25 Mar What to Consider When Buying a House With a Garage
What to Consider When Buying a House With a Garage
No matter how large your home is, there is always a need for more space. Today, garages are as much an extension of your home as they are a safe space to park your car.
There are an estimated 11 million home garages in the UK, which is around a third of the 29 million homes across the country. That’s a lot of garages with approximately one-in-three homes having one.
The chances are, then, that when buying a new home you are likely to also be buying a garage. But what do you need to consider when buying a house with a garage? Let’s take a closer look.
How much value does it bring to the property
Garages can be a unique selling point for homeowners, so it’s always worth considering buying a property that has one. If it matches with your budget, of course. Even if you don’t intend on using it, someone else might fall in love with that extra space when it comes to selling.
“A garage can add as much as five per cent to the price of a typical home”, says a leading industry expert. With the UK average house price in 2021 at £264,000, garages can add as much as £13,200 to the value of a property. A figure that’s not to be sniffed at.
That increased property value comes from several factors. Naturally, the added space will instantly increase the value of a property but the added parking and security for cars are a bonus.
Getting a good surveyor to inspect it
Part of the house-buying process involves getting a property surveyor to assess what you are investing in. The surveyor will carry out a thorough investigation of the property and pick out any major structural flaws.
They can also identify if there is any asbestos, which is dangerous when fibres become airborne. However, a specialist may have to be used if the surveyor isn’t qualified to check for asbestos. If there is asbestos, it’s best to employ a removal specialist to avoid putting yourself at risk.
Garages aren’t normally part of the main house so they may be more unloved than the rest of the property. Some underlying structural issues can be discovered by a surveyor and this information can guide your buying decision. If the repairs are minor, you may choose to go ahead but major repairs will force you to take a step back and reconsider.
Factor in repair costs
The results of your property survey might have informed you that there are some issues with the garage. If you decide to proceed with buying a house, once aware of these issues, you must factor in the repair costs.
One of the most common repairs homeowners must make is to replace old and tired garage doors. You want your garage door to be secure and keep all of your possessions safely stowed away. Cars are valuable, after all. You also want a working garage door that isn’t going to collapse if you so much as look at it the wrong way.
Other common issues with dilapidated garages are worn and uneven floors, poor lighting and a lack of parking space. Garages can feel like cramped spaces due to the poor configuration of things like workbenches and shelves. You may have to completely gut the garage interior and start afresh.
What else can you use a garage for?
Modern living dictates that lots of homeowners need a space to call their office on their property. Not to mention that improved safety regulations mean modern cars are simply too large or wide to comfortably fit into garages built many decades ago.
Buying a house with a garage is a great way to find extra space in your home without having to build it. You may wish to make structural changes to your garage, however, and it’s probably best to seek some advice from an architect.
Especially when thinking about knocking down or opening up any existing walls. Generally, when converting a garage, there is no need to apply for planning permission – should the work be internal. A good garage restoration or renovation can transform your living space however and make your home even larger.
Other homeowners may wish to keep the garage separate from the rest of the house, especially if it is a work space. This allows you to simply close the door on your ‘office’ and enjoy relaxing in the rest of your home. Remote working has blurred the lines between office and home, so it’s good to have a little space you can dedicate to work and forget about once your day is done.
Think about insulation
Because most people don’t spend a lot of their time in their garage, it can be treated as an afterthought. If you plan on using the garage as a space you will live or work in, you may need to think about insulating it. This is especially true if your garage was built later than your home.
There are a couple of approaches you can take when considering how to insulate your garage. Firstly, you can hire a professional to do the job for you but that will be the most expensive route. Instead, why not have a go at tackling the insulation yourself?
Insulating your garage can be a DIY project, even if you have no prior knowledge. ‘How to’ guides can be found on YouTube, for instance, and they often only require minimal tools. You can insulate a garage with some basic cavity walls, or by building a secondary wall using breeze blocks. Insulating the floor may also save energy and store heat in your garage, rather than losing it through a cold, concrete surface.
Owning a new build with a garage shouldn’t require insulating. People save money on heating their freshly built houses because new homes are energy efficient. They must follow recent building regulations, which extend to the garage.
The latest garage trends
With so many people spending more time than ever at home, people have gotten creative with their garages. An office is an obvious choice for a garage conversion but many have opted for turning their extra space into a gym.
With restrictions on working out at the gym being some of the last to be relaxed during the pandemic, converting the garage to a home workout space became a popular DIY project. You can work out safely and conveniently in your garage gym, without worrying about getting in someone’s way or being too loud.
Garages have also become hobby rooms in recent times, with many more people gaming, crafting, meditating or just watching movies in them. There are so many options for converting a garage into a hobby room, it really only depends on what your particular pastime is.
Storage is always important in a home and a garage is ideal for keeping precious items safe. However, it’s important to avoid the pitfall of using your garage as a dumping ground. The RAC discovered that nearly six million UK garages are not used for cars as they’re too full of junk.
You might wish to install a bike rack and keep your bicycle safe, or perhaps you could use your garage as an extension of your loft. Keeping things orderly requires planning, though, and it should be something you consider before moving in and dumping a load of stuff you might never touch again.
Don’t waste your garage
One thing is for certain; if you are buying a house with a garage it’s best to have a plan for it.
Whether that be a Grand Designs style makeover, a simple renovation or just a place to dump your stuff, garages can be a real asset to your home. There are plenty of things to consider when buying a house with a garage, so make sure you create a checklist and tick them all off.