How do I convert my garage into a habitable room?

Maximise the space of your home by converting your unused garage into a habitable room.

If your garage is under-used, don’t let it linger with wasted potential. With a clear plan and a few adjustments, you can transform it into a liveable space that adds value to your life and your home.

So how can you convert a garage into a habitable room?

Why should you convert a garage?

If your garage is rarely used, it quite literally is a waste of space. Converting a garage will give you some major benefits, including:

• A new liveable space to maximise the usability and capacity of your home, and potentially relieving you of the pressure to move home further down the line.
• It’s generally quicker and more affordable to convert a garage than to build a completely new extension, saving you time and hassle.
• Conversions can also increase the resale value of your home, benefiting your pocket in the future.

So, you’ve decided to give your neglected garage a new purpose. Next, you need to decide what to turn it into.

7 garage conversion ideas

With the right approach, a garage can be converted into almost any sort of room, including:

• Bedroom
• Playroom or nursery
• Home gym
• Office
• Apartment
• Workshop or studio
• Utility room

Each of the above spaces will have its own requirements. For example, an office or bedroom will need excellent soundproofing, while that won’t be so much of a concern for a utility room. Once you’ve settled on what your garage will become, you can get started.

How to turn a garage into a room

Every garage conversion project will look a little different and you should always refer to the expertise of your chosen construction company or architect. A garage conversion project will follow these broad stages:

1. Planning: Get a trusted architect or conversion company on board who can assess the space, collaborate with you and draw up plans for a space that will serve you in every way. Working with a professional will also ensure that all the relevant planning permission and building regulations approval that you might need are obtained. Most garage conversions will not require planning permission, but this can differ if your home is a listed building, if you’re changing the external look of your home, or if it’s in a certain location that has stricter laws, so always check with your local planning authority.
2. Foundations: Once everything is stripped out, you will be able to see clearly what you’re working with and any plans can be adjusted. It’s also the chance to check the foundations to assess if they will be able to handle the new load, which will be influenced by the room’s future purpose and any doors or windows being added.
3. Insulate: A room can only be habitable if it’s comfortable for the user. This means controlling temperature and noise levels through insulation of the walls, windows, interior doors, floors and the garage door itself. If your current garage door is not adequate for its new purpose, you should replace it with an insulated model. Insulation will also keep bills down by improving the energy efficiency of the space. Here at Classic Garage Doors, we provide double-skinned garage doors from world-leading brands, allowing you to choose from a range of materials, colours and styles to perfectly suit your new space and its future function.
4. Build: Everything from electrical outlets, plumbing requirements and fire safety features to lighting, finishes and heating will be part of the build stage, transforming your abandoned garage into a usable room.
5. Customisation: Now it’s time to customise and decorate with furniture, ornaments and pictures to make it truly your own.

As you can see, the garage door you choose can have a big impact on the comfort and liveability of your new space, so make sure you work with our experts to choose one that has the perfect style and performance for you.

Ensure your converted garage has a high-quality door to bring comfort, energy-efficiency and noise muffling to your new liveable space. Here at Classic Garage Doors, we are the leading providers of excellent quality garage doors to homes across Dover, Ashford, Folkestone and beyond, including for garage conversions. Get your free, no-obligation quotation today.