time.

MaryP that’s what Dh says (I hate being wrong). I tried saying where will all our crap and xmas tree go but he’s not budging lol

How big is it? No one actually uses a garage for a car, but storage space is so useful. I was just wondering if you'd have space to make a store room and a small living room?

Living room definitely .

Living room. Garages end up as storage anyway. If you’ve got a loft for storage, that’s more than enough.

Depends where you live. Round here garages are v sought after for bikes, kayaks, surfboards and skis.

Living room.

When kids are smaller it's useful to have an adult lounge and a playroom - keeps everything tidy and toys contained.

As they are older, having a social space they can use with friends pays massive dividends.

As for storage, my parents converted one of their garages (they had 2 large integral single garages) into a second living space but as the room was a rectangle (long and thin) they foreshortened it by building a walk in shelved room which they use for all the things you describe at the far end (Xmas decorations etc) it's a brilliant use of space and actually makes the proportion of the converted room better (ie more square).

Garages are a waste of square footage imho. Cars never get put in them and they just become a dumping ground.

You only really need one if you have a classic car, need workshop space or own motorbikes.

Guess why my house has a huge garage 😀 🏍

(But I did buy a home with 3 reception rooms to start with - garage is DH's domain!)

I'd go for garage. Can't bear houses with multiple living rooms. Feels like a waste to me unless one is an open plan kitchen/lounge/conservatory type one.

Probably living room would give best resale value, but while you're living there so you have any....bikes, tools, ladders, paint, lawnmower etc, and where do you keep them. Ok christmas decs in the loft, but you need more storage even if its a big shed.

I so know where you are coming from! We are about to convert our garage into an adult lounge (to escape the teens) and I’ve been very concerned about lack of storage. But yesterday DH totally emptied it with the majority actually being rubbish. The bikes, sledges, tools, mower etc went into the garden shed. He was right, it seems we don’t need a garage. Do you have a shed?

Living room! But would you have access to the garden from the front still? Will you have space for a shed? Will you have somewhere to store bikes etc?

How big is the garden?

A shed can be a great storage space if it can be tucked back in a corner and doesn't become the "crap cove" feature if the garden!

We didn't ours so the front with windows was a living room and the middle with a side door to outside was a store room.
Then the rear was a kitchen extension

If you are doin a loft make sure you have extra storage in the eves. Get clever with under stairs storage. You can have a shed for bikes.

Work together!

I'd normally say living room, but if you are converting the loft and have no existing garage then you will presumably have no storage space at all?! I'm afraid that would massively put me off as a buyer.

Thanks everyone, when we get plans done maybe we can have smaller living room and storage room off it.

It has 90ft garden so could put in a shed to keep all garden stuff and eves for Christmas decs and kids stuff etc.

Just hope purchase doesn’t fall through lol

It's easier to turn a living room into a store than a garage into a living room.