Getting More Out Of Your Garage Or Porch
Do you need extra space as a workshop, an exercise room, or kids' play or entertainment space? Many people do, but the cost of adding on a new room may be prohibitive. What about your garage or porch: is their space optimized? Here are some suggestions for converting wasted space into living space.
If you need a workshop for your DIY projects, your garage may be the ideal place for one. An attached garage has heat and electricity, so it is mostly a matter of rearranging space. If much space is currently taken up with storage, put items instead in a locked shed or even a rented storage facility. (Basements and attics are also potential storage space.) Build a work bench along one wall, with shelves underneath for equipment, and a peg board to hang tools on.
For a detached garage, the project is more difficult but not impossible. If it lacks electricity, you can run an outdoor power cord to it, or use car batteries for power. You can even install a small wood stove to heat the garage in winter.
If you have a screen porch or unheated glassed-in porch, this space may be underused, especially in winter. Consider converting it into year round living space. This can be done by adding insulation and using sheet rock to close in the porch. You will also need to install a ceiling with insulation, and probably new windows and a new door. Still, the result can be a new room added to your home at very modest cost. Use it for whatever your family needs most: a play room, guest room or work space.
With the current mania for exercise programs using special equipment, you need a room for this. A porch or garage may be the ideal space to convert. Since you are exercising, it does not necessarily need to be heated. If your exercise equipment needs power--most does not--you can use a heavy duty extension cord. You will not need to finish this space as completely as you would for a play room or workshop. Having a separate space for your exercise program may help you keep to your good resolutions.
You can also eke out an office space in an attached garage. Again, the requisite heat and power is available, and you are out of the way of other activities going on in the house. It will be quieter and more private.
A corner of the garage may be the ideal space to install a new half-bath for a growing family. You will need to install sheet rock and insulation, a drain and pipes as well as commode and sink, and use a space heater. But it will be far less expensive than building a new room.
Follow the tips given here and grow your living space without blowing out your budget. If you are handy, most of this (except for the plumbing) can be a DIY project. You can do it in your spare time during the summer. The extra space can make your family life run more smoothly.
