Many home owners today are converting their garage. Some choose to do a garage conversion in order to enhance their houses, while some people convert their garage into an added bedroom in order to accommodate a growing family. Still, some homeowners convert their garage into an entertainment room and set up a home entertainment area. Builders Gloucestershire can help you choose other possible uses for a converted garage which include: reception area, home office, gaming room, kid's playroom, personal gym, home studio or workroom, downstairs shower, and kitchen extension.
If you want to have the extra space for whatever you want to invest it for, you'll certainly have to sacrifice a part of the garage. How big the space is would rely on what you want to do with the modified room. If you've got an off-road parking alternative that's sufficient for your parking needs, a garage conversion will work very nicely for you. You get a secure shed and store your garage stuff there.
Garage Conversion Regulations
Do you have to secure a permit before you can commence a garage conversion project? Generally, you do not need to obtain a Planning Agreement for a garage conversion project. But nevertheless, it is a good idea if you can get from the Local Authority some kind of permit in paper. Builder Gloucester can assist you with this and as well as other legal issues. This is for your satisfaction. You never know if you will be called to stop your garage conversion because your property is located in a conservation area or for some other factor that will result in your permitted development rights to be stopped.
Note, however, that Building Regulation compliance is a necessity. While many of us might thing this is an inconvenience, it is actually a good thing. A Local Building Control Officer can be useful because he will be checking out the garage conversion work regularly to make sure that the work is being done right. As a homeowner, you will have secure feeling because you can feel safe that the work being done on your garage is independently approved. You'll be issued a certificate by the local authority to serve as proof that your converted garage obeys building safety rules.
Planning Your Converted Garage
You choose how to style the room you want out of your garage. Here's a good tip: while you're in the planning phase, visualize the finished room in your mind. Be as precise as you can as possible -- from where you want the pieces of furniture to be to where you want the light switches, windows, and doorway to be placed.
Make sure you hire a good contractor; he can assist you in converting your garage or part of it so that it seamlessly blends in with the rest of your home. For instance, you may have your bricklayer try to match the brickwork of your converted garage with that of your current home. He should also be able to cleanly tooth the brand new brickwork into the current brickwork. Another example is the interior door and skirting boards. They should match the ones in the present home. As for heating, it can either be separate (by having underfloor heating placed) or added to the home's present heating system (by connecting a radiator).
Also, a good contractor is going to make sure that your converted garage complies with all the Building Regulations, as well as ventilation, thermal performance, electrical and fire safety, and structural efficiency.
The Cost of Converting a Garage
So how much does a garage conversion cost? How much you spend on converting your garage depends on the amount of the work. You'll want to pay just the proper amount to get the job done properly. Be sure you talk to various contractors and get a price quote from each one of them. The projected cost is only one part of the equation, so don't go with a contractor simply because he gave you the lowest estimate for the work. Consider his history and expertise, and if doable, find out what his past customers think of his work. For more information contact Builders Gloucester.