We couldn’t afford an extension so turned our garage into a bedroom – guests are stunned & it’s great for a small house
A WOMAN has revealed that she couldn’t afford an extension, so turned her garage into a bedroom.
Susie, a content creator from Australia, explained that it takes her about two hours to convert her garage and is perfect for when her children come round to stay.
She shared that she will start out by tidying up and cleaning the space, before adding a blow-up mattress and some accessories.
Posting on social media, Susie shared the process of getting her garage ready for guests, as she posted her clip and said: “I've got this down to a fine art. It takes around two hours.
“Everything needed is kept in the cupboard at arms reach.
“So if you have a small house, consider this for extra accommodation!”
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She then explained: “How to turn your everyday garage into guest accommodation.
“We built this house around six and a half years ago, it’s just a little three bed beach shack, but around two or three times a year I end up turning this room into guest accommodation.
“As usual, the garage has become a dumping ground, so I’m just picking up everything and putting it all away.
“I started off by sweeping the whole garage out and then I got my little duster and I got in all the nooks and crannies and then gave it a really good vacuum.
“After I vacuumed, I gave it a good old mop.
“Then I just dust and spray and wipe any marks.
“My two adult boys are going to be staying here.
“This air bed is absolutely brilliant.”
Susie then demonstrated how she hangs her ‘makeshift’ curtain, as she continued: “This curtain rod hangs there all the time - it’s an extendable one and I clip on a makeshift curtain.
“I throw down a rug, a side table, a plant, a couple of pillows.
“We get a beautiful breeze in here.
“The garage connects to the house so it’s so easy. We all feel like we’re a family and it’s just another bedroom.”
Susie later added: “It doesn’t take too much time, resting in the bed right now and it’s so cosy.
“The room and ceiling is insulated well, it’s no warmer than the rest of our house, but it catches a nice breeze and they have a fan at night.”
The TikTok clip, which was posted under the username @thehappy.shack.lifestyle, has clearly left many stunned, as it has quickly amassed a whopping 231,000 views.
Social media users were impressed with Susie’s garage makeover, and many took to the comments to express this.
One person said: “Damn this is nicer than my actual bedroom.”
Another added: “This is stunning. Such a good idea.”
A third commented: “Brilliant.”
Whilst someone else penned: “This is so good!! Total Mum skills, looks incredible.”
At the same time, another user wrote: “The curtain is a great idea!”
While many of us use our garage to store junk, it might just be time to think again.
A garage conversion is a relatively low-cost way of increasing your living space, because unlike an extension, you don’t need to pay for laying new foundations or building new walls.
It has been estimated that the cost of converting the average garage into a liveable room, ranges between £5,000 and £7,000.
But if you can’t afford to shell out thousands to get your garage property converted, don’t worry, you won’t need planning permission if you fancy doing it yourself.
According to Redbridge Council, most garage conversions can be completed under permitted development rights, particularly if you are not planning to alter the structure of the building.
That being said, you should check that there are no planning conditions attached to the garage, particularly if you live in a new build property, listed building or Conservation Area.
Not only will turning your once wasted space garage into a useful room improve the way you use your house, but it could also add value to your property too.
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Virgin Money estimated that converting your garage into an en-suite bedroom could add 20% to the value of your home, making this a cost-effective way of increasing your living space.
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