Time For a Garage Remodel? Check Out These Garage Trends!

Many people are considering converting their garage into a bedroom or a small open plan cottage in order to generate more income or to assist friends and family members that need a place to stay.

This could be the worst mistake you ever make as home buyers nowadays are increasingly listing garages as their must-have items when house hunting.

If you have remodeled your garage, your home might linger on the market for a longer time, forcing you to lower your price.

Buyers have, in fact, turned down homes without garages, especially ones where they have to park in the street.

New garage trends

There are many ways in which you can upgrade your garage without getting rid of it completely. The two-car garage is something of the past. With families growing, people have more cars in their yards than ever before. Some families with teenagers might look for a home that can accommodate 4 cars or more.

Another trend that is picking up speed is auto elevators. This might cost you about the same as a used car but once you have installed it, there will be more space for other cars. Cars can be transported between different levels, giving your vertical space as well as horizontal space.

Bigger garages

Most homeowners turn their garages into storage units for their tools but this is proving to be difficult with the size of cars people choose to buy these days.

If you consider the size of a Hummer or any other SUV-type car, it doesn’t really allow a lot of space when it is parked in a standard sized garage. The same goes for boats and trailers.

Homeowners are advised and encouraged to expand their garages as the resale value will definitely increase if the garage is slightly bigger.

Garages moving to the rear of the home

The building of cottages and granny flats on one property is becoming more and more common, and in order to compensate for this, garages are moving towards the back of the house when they are being built. The garage is then accessible from the side of the yard or from an alleyway.

Although many houses have garages in the rear, detached garages are also becoming quite popular. With these types of garages, the front of the house is emphasized and it encourages interaction between the owners and sidewalk strollers.

Don’t go overboard

It is easy to get excited when remodeling, but the number one rule still remains: don’t go overboard.

Some owners build extravagant garages that can hold several cars, many add cabinets and workbenches, but when the time for selling comes, a buyer might not see the same value in all these additions as you do.

One seller even converted the garage into a studio where half of the garage was remodeled for working purposes and the other was designed to house cars. Many people saw this as unnecessary and it didn’t yield any returns.

Be practical when you remodel your garage.

Garages that sell

There are many ways in which you can redesign your garage and still ensure that you make a profit when you sell:

• Add organizational items such as pull-out drawers, baskets, shelving, and cabinets.
• Wall hooks are always a winner, especially when storing tools and hardware.
• Garages should be big enough to walk around in and easily park three cars.
• The floors can be painted and sealed or polypropylene tiles can be used. Finished walls and ceilings will give the garage a clean and finished look.

An upgraded garage might not return the entire investment but following these basic tips, it will definitely make a difference when you sell.