During the Covid-19 pandemic, businesses around the UK were forced to adopt remote working, with many sending their employees to work from home for the first time.
Although it was a shock for many at first, lots of businesses found that this way of working was more cost-effective and productive, while giving employees more flexibility and a better work-life balance.
As a result, more people than ever before are now working from home.
However, with space often considered a luxury in our homes, many people have struggled to find a permanent space within their homes where they can work and be productive, with minimal disruption.
If you’re looking to create a permanent, dedicated office space in your home, it might be worth considering converting your garage.
Allowing you to keep your living and working areas separate, converting your garage helps you escape the hustle and bustle of family life and work in a quiet, productive space. And, of course, converting your garage is a lot cheaper than converting your loft or extending your property.
If you’re considering converting your garage into an office space, here’s our guide to everything you need to know.
Is your garage able to be converted into an office?
Before you start planning your new office, you’ll need to establish whether your garage is structurally sound and suitable for conversion. The best way to do this is to contact a surveyor who will check your roof, foundations, and walls to ensure that they are fit for purpose.
The majority of brick or solid block garages are suitable for conversion, but the space will need a full interior fit-out to transform it into a safe, comfortable, and habitable home office.
If your garage has been poorly built or isn’t in great condition, your surveyor might advise that it will be cheaper to knock down and replace your garage, rather than repairing and converting what is already there.
Planning permission
Once you have established that your garage is structurally sound, you will need to check if you need planning permission before proceeding with any conversion work.
If you are changing the external size of the garage or separating the garage from the house, you will need planning permission, however, you probably won’t need to go that far if you’re simply creating a home office.
Building regulations
Not all garages require formal planning permission, however, some councils do ask that consent is provided and that the space is confirmed to be suitable for occupation. For example, to comply, your home office will not only need to be structurally sound and energy efficient, but it must also have undergone a damp-proof course, be fireproofed, and have good ventilation.
Check with your local planning authority before you begin work and apply for full planning permission if needed.
Preparing your garage
Many garages become a dumping ground for a lot of everyday items. So, before you start converting your garage, you will need to have a clear-out and ensure that the space is clean, tidy and ready for work to begin.
This is the perfect opportunity to make some space in your property and dispose of all the items that you no longer use. Any items that you want to keep can be moved elsewhere in the property during the conversion, or stored in self-storage if you need additional space.
Heating, plumbing and electrics
Next, you will need to ensure that your heating, plumbing and electrics are fit for purpose or adapted to suit your new converted garage space.
If your heating, plumbing and electrics are not set up already, you will need to get a plumber to extend your home’s central heating system and an electrician to make sure your electrics are in working order.
Remember, before you reach this stage, you should have a plan of where you want your desk, electrical devices, and other equipment to be so that your electrician can ensure that there are plenty of electrical points within easy reach.
Light and ventilation
The chances are, your garage will have limited natural light, meaning lighting is essential for creating a productive, inviting, and comfortable workspace. Realistically, if your garage is dark and dingy or has poor ventilation, you’re not going to want to spend much time there.
Along with electric lighting, there are lots of structural options for improving the lighting within your garage, including roof lights, floor-to-ceiling windows, glass roof windows and glass bricks.
Ventilation is also important. One of the best ways to improve ventilation, and therefore reduce condensation and moisture build-up, is to invest in roof vents.
Flooring
Garages are usually built with brick or concrete floors. If you’re converting your garage into a home office, you’ll need to install a more practical floor. This usually means laying a level floor, such as flooring grade chipboard, followed by the flooring of your choice.
Decoration and furniture
Once you have created a practical, light, and well-ventilated structure, you can then get to work decorating your new home office in a way that works for you.
From choosing practical furniture such as comfortable seating, spacious storage, and a functional working desk, to picking out finishing touches and accessories that will make your office a more comfortable and personal space, the possibilities are truly endless.
Need storage for your things whilst converting?
If you’re planning on converting your garage into a home office, Titan Storage can ensure that all your belongings are safe and sound whilst any work is carried out.
We have excellent storage facilities that are clean, dry and secure at a price to suit you, and we always go above and beyond to provide storage solutions that meet your needs.
Get in touch today to find out how we can help!
