One of the remodeling projects you can undertake if you want to carve out more living space in your home is a garage conversion. But as you can imagine, turning space meant for storage of cars, bicycles, lawn mowers and other big stuff into comfortable living space is no easy job. 

Here are some critical considerations you may need to make if you are contemplating creating the extra living space you need in your home by converting an existing garage.

Plumbing and electrical installation

To make your garage truly habitable, you may need to install plumbing such as water faucets, sinks and a bathtub, as well as electrical lighting and electrical outlets. Before you can get started with the installations, you will need to establish where piping and drains for plumbing and electrical wiring will run. By starting your garage conversion with plumbing and electrical installation work, you will be able to avoid the hassle of tearing your garage apart once you are already done finishing your walls, ceiling or floors.

Flooring 

Garage floors are designed to withstand heavy traffic caused by constant movement of cars and any large equipment stored in the garage. Concrete flooring is a popular flooring option for garages because it can hold out against the extremes of normal use, thanks to the incredible durability of concrete material and its remarkable reserve of strength. If your garage — like most other garages across Australia — has a concrete floor, there are several flooring options you can choose from for your garage conversion. Be it tiling or wood, you will find it easy to install new flooring on your existing concrete flooring.

Walls

Most garage walls aren't insulated — if yours are insulated, then you are ahead of the game. But if they aren't, how you remedy the issue will depend on how your garage is built. If drywall has already been installed on your walls, for example, you will need to remove it before installing insulation. There is a variety of products such as fibreglass batts, mineral wool, rigid foam, spray foam and cellulose insulation available for your garage wall insulation, and they can all work well as long as they are properly installed. Select the product that matches your needs, installation abilities and of course, budget.

Garage door

Garage doors are typically larger than other doors in the house. When converting your garage, ask yourself whether you will need to leave the garage door intact or remove it. If you are not going to remove the door, you will need to create an alternative entryway into the garage, as garage door are large and are not designed to be used as frequently as standard doors. If you intend to do away with the door, you may need to replace it with a wall, which will require some masonry skills.

If properly planned and thought-out, a garage conversion can be one of the most cost effective ways to add more functional space to your home. Before embarking on the project, it is important that you carefully assess your garage for conversion.