If there is some craftsmanship, the garage can easily be turned into an additional living space. Whether as a workshop, hobby room or playroom, there are various possibilities available. And mostly homeowners can do without complicated plans and approvals if they want to extend the garage. The following article describes the possibilities that result from the extension and what needs to be considered.
4 valuable tips for a successful garage conversion
Tip 1: Convert entrances
If in the future you no longer plan to park your car in the garage, the garage doors can first be removed and sold. The resulting opening must of course be bricked up and then a door integrated. In order to get enough light in the new living space, some windows can also be installed.
Of course, the conversion of the garage will also incur various costs, but these can be reduced by selling the garage door.
Tip 2: Installing supply technology
If the new living space is to be used even in cold months, heating, electricity and water must of course also be available. For this it is worthwhile to install a radiator which is connected to the central heating of the house. The costs, including the laying of the pipes and the new radiator, amount to approximately 1,500 euros. An alternative is to use an electric radiator, which can already be purchased for 100 Euros. It consumes comparatively much electricity, but if the room is used only occasionally, this is no problem.
Tip 3: Insulate the new room
But no matter how the new living space is heated, it is important that the exterior walls are insulated afterwards. In this way you can minimise energy losses and save electricity. If you want to find out how well your house is really insulated, you should find out the so-called U-value. The higher this value is, the greater are the heat losses of the walls. So it makes sense to insulate the new room or the exterior walls as well as possible.
Tip 4: Observe building laws
German building law sets narrow limits for various conversions and extensions, which can vary greatly from state to state. If the garage is structurally integrated into the home, it can also be used as living space and it is not necessary to inform a competent authority. If, however, it was attached to the house, the situation is somewhat more difficult. In this case, the competent authority must be informed if the room is no longer used as a parking space for the car and for other purposes. Of course, not every garage used for other purposes is inspected by an authority, but you are on the safe side if an inspector should ever come by. http://renovierungsblog.de/das-garagendach-reparieren/
