Do you want to live in your garage? In my experience as a professional home inspector, I have seen many garages that have been converted into home living space. Some of these converted garages have been done well however, I have seen my fair share of disasters.
Many times converting a garage into a bonus living space can cost nearly as much as an addition would cost. However, if you believe that converting the garage is the route you want to go make sure you go all the way. At the end of your project, you should not be able to tell that a garage was ever there. You should ensure that this converted room is a safe as the rest of the home. Homes that have been renovated to look like the garage was never there tend has a higher resale value, in my experience. Any type of home renovations should be done properly to give more value to the property.
Don’t keep the large garage door that doesn’t open any longer because you’ve installed a wall right behind it. Once you remove your exterior garage door you will need to repair the exterior. This should be done to match the existing home exterior. A professional contractor can match the block, stucco or siding. Garage floors are designed with a slope. You should level your garage floor if possible.
Another important factor in your garage conversion is adding Heating and Cooling to that space. An HVAC professional can help you determine the best way to approach this task. Many homes do not have insulation in the attic space above the garage, so this will need to be added. This will help heat and cool your new space as efficiently as possible. Many times, the garage will only have insulation on the fire wall that is connected to your home. You will want to add insulation to all the walls that are not currently insulated.
Many times, a homeowner will find Great Value by adding additional living space to their home by doing a garage conversion. My advice as a professional home inspector is to make sure it’s done right because I will be inspecting it.
The Inspectors at Kelting Inspections & Services are trained to provide a thorough inspection of your home. We want to ensure you know the true condition of the home you are purchasing.
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Copyright. 2018 Wesley Bulifant. All Rights Reserved.
“It is important to remember that no two inspections are the same. A home inspection is a snapshot in time and reports of the current conditions of the home. Our inspections are all performed in accordance with the InterNACHI Standards of Practice and without any personal interests of any party. An updated inspection should be considered”
