Is converting a garage in Charlotte a good idea? There could be numerous reasons for wanting more living space in your house. Maybe your children are growing up, or your parents are coming to stay with you. But whatever the case may be, making use of your attic or basement as extra living space is the first thing that comes to mind.
A few of the houses, however, have no basements. In some homes, you can’t even use the attic as living space because the roof is too low to provide adequate headspace. The solution to this problem is that most houses come with a garage, whether it is attached or detached. This is a space that is just begging to be converted, into a guest bedroom, a home office, a game room or your own personal cabana.
So, should you do it? Sure, but don’t forget to take these things into consideration before going ahead with the plan.
5 things to take into consideration before converting a garage in Charlotte
1. Car parking space
This, of course, is the real function of a garage. But if you’re converting a garage into something else, make sure you not only have enough space to park your car elsewhere but that it is also as safe and as weatherproof as it was in the garage.
2. Insulation
Unlike the rest of the house, the garage is not insulated. So if you’re converting it into a bedroom, for example, keep in mind that you’re going to be at the mercy of the weather all night unless you get it insulated.
3. Soundproofing
This is another side effect of having no insulation and is also something you should take into consideration if you’re planning on using the garage as a home theater or a music room.
4. Flooring
Your garage flooring is built at a lower level than the rest of your house. Also, unlike the flooring in the rest of the house, it’s a solid block of concrete with cracks and years of grease stains. So, make sure you know that the flooring is going to need some work.
5. Resale value
Last but not the least, and perhaps the most important of all, if you’re planning on putting your home on the market anytime soon, make sure you know that potential buyers are not going to look favorably on a converted garage. Many will deduct the area of the garage from the overall living space of the house. Some may even recoup the reconstruction cost of the garage in their final offer.
Thus, converting a garage is not as easy as it looks. But it’s a lot of fun. And like everything else, there are risks involved. But if you are certain that the risks are worth the returns, go ahead and do it. People have used their garage for a lot of creative activities. Let’s see you what you can come up with!