Convert double garage or build garden room?

[Bringonthepumpkins]

We are looking at options to add some more living space and would love some advice. We originally looked into this as need another office space area due to DHs new job. We are deciding between converting our detached double garage or building a solid structure garden room.

The garage is 5.3m x 5.3m and if converted it would give us a bedroom big enough for a king size bed plus an en suite, a small office and an area for utilities. Rough cost is around £50k plus VAT.

The other option is a solid structure garden room, 3m x 5m, which would have room for an office and sofa. This would be at the side of the house in a space we never use. That comes in at about £30k plus VAT.

Has anyone else had to choose between the two? What would you recommend?

The garden room option is much cheaper, and you’d then get to keep the garage as well (very useful for storage, and garage would be expected by many future buyers if you sell). Garden room and keep garage is a no brainer.

Depends on what you have at the moment, if you don’t have a downstairs wc, I would go for garage conversion, also depending on DC, would you use garage room for a teenager if it’s no longer being used as an office in the future, I would have loved to put DS2 in one if we had one, instead we converted garage into a gym for him.

How is the garage designed? We have a house with half a double garage converted - leaving us with a single garage still. You could get the utility and a study, plus keep the storage. BUT I strongly suspect there was already a wall between the garages, as the converted one sits under the top floor, and the other one sticks out from the house. Might not work for you, but it's another suggestion.

future intentions for the property and what is the area like?
you have a double so presumably easily able to fit a modern car? Is the norm in your location that people use garages for cars? Obviously lots of places with older garages can't and don't.

adding an integrated extra bedroom will of course increase the property value, but would losing a garage be a big negative when selling?

perhaps consider how you would rank your secondary motives? I like a garden room as an office as it makes it easier to feel like I'm "at" work as you have to go to it, and easier to encourage less disturbance when working. In your case however, the choice is between an "office" outside or office + bedroom + facilities inside (for an extra 20k). If those extras are needed and "worth" that extra money then the choice is made for you.

We converted the back half of a double garage into a utility and small home office.

We thought about converting all the space to include a shower room but decided to keep the front as storage as we have a young family with bikes, camping gear. In our estate v few people have converted their garage as the plots are fairly spacious so people have extended instead and kept their garage so felt risky for longer term value not to keep some storage.

On whether to do a garden office or garage, we wanted something integrated into our home as we use our utility as an overflow from the kitchen with our washer, bread maker, microwave, and we go in and out all the time. As it's part of the house it means DH can keep an ear out for the kids or tea in the oven while he's finishing off work if I'm out.

I think you are trying to make your garage work hard for you, sensible given the costs of conversion, but I wonder if you need to focus on the primary function of the extra space.

Have you checked that you'd get planning permission to convert the garage? Not all councils allow garages that are separate to the house to be converted to living accommodation. Would the garden room need planning permission?

Check the planning permission situation. In our local authority, detached outbuildings can only be converted for ancillary use, so office, gym, games room etc. Of course there’s nothing to stop you sticking a bed in there once it’s built but you probably wouldn’t be able to market it as a bedroom if you sell.

Some really helpful food for thought here, thanks everyone. We’re good on planning, checked that before I started considering it. The primary driver is office space, however we host a lot and the option to have guests separate is definitely a major draw for me. We do use the garage for storage currently, think Christmas trees, garden furniture that’s used in the summer etc. I don’t think the storage loss would be too much for us as we’d get a large, robust shed instead where the garden would’ve gone.

Got the builder coming round this week to firm everything up. Think I’ll get a maximum budget in mind then if the garage exceeds, garden room it is…

we did a garage conversion to office/playroom and built a large shed in our garden and we love it, such a well used and versatile space. I would go for the conversion personally if you will use it as a guest bedrooom as well.