Garage Home Office in 4 Easy Steps

Eighty-two percent of homes have a two- or more-car garage, yet only 15 percent of people park their cars in them, according to the National Association of Home Builders. Could there be a better use for yours?

One trend that is becoming popular is the garage home office. Many employers now offer work-from-home days, which is appealing to most people until they realize that they are unable to concentrate or have privacy during the workday. Raising the roof and adding a room for workspace above your existing garage can be a good solution to balancing time at home with earning a living.

Adding a home office or workspace above your garage will also increase the value of a home without changing the floor plan.

1. Consult with remodeling experts
Before you decide on expanding your garage, consult with a building contractor or structural engineer. Some garages may need extra structural support before they are able to accept an addition.

Use a designer or architect to help with the addition plans. They can add aesthetically pleasing elements without sacrificing the structural integrity of the building.

2. Keep the garage's design intact
Rather than building a two-story box, add dormer windows and sloping rooflines to dress up the exterior of the addition. Have the designer match the addition to your house. The addition should look as though it is an original element of your home's design.

3. Explore interior options
If the space can also be used as a children's playroom or sitting room, built-in storage shelves or cabinets can help reduce clutter.

Plan for plenty of electrical outlets and additional phone lines. You will need extra lines for computers and fax machines. It is less expensive to put extra electrical lines in before the drywall is installed.

A pricey, but worthwhile option is to install plumbing in the addition. This will increase the value of your home and allow the room to be converted to an apartment for an older child or to be used as a rental unit.

4. Don't forget the outside
If your budget allows, consider having a covered walkway or bridge built to tie the addition to your home. The architect should pay special attention to outside stairs. A mismatched staircase can interfere with a good building design.

Look at the existing garage door. If it is a basic metal door, replacing it with a wood garage door will dramatically change the look of the addition.

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