Garage Remodeling Costs – Checklist To Be Sure You’re Prepared

garageIf you’re looking to expand your home, it’s not always necessary to go through a major addition construction project. Your garage is a perfect space to convert into a usable room.

For example, you may turn it into a recreational room with a pool table or workout machines. Other homeowners create a workshop or guest room, based on their family’s needs. Always consider the costs and time involved with your garage remodel including an analysis of the materials and labor needed.

You can save thousands of dollars on labor alone if you remodel the garage yourself. Many tools are often available for rent from local home improvement shops or you can borrow tools from friends. However, you must be comfortable with how to use tools and with basic construction techniques, from adding drywall to wiring electrical outlets. Consider working on some portions yourself while hiring a contractor for more complicated installations.

Finishing Walls And Ceiling

Most garages are simply uninsulated walls with visible wood studs. It’s necessary to fill the walls with insulation, add drywall and finish both the walls and ceiling with a quality paint job. Once completed, the garage will instantly look like a normal household room with protection against extreme cold and heat from the outdoors.

Window Additions

For privacy reasons, most garages don’t have windows. This construction project typically requires a contractor to pinpoint the safest locations for windows. You don’t want to remove a load-bearing stud just to add a bay window that collapses later on. A strategic interior design is often drawn up to locate windows where they’ll allow sunlight in during the winter for natural heating, such as on the south or west side of a home.

Heating And Cooling

The current duct system to your furnace and air conditioning needs to be converted to supply conditioned air to the garage remodel. This process requires consideration of the system’s size for adequate conditioning and adding flexible ducts in the walls or ceiling. Depending on the garage’s size, it may be necessary to upgrade the system’s size to avoid overworking the motor.

Electrical And Plumbing

Most garages already have some electrical and plumbing outlets, from powering the garage door opener to supplying the laundry with water. Each system should be evaluated by individual contractors. For the electrical, extra circuits could be added to the main electrical panel to avoid tripping breakers with the new remodel. Piping will need to be routed to a sink when you add a wet bar, or a bathroom. Each remodel will have specific needs that must be addressed by the contractor.

Flooring Choices

Because the average garage is about 500 to 600 square feet, adding flooring to the space is relatively inexpensive. There is usually no flooring to remove, making the original concrete slab a perfect starting point for hardwood, laminate or tiling. It’s even possible to lay carpet, if preferred.

Average Cost Analysis for Garage Remodeling

An average national cost for a garage remodel varies between $10,000 and $12,000. Each project differs when it comes to materials and labor, however. Even the town or city you live in makes a difference in price. Materials are more costly to transport and install in isolated areas compared to a sprawling metropolis, for example.

Timing The Project

With hired contractors doing most of the work, an average garage remodel takes around two weeks to complete. This average assumes that contractors are working most of the week on your garage to complete all the small details. A DIY project often takes much longer, based on your experience.

A quality garage remodel brings a new look to the home. Consider your needs and costs as you plan out your future conversion.

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