7 Ideas for Garage Conversions Bedford
What do you use your garage for? Fewer and fewer of us are parking our cars in them it seems; instead we use it to store sports equipment, set up a workbench for DIY, or stow away unwanted furniture. If you’re not using your garage for its intended purpose, you could think about converting it into living space – and you’ll be adding to the value of your home at the same time!
Just think what you could do with that extra space… But just before you get too carried away, remember that all that stuff you’ve currently got stored in there will need to find a new home! Whether you plan to purge, or use your conversion as a great excuse to give up on the running machine, a detailed planning process is key to the successful re-purposing of space.
Ampthill Building Company Checklist for Garage Conversions
It’s always exciting to be discussing a new project with clients, but we always start by going through our Garage Conversion Checklist to keep our feet on the ground and make sure that their plans have the very best chance of becoming reality:
- How much will it cost? – the overall cost will include fees to a designer and structural engineer as well as construction. We offer a detailed quotation giving an accurate costing.
- Does it need planning permission? – in most cases it will be classed as a permitted development, unless you live in Conservation Area.
- How do building regs work? – you will require building regs sign off for your designs; this is a process we can help with.
- Is it possible to convert a garage yourself? – for the best results we would always recommend involving experienced professionals even if it’s just to provide guidance.
7 Ideas for Garage Conversions
Where your garage is located will influence your decision about what you want to use the extra space for, as will the size of the space you’re planning to convert. Here are 7 of our favourites to get you inspired:
- Playroom – if your garage sits adjacent to your living room, this is a perfect way to create space for your kids to play in. Careful design can ensure that as your kids get older the space can be adapted to as a cool space for teenagers.
- Extension to your living room – over the years your home needs to serve a range of needs and interests. Having space where people can go to read, watch TV, or chat whilst staying connected to what everyone else is doing, is invaluable.
- Home office – the way we work is changing rapidly in the 21st century. Many of our clients now work from home, or are starting their own businesses and are looking for the low overheads a garage conversion can provide.
- Gym space/studio – whether you want to work out regularly, or you need a space to work creatively we can create the perfect environment. We install specialist floors, bespoke storage, soundproofing, and wall mirrors.
- Extra bedroom – if your garage allows for access from a hallway, you may want to consider creating an extra bedroom for your property. If it’s a guest room, think about creating a dual-purpose space, and fitting an en-suite.
- Kitchen Diner – this is a very popular option where the garage adjoins the kitchen. This conversion allows you to design the kitchen you’ve always wanted, or created a spacious dining area for guests.
- Sleepover space – if you have a detached garage you have a great opportunity to create a discrete guest area with a basic living area and kitchenette. This is perfect for relatives visiting, or teenage sleepovers.
Choose an Award Winning Building Company for Your Garage Conversion
Ampthill Building Company is proud to have recently been awarded the title of ‘Local Best Builder’ by the LABC Regional Building Excellence Awards. It recognises the consistently high quality of our work with local customers. We believe that our commitment to customer service as a driver of our working practices has played played a huge part in our success.
We can help you with the planning and building of your garage conversion, from the ideas stage through building right up to landscaping the converted structure. We always assign dedicated project managers which means that you get regular detailed updates on the project progress, and we pride ourselves on completing to deadline and on budget.