As more and more of us look to create effective working at home spaces, a home office is an obvious choice. For many, giving up a spare room isn’t always an option, so the next best thing is to undertake a garage office conversion, creating a storage space/garage area and a home office in the same space. This works best if you have a double garage but don’t need to use both sides. Behind the garage door space can sit a single garage with a parking space for a car, and to the side a home office.
If you’re thinking about converting your garage into a home office, then follow these simple pieces of advice to ensure you get it right:
- Determine your budget for the project.
- Check if you need planning permission from local authorities before making structural changes.
- Clear out the garage space, get rid of unwanted items, and clean thoroughly.
- Design an efficient layout for the office, considering furniture placement and storage needs.
- Make necessary structural changes like removing walls, adding windows, or adding a partition wall.
- Replace the garage door with a more secure option.
- Ensure proper electrical wiring and install additional power sockets as needed.
- Install insulation, ventilation, and consider underfloor heating if required.
- Choose appropriate flooring like vinyl or laminate instead of concrete.
- Set up proper lighting, including natural light from windows if possible.
- Install a reliable WiFi network or extend your home’s network to the garage.
- Decorate the space with a professional colour scheme and purchase necessary office furniture.
- Get all the required equipment like a computer, printer, scanner, and other supplies.
- Ensure adequate insurance coverage for your office equipment and potential liabilities.
- Install a security system with CCTV cameras or an alarm for protection.
- Establish a work schedule and set boundaries between work and personal life.
The key to a successful half gym half office is knowing what will realistically work for you. A workspace needs to be stylish and comfortable, of course, but above all else it needs to be practical. Below we’ll explore the best ways to carry out a home office conversion in your garage to help make sure this new conversion works for you.
Table of Contents
1. Determine Your Budget
Knowing your budget is key here. Just like any renovation, creating a home office in your garage space will require a detailed budget that helps you see just how far you can go with the project. Let the money you have dictate the project, or else you’ll risk overspending.
To create an effective budget you should consider the following:
- cost of professional help – structural engineer, electrician, etc
- new furniture and office equipment and supplies
- insurances necessary to protect your office long term
- likely increase in bills from internet installations or energy bills
If you have a detached garage then you could spend a considerable amount on installing new electrical points and creating a habitable space. Make sure you factor realistic costs into the equation before you start so you know if you can afford the changes or not.
2. Check Local Planning Permission Requirements
Get to know your permitted development rights in the area. In most cases you won’t need planning permission when converting your garage, but you will need to ensure that it satisfies all relevant building regulations or else you could be asked to remove the changes. If major structural work is likely, then you might need to get permission for the changes, so it’s worth running your plans by your local authority’s planning department if you’re unsure.
Listed buildings and buildings in conservation areas will almost certainly require permission before making any changes to a garage area and rules are usually stricter here, meaning you might not be granted permission. It’s important to respect this if this is the case, or else you could risk hefty fines and be forced to reverse the changes at a cost to yourself.
Where structural work is taking place it’s usually best to talk with a professional who will be able to tell you if applying for permission is necessary or not.
3. Clear Out The Garage
Your next step is probably the one you’re least looking forward to, but when changing the garage from a storage space to a living space, you’ll inevitably have some things that need to be moved into another area, sold, or thrown out.
Getting rid of unwanted items isn’t the most fun part of a garage conversion, but it’s a necessary step that allows you to get to grips with the space to start planning the office area later on.
Clearing out the garage will also show you if small repair work is necessary or not. Declutter, make some extra cash from any sales and use that money to feed back into your office conversion budget to add finishing touches later.
After it’s been cleared out, clean thoroughly to get the garage conversion off to a great start.
4. Get A Feel For The Space
Now that the space is clear, it’s time to get a feel for it. Work out how much of the area you can realistically take from the garage to turn it into a useful office area. Think about:
- what furniture you need to create a functional office
- how much space do you need
- creative shortcuts in a smaller garage space
At this stage, you don’t need to draw up plans, just get an idea about what space you can lose in the garage to create an office that feels comfortable and usable, whilst still keeping enough of a garage area for your vehicle(s) and any storage solutions you need.
5. Draw A Layout
Once you have a feel for the space you can start designing the layout of the office. Think about how you will arrange furniture, what walls will be required (if any) entrance and exit points, windows for natural ventilation and light, etc.
Think about storage, both in the office and the garage. Remember, during any garage conversion it’s important not to get too carried away and forget that the space still needs to function as a garage too.
Plan ahead and you’ll get the garage and office conversion right first time, saving you time and money.
6. Make Structural Changes
Structural changes won’t be necessary for everyone, especially if you’re planning a more open plan space, but for those who want to create separate, distinct spaces for office/garage, you’ll need to think about:
- internal wall changes
- external wall changes
- entrance and exit point
- window installations/removals
If you’re handy or professionally trained you might be able to carry out the work yourself, but in most cases you’ll need to hire builders. This will increase cost so factor this in from the start.
7. Change Garage Doors
Roller doors are common in garages, but you’ll need to create an entry point to your office that’s a little more convenient. If you’re still keeping half the space as a garage then you’ll need to leave the garage doors in place, but consider how you might create another entry point with a more traditional, easy to operate door as a separate entrance to the office.
Ensure this new door is safe and secure and robust enough to protect the equipment, furniture, and supplies inside.
8. Rewire The Garage
You need to get the electrical work carried out properly to protect yourself and also make sure you can actually use your office equipment. Contact an electrician, explain your plans and see if they have any suggestions for socket placement etc to make your office space more practical.
9. Add Windows
You’ll likely need windows for safe ventilation and to improve the feel of your office with natural light. Planning permission may be necessary in some cases, but it’s worth taking the step to create a more refreshing workspace.
Do your research and install an office window that’s secure and strong.
10. Install Insulation And Ventilation
Garages are rarely insulated thoroughly, especially if it’s detached from the main house. Install insulation in the walls and ceiling to create a warm space in winter and cool space in summer to make your office more comfortable. Consider installing ventilation systems or dehumidifiers to prevent the build up of compensation and improve air quality.
11. Install New Flooring
Most garage floors aren’t comfortable, but you’ll need your office’s to be. Cold concrete won’t be conducive to a comfortable work environment. Consider vinyl or laminate for a more stylish, easy to clean flooring type. Consider underfloor heating, insulation and underlay too, to make the floor even more comfortable.
12. Add Lighting
Lighting affects everything in a space. Good lighting will ensure a comfortable space, but will also prevent eye strain. The more natural light you can get, the better, but internal lighting is still necessary for winter working.
Fluorescent and LED lighting should be considered in office spaces as they’re more energy efficient to run and you can find them in a shade (brilliant white vs warm white, etc) that suits your preferences.
13. Install Wifi
You might not need to install wifi if your garage is attached to the house and gets good range, but in some cases you will need a signal booster/extension or a new wifi connection altogether, depending on where your office is situated.
Wifi extensions are relatively cheap to purchase, but you might also want to consider increasing your current broadband package to the latest tech with a boosted size to make sure your productivity isn’t affected by poor wifi signal.
14. Decorate The Office
The fun part of creating a viable workspace involves the finishing touches like decoration that makes the space personal to you and your business and hopefully create a space where you want to work!
Whether you go minimalist with a few fresh flowers or want to go to town with bold prints and paints on the walls, this is the time to bring the project together with a well thought-out colour scheme, materials and items that best reflect you and your tastes.
Consider wall-mounted shelves for proper organisation of documents and some work items. A well-decorated office portrays a professional image while looking organised.
15. Purchase Necessary Equipment
It is necessary to get certain equipment when moving from a traditional office to a home office for the first time. That includes a computer, printer, scanner and other office supplies that enable you to carry out your work duties, especially when it is a personal space.
You can also consider high-quality ergonomic chairs and desks instead of regular pieces of furniture. The idea of a home office is getting the best comfort needed for optimal productivity so spend a little more on some items to ensure you’re as comfortable as can be.
16. Get Insurance
Getting a good insurance plan is another step towards creating a viable workspace in your home. For some people, they struggle to see the importance of insuring a home office especially when they already have a home insurance policy.
The truth is that some of these insurance policies have limitations and might not cover the operation of a business office from home. You need insurance for your new office against damage and theft of office equipment and furniture.
Liability insurance is also necessary for people who plan to have visiting customers and work colleagues. Having this type of insurance protects you in case of accident or injury whilst at your office.
Look at the different insurances available and make sure all necessary ones are in place to protect you, your business, and your office.
17. Install A Security System
Install a security system, especially if your garage is not part of the main building of your home to detract burglars and thieves from attempting to break in.
One of the best security practices for a home office is getting CCTV cameras to survey and act as a deterrent to intruders. It is useful in investigating suspicious activities on your premises and keeping watch over expensive work equipment.
Another effective alternative is to install an alarm system that alerts you via your phone when a certain security system is breached.
18. Start Working
Once you’ve got the new workspace set up and functional, it is time to start working. Be sure to set healthy boundaries when working from home so you still have distinct working and relaxing time, despite not needing to move far from you home to work.
One good solution is to make the new garage office feel like a real office as much as possible. You should also draft out a schedule of when to start work, break times and what time to leave work.
Your approach to working from home will significantly affect how other people in your house respect your new office and privacy during your work hours. You can explain to your children or partner who are around what times you will be working so they do not disturb you during those hours. These simple strategies can help to create a healthy work life balance.
Half Garage Half Office Conversion: Final Thoughts
Creating a viable workspace from the comfort of your home or garage is an excellent idea but requires lots of planning. You can do this on a tight budget or really go to town with all the mod cons if you are able to.
The new home office is one where you will be spending a lot of time and it is important to make it very convenient and conducive to a productive working space – whatever that may look like for you.
You should also prioritise setting up security systems like CCTV and alarms to protect the expensive equipment. More importantly, contact your local authorities for permission if the conversion of the garage to an office requires significant structural changes.
