Kick Your Car into the Street

Are you jealous of your car? Does it have a bigger room than you do? Kick it into the street and give your family something they can really use. Garage conversions are the easiest and cheapest way to add living space to your home and instantly improve your family's quality of life.

When you need more space, there are a whole host of reasons to convert your garage instead of building a brand new addition. One of the most appealing of these is that the renovation won't disrupt your existing living space while it's underway. Not so with a new addition or attic conversion where contractors need to be traipsing in and out of your house or up and down the stairs for days on end.

If maintaining order while you're making your home bigger isn't a big selling point for you, how about this: Most of the work is already done. Simple. If your garage has a good foundation, roof and good siding you're over halfway there before you even start. No excavator, no concrete, no beams, no shingles, no drainage. It's easy to see why this is usually a much speedier and cheaper route to increasing the square footage of your home when compared to building a new addition or buying a bigger house. If you're really lucky, you'll also have plumbing and electricity already installed, but not having them installed won't put you too far back. Because the garage is part of the house, all you'll need to do is extend these systems into the room.

Of course, just because most of the work is already done, don't assume the job will be easy. Carefully weigh the pros and cons of hiring contractors to complete the work before you hitch up your tool belt and go charging ahead. Professionals can save you. Here's a brief outline of what you'll need to accomplish for a basic garage conversion:

- Remove the garage door and frame in the opening

- Install insulation between the studs, cover with a vapor barrier and then finish with drywall or paneling

- Install an insulated sub floor.

- Create an insulated ceiling or loft

- Add windows

- Extend plumbing and electrical wiring into the room (if necessary)

A good contractor can work within a budget and keep the project on schedule but most importantly, they can offer a wealth of experience and skill could save your sanity. If you want to save a bit of money on overall costs, you can take care of some of the grunt work, prep and finishing touches yourself. Now, where are you going to park the car?

Rob Muller is a Cherokee County Real Estate agent and Georgia certified home inspector. If you're looking for Canton real estate and homes for sale in Cherokee, Cobb and North Fulton Counties, visit RelyonRob.com and start your home search without leaving your computer.