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If your home feels cramped due to limited or no storage areas, consider adding and outbuilding or renovating your garage. Garages can become haphazard storage at best when items are dumped or strewn about. Adding organizational structures can help you clean up your garage and make it feel like an extra room. Shelving, cabinets, and hooks can all quickly free up floor space. Shelves can be made of wire, wood, or metal, and hooks can be installed into walls or the ceiling to hang large objects or equipment such as bikes and ladders. If your storage needs exceed the amount of space in your garage, an outbuilding may be the perfect solution. A contractor can design and build an outbuilding to suit your specific needs, whether you need a workshop, or storage for large lawn equipment. Electricity can be run to your outbuilding for lighting or powering tools. For best resale value, your outbuilding should be constructed to match the exterior of your home.

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Garage and Outbuilding Options for your Home

By Jennifer Weldon

Many homeowners are seeking ways to increase the space they have in their current home. Whether you need more room to accommodate storage, a workshop, or a play area for the children; there are several options available to you. Remodeling a garage or constructing an outbuilding are two popular options that can provide the extra area you need.

Remodeling your Garage

Garages are pretty easy to remodel. You can choose to renovate the entire garage or if you have more than one bay just remodel half and leave the other half for vehicles. How you will remodel your garage will depend on how you will be using it. If you need a workshop area, you may be able to simply clear it up, clean it up, install shelving and cabinets, paint the floors and you will be ready to go. Needs such as a home office or a recreation area for the kids may require you to finish off an area of the garage. Since all four walls, a floor and ceiling are in place it is an easy remodeling project. You may need to add insulation, drywall, additional electricity, plumbing and heating and air conditioning. A professional contractor can run these off of your existing supplies from the home.

Building above your Garage

If you garage is smaller or you need the area for vehicle storage only, it may be possible to add a finished area above your garage. This choice can be ideal for a home office, studio, or apartment for a college age student. A professional contractor may have to raise the roof above the garage depending on the roof line. They will construct a new floor, add utilities and finish the area off. The finished space can be one large room or set up as an apartment area with a living space, bedroom and bathroom. A separate staircase to the outside should be installed for easy access.

Constructing an Outbuilding

Another option to increase your family's living space is to build an outbuilding in your backyard. An outbuilding can serve many different purposes and thus construction can be simple, elaborate, or anything in between. If you need more vehicle or equipment storage, a basic garage structure can do the trick. A shell will be constructed without requiring utilities or a finished interior. For a home office, play area for the kids or home gym however, you may want to step up the specifications and create a cozy, finished space. The exterior of the outbuilding can mimic the exterior of your home so it looks like it was always meant to be there. A professional architect can help you draw up a design to meet your requirements and blend with your current home and backyard.

Remodeling an Outbuilding

If you have an old outbuilding that is unusable, now is the time to rehab it and add value. Depending on the structural integrity of the outbuilding, it may only need some fresh paint, insulation, and drywall to make a home office or studio for your "garage band". You should have a professional contractor inspect the outbuilding to determine if it meets current building codes or can be renovated to meet them, how safe and sound the structure is, and to give you fresh ideas for remodeling it.