Currently have a passion but are confined to the space your home has? Whether it is gardening, painting, sewing, crafting or even exercising, all of these activities can quickly take a lot of your home space if you decide to pursue it seriously.
You may not realise but there is a huge space sitting right under your nose shouting out ‘remodel me!’ Typically, your garage is probably filled with unwanted items that have been tossed aside over the years, forgotten and made to be excellent dust collectors.
With a few tips and tricks you can turn your garage from a non-habitable to a habitable room where you can pursue your passions. It may seem like an impossible task and you’re probably thinking ‘where do I start?’ But that’s what we’re here for. Below is a guide on how to take advantage of your garage space.
Out with the old
It’s time to face your fears and clear out all the unwanted items you have been neglecting for all these years. Begin by sorting your items from the salvageable to non-salvageable. If there are items that are damaged and no longer have any use, they can just be thrown away. For all items that are in good condition but you no longer have any use for them, they can be resold on websites such as gumtree, host a garage sale or can be simply donated to local charities. As the saying goes, ‘one man’s junk is another man’s treasure’.
How to use your space
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Organisation and storage
With an empty garage primed for a remodel, it’s time to decide how you are going to use this space. If you intend to still use it as storage space then create a plan of action to organise your items into categories as well as types of storage products. Categories and storage recommendations to consider –
- Recreational – Storage lockers
- Gardening – Overhead racks, wall systems
- Tools – Overhead racks, work benches, wall systems
- Seasonal – Storage lockers
More ideas on storage solutions for garages
2. Converting to a habitable space
If you are seeking to convert your garage into a habitable room then you are going to want to pay extra attention as it involves more than just a bit of spring cleaning. A garage will typically have concrete flooring, 4 walls, a roof and usually a window but unfortunately this is not enough to make it habitable.
First things first, you need to seek council approval as you will need to meet the current standards of Building Code Australia (BCA) as well as any additional council requirements because different residential zones will have different setbacks. There are 2 types of applications for a building permit:
- Certified applications – Applicant has already engaged a private building surveyor to check plans and specifications. Have completed a certificate of design which confirms the proposal complies with building standards and may take up to 10 business days for a decision to be made.
- Uncertified applications – Submitted directly to the city without a certified application and an independent building surveyor will be sent by the city to check the proposal. May take up to 25 business days for a decision to be made.
Once you have obtained all approvals and have decided on how you would like to convert your garage, you may want to now consider electricity, plumbing and landscaping.
For a granny flat you will need power points, lighting and air conditioning installed, as well as plumbing installed for a kitchen and bathroom. At this point the costs begin to add up so it’s always a good idea to seek professional help to minimise any additional costs that may surprise you further down the track.
Don’t forget to soundproof the garage, so whoever occupies the space can get some peace and quiet and whoever is outside doesn’t wish the noise coming from the garage would stop.
With the correct plan of action and determination you can turn your garage into a space where you can pursue your passion. Whether it is a workshop, home gym, an art studio, music studio or a home office, you can create the perfect work station catering to your needs in your own backyard.
