Many homeowners forget that they can expand their living spaces by remodeling their garages. Think about it – your garage is usually just sitting there, crowded with stuff if not your car. It is the perfect space for your new studio or pool house. You can turn your garage into the room of your dreams. Would it really be so bad to park your car in the driveway? If you live in a temperate climate, a car is not going to suffer much out of doors. Granted, if you live in Minnesota, you have a garage attached to your house for a reason. You can go straight to your car without having to step out into the cold. But if you live in a pleasant environment, try parking your car in the driveway and look at all the space you just opened up for yourself. You just added hundreds or even thousands more square feet to your living space.

Garages are so much fun to remodel because you can really personalize them. Have you always wanted an art studio, or a place to write your great American novel? Have you always wanted a workshop or a place to play music or whittle wood? Decide what the best use of the space would be. Do you need a place to put a washer and dryer set, or space for a deep freezer? If you have the money to do a big remodeling job, then consider turning the garage into a small apartment. You can either rent it out and make some extra money, or let one of your older children live in it. You could even reserve the apartment for an elderly parent or grandparent that you want to keep close to you. The apartment can be on the first floor, or you can add a second story to the garage, maintaining the parking space below. You can add a separate door on the second story with a staircase located outside the garage. This will be a nice retreat for anyone.

Garage remodeling jobs do not have to be huge. They are sometimes the simplest form of home repair that you can do. Most garages already have electricity, and many are already attached to the home and can easily be hooked up with plumbing. You do not necessarily have to install a bathroom in the garage, if the cost of that investment scares you. When you go to sell your house however, a separate “house” will always be a selling point. Just spend your remodeling money wisely and do not blow it on a lot of customized extras that will not come back to you in resale value.

If you do not need a new workshop or apartment, then consider turning your garage into a home gym. You do not even have to do major remodeling to put a treadmill or a stair climber in the garage. You can put a set of free weights in there as well, and plug in a TV to watch while you are working out. Many people also decide to convert their garages into music studios. However, if you are going to go with this option, make sure to invest in some soundproofing so you do not alienate your neighbors.