As a home buyer which would you prefer?

[Threebecomesfour]

Hi all, just canvassing opinion really. We bought a 4 double bedroom, detached house (including detail so you can imagine the space better!)
The one remaining question mark is what we do about the detached garage. Currently the garage i set back in the garden making the garden quite small for the sized house. The garage is about 10ft wide by 20ft long. And there is about 6ft of dead space between the garage and the fence. As I can see it we have 2 options..
A/ leave the garage where it is and either leave it as is or convert it into a store plus home office down the line. Or...
B/ demolish the garage, increasing the garden size. Down the line build a store on the side of the house.
Which would you prefer? There is no dedicated office in the house (we use the spare room)
Thanks you!

A. But I think it's a very personal thing - I'm very keen on having a garage, but fewer people want one these days.

C) use the garage for storage and the car. But I realise we are very much in the minority by parking a car in the garage!

B for me

Is there other parking? Personally I’d ask an estate agent before you put money down x

B for me as long as there was alternative outside storage.

Replace with a greenhouse for me :) I would get rid of garage but keep the foundations.

A

B.

A large shed/garden room in the back corner of the garden would be less obtrusive and offer storage.

How long do you plan on living there?

What do you want?

If you've not been there long, I wouldn't rush to demolish but see how you would make use of it.

@user1493494961

If you've not been there long, I wouldn't rush to demolish but see how you would make use of it.

This ^^

Thanks everyone.
We are hoping to say her euntil around 2025/2026 for school catchment reasons and then hope to make our next house the one we stay in until retirement (if we can!)
There is a lot of space for parking on the property probably 5 or 6 cars worth I think.

@Emelene

Is there other parking? Personally I’d ask an estate agent before you put money down x

We've asked 3 agents who have been v non committal. All saying it's a 50 50 split as to what is more desirable. I guess that's why we're finding it so hard to make the decision!

A

B. Assuming you still have driveway space in front of the house for parking.

Removing a garage will devalue the house
Many buyers won’t consider a house without a garage

How long are you staying there?

Demolishing will cost thousands

We have ruled out all houses without a garage, so I wouldn't personally go down that road.

We ruled out houses without garages. Not for the car, but bikes, garden furniture, tools etc.

this

Really interesting. If I was staying here long term I'd demolish the garage but we're not so our decision is mostly based on what a buyer would find most attractive. Seems like the garage staying is more popular. Thanks everyone!

What’s your budget? And we need a diagram! 😁

If there is a lot of parking, can you build a garage somewhere else on the property?

If you have money to spend then I’d go with a multipurpose building. So a made-over garage that you use as an office for now but can still be put back to garage use. Nice smooth floor, smart storage etc. Could the garage be extended to make an additional garden room with doors opening onto the garden maybe? Pretty it up with cladding/ nice windows? Depends on your budget though before you spend more than the house is worth.

Unless it’s a do-er upper though probably the best thing financially is to do nothing but frugal cosmetic changes.

I hate garages and always factor int he cost of removing them when looking at houses. I’d demolish it for sure!

A, some people want garages for parking and some want it for storage. It seems like a lot of hassle to demolish the garage and try and reintegrate it back in to the garden and I don't think the increase in garden space compensates for the loss of the potential usefulness of the garage.

We are looking at moving and would rule out anything without a garage.