Last Updated on September 12, 2023
Have you recently placed yet more storage boxes on top of the dozens of storage boxes that are already in your garage and thought: when did this stop becoming a space for my car?
If we had to hazard a guess, we would wager exactly one month after you bought the house. One of the things that can be so attractive about a new property is having your own garage, but as soon as you arrive – and you have a hundred boxes of stuff that you don’t want to face unloading – it isn’t long before that garage becomes a storage room, rather than actually a place to keep your vehicle.
Sure, it might upgrade over the years to a freezer room, a room for your washing machine, or maybe a small corner of it becomes your mini workshop. But for the most part, it’s a place of stuff, and not really a functional room in any other respect.
So why don’t you make it functional? If your garage has become a space that you don’t show the guests during a house tour, then why not make it the space that you want to show them first? Over the years, the garage has become one of the most common conversions in any household, not least because they’re the easiest rooms to convert. With that being said, however, just because they are easy to convert: easiest doesn’t always equate to cheapest.
Below, we’ve gone into the five most common garage conversions for you to ponder, as well as a price rundown for all of them:
Layout Rework
Let’s start with the big one: a layout rework. If you’re living in a small house with a growing family, then this can be the best way to earn yourself some more space without moving entirely. With the help of a good building merchant, you can turn the garage into another bedroom, a second lounge, or even a new entrance for the house.
Nailing down a cost for this one is hard, as “reworking your layout” is pretty general. But for the most part, reworking garages into a secondary room costs from £5,000 to £7,000 – factoring in removing the garage doors, buying and installing new doors and windows, redoing the flooring, insulation, and more. A lot of people also decide to rework by knocking down the walls of their kitchen and creating a modern, open kitchen plan. Again, this can cost anywhere between £7,000 to £10,000.
The Man Cave
If you want to keep things cheap and cheerful, then we would suggest creating a man cave. Don’t be put off by the name, because this can be a place for the whole family, with just a few games – darts, pool, table football – a television, and a sofa making the space look completely new. This can be a great idea for parties and gatherings, or just to create a new place to go to have fun in the evenings.
As mentioned previously, it’s also one of the cheapest conversions you can do. All you have to do is strip the space down – replaster and repaint if you want to – and install all of your new knick-knacks. Generally speaking, it can be as cost-effective as £1,500 but be prepared to spend up to £2,250 if you want to make it really great.
The Annexe
But what if you want to make money from your garage? In 2022, it was reported that 14,000 new hosts were joining the platform of Airbnb every month, with over 7 million listings worldwide. As more and more people are looking for additional revenue to keep afloat, the idea of letting out a part of your home is becoming more popular, and a converted garage is a perfect way to do it. If your garage is larger than most – 32 wide by 22 deep, or 18×20 at least – then what’s stopping you from converting it into a two-room annexe?
This is an especially good idea if you live in a desirable holiday spot, or near a well-populated city. All you have to do is divide the space with a partition wall and then put the work into cleaning it up, re-decorating, insulating, and making it comfortable for any guests who want to stay. Depending on how savvy you are, it doesn’t have to be too expensive. Like the layout rework, it could cost up to £10,000, but a simple, minimalist space can cost around £5,000 if you put in all the necessary research and preparations.