If you seldom if ever park your car in the garage it makes perfect sense to transform that space into something that is comfortable and useful. A Man cave OR a woman cave as the case may be, can be a great idea. Especially because that expands your usable living space while adding considerable value too your home.
However, transforming that space is just a dream until you finally decide to do it yourself. If the project seems overwhelming, you will find great value in hiring a professional to do it for you. There is way more to this project than meets the eye and a professional can save you a lot of headaches and a ton of cash.
That said, if you really want to do make the improvement there are some basic first steps to take before deciding to take the plunge to hire a contractor. These steps will help you to determine what you are really trying to achieve and if it is something you can afford at this time.
1. Assess Your Options. - and write them down.
When it comes time to meet with your contractor you will have a better idea about what you want. Once you have clearly define your plan you can then relate your vision clearly to the contractor. That will make him happy as he no longer has to guess what you want.
Will this be a livable space like an additional bedroom or is it more like an entertainment area? Will you need to move or hide any mechanical objects like furnaces or water heaters. Is there a way they can be concealed and remain in place? Is the floor at the same level as the rest of the house? What other obstacles can you foresee?.
2.Clear It Out And Clean It Up
This part you can do on your own. Get rid of everything that isn't nailed down. You want a clean palette to work with. This will give you a better sense about the size of the space you are dealing with. This is the first of several critical steps. Now that it's all cleaned up there's still time to change your mind. You may like the fact that your car actually will fit into your garage!
3.Define The Purpose.
If you are still determined to make the change you should now clearly define the purpose of the new space. What ever your purpose, write it down because it's time to get really serious about your project. Who is this for? Will it be your private sanctuary? Is it going to be sort of a club house for you and your friends? Is it going to be entertainment central for your family? A pool room? Maybe it will be your home theater with a big screen TV and surround sound. OR, Is it going to be an extra bed room for your aging mother in law? What ever it may be it's critical to know which direction you are heading.
4. Think About Options For Your Space.
Don't get tied into one theme for the space. Things change over time and what you thought was going to be your "fun house for life" may turn out to be your work form home office if you decide to quit your nine to five corporate rat trap.
What if you become fat and lazy from watching all those movies in your new "home theater" and you decide what you really need is a private home gym? Then what? The point is, don't drastically limit your future options. Because one thing is for certain, things are certain to change!
5. Draft Some Plans
You don't have to be an architect to draft some plans. Sketch it out on a large sheet of paper. In fact make several layouts. There is nothing set in stone at this juncture. Let different scenarios pop into your head. But put it on paper. Let the ideas flow. Make all the changes you want, because right now it isn't going to cost you a dime.
6.Will You Need To Install Functional Flooring (& Sub-flooring)
Many garages are on a different level than the main house. The difference could be as much a two - three feet. That means you may have to make some accommodations. Your new space should seamlessly flow into your present living space. So if you don't want to be climbing stairs you will have to install a whole new floor and sub-floor. While your at it you may want to widen the doorway leading to your new space. Think it's starting to get complicated now? Just wait.
7. Consider Insulation & Acoustics.
In all likelihood your garage is not very well insulated, or sound proofed. That's not so terrible if you live in Florida. But if so you will definitely want to accommodate air conditioning. And what about sound? If it's not insulated there is probably no sound deadening drywall or wall coverings. And don't forget about covering the open ceiling that is supporting those garage door rails.
8. What About The Existing Garage Doors?
You have a choice to make right here. Do they stay or do they go? If they stay that might be fun if the new bedroom belongs to your aging mother. You come home at 3am from a night out with the boys and accidentally hit the automatic door opener. Morning Grandma!
If you remove the doors, it's not so bad. Because the infrastructure is there to support walls and perhaps some nice windows or even a couple of sets of sliding doors. Either way you may want to dig up a 3' or 4' section of the driveway to plant some hedging which will create a buffer to entering traffic.
9. How Will You Handle Air - Heat - Electrical - Plumbing - Carpentry - Insulation - Drywall - Flooring - Landscaping
You can begin by researching individual service providers and begin getting quotes for each specialty. How much air conditioning do you need? Will you need to upgrade the electric service? What about water? Do I need a plumber? Where do I find a good carpenter? . . and the list goes on. Are you getting dizzy? STOP! Already. You need some help.
10. Hiring A Professional
This is the part where the pros earn their money. First hire an architect. That will get your ideas down on paper and set in stone. After that you have two ways to go. Either hire a general contractor or if you are a little crazy you can deal with the tradesmen individually.
My vote would be to hire a general contractor to oversee the smooth flow of the project. He's there to save you time, money and a lot of headaches. That's his job. That's how he earns his money. He pays the all of mechanical and other sub-contractors and you pay him. The General Contractor has all the headaches and must deal with coordinating all of his subs. He can handle each individual aspect of the project quicker and a lot cheaper than you can do it yourself.
And If you have an issue with one of his sub-contractors, it's not "your problem". Call your general contractor. It's his problem to deal with. That's what your are actually doing. You are paying your general contractor to deal with any problems that may arise.
In conclusion . In spite of all the necessary planning and possible pitfalls. A garage conversion is one of the most valuable home improvement projects you will ever do. Have fun and enjoy your new space!
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