How do you convert a garage into an office?
Most of an office conversion happens out of sight, in the floor, walls and wiring. Here is what goes in.
Daylight on your desk
Out goes the garage door. In its place goes a new insulated wall on a suitable foundation, with a damp-proof course. It is faced in brick to match the house where it can be, and a new double-glazed window lets daylight in. If the office does not open onto a hallway leading straight outside, that window must be big enough to escape through.
A floor you can work on all day
Most garage floors are cold concrete, lower than the house, with nothing to stop damp coming up. Yours gets a damp-proof layer and insulation under the new floor. It is often raised to the level of the hallway, so you walk straight in.
Warm enough to sit still in
Sitting at a desk, you notice a cold room fast. Its walls and roof are lined and insulated to the level set for a room you live in. The office stays warm in winter and quieter all year.
Power where your desk goes
Sockets and lighting go where the desk, screens and printer will sit. The wiring follows the electrical safety rules in the building regulations, and new circuits are tested and certified. Building control may also ask for mains smoke alarms if the house does not have them.
Heating and fresh air for long days
The office is heated like the rest of the house, often with a radiator off your central heating, or with electric or underfloor heating. An opening window and small trickle vents keep the air fresh, so the room does not get stuffy.
A certificate at the end
Building control checks the work at key stages. Once the final inspection passes, you get a completion certificate showing the office meets building regulations, which matters if you ever sell.
