Garage: Storage or Extended Living Space?

May 5

Your garage represents a blank canvas of interior space. Whether you use it for storing vehicles, storing belongings, or extending your living space, you can get beautiful results with a strong vision and some help from the pros. Get some great ideas for repurposing your garage and how to bring them to fruition below.

Assess your needs and the available space

Growing families tend to stretch the limits of their living areas. If you are experiencing similar growing pains, converting your garage seems like a sensible solution. Before you call your contractor, though, consider the garage you have to work with:

Is there sufficient square footage for the project?
Where will you keep your vehicles?
Does area zoning allow for a garage conversion?
Is your garage watertight?

If you only need an extra bedroom, say if a baby is on the way, a single garage may provide enough room to grow. On average, bedrooms have about 132 square feet of floor space. You need at least 120 square feet to accommodate a double bed, so plan accordingly.

If your garage presently protects your vehicles, consider whether you can sacrifice this important function. Perhaps you already have an alternative place to keep them. If not, you may need to add a covered area or parking spaces.

Be sure to check your local building and zoning regulations. For example, you probably need to apply for a building permit. Find out before you get going on your project, and you can avoid any issues later on.

Make sure your Sacramento area contractor, such as Bayside Home Improvement, confirms the structural integrity of your garage before you green light your project. Is the roof in good condition? What about the floor and the framing? Also, check for signs of leakage before you start.

Alternatives to garage conversion

As a less costly alternative to complete garage conversion, consider reorganizing your living area to expand that space. Then, add more storage in your garage to handle the overflow.

For example, when your kids are grown and gone, you may wish to repurpose their bedrooms into a home office, an arts and crafts area, or a guest room. You can store the furnishings in the garage to make the transition easier. For example, consider:

Clearing out a dedicated place for furniture storage
Adding shelving for safely storing personal items
Installing overhead storage to conserve floor space for vehicles
Installing cupboards for storing larger items

Reach out to a Northern California storage company like Hello Garage to get great ideas and expert installation. That way, you’ll get a well-organized garage and more living area too.

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