- By Kurt Kopp
- In Design Ideas, How to Choose, How To's, Remodeling
- Tags Garage
11 Things to consider when finishing the garage
Garages serve many purposes: they’re used for parking cars, declutter a home, house workshops and serve as an alternative entry to your home. By updating your garage, you will instantly increase the value of your home while you may not see a 100% return on investment, you will surely get more than you would have before the garage renovation. If you already have an existing garage in place, but no walls, floor, ceiling, or finishes, the cost to finish a garage will be up to $10,000. If you do a partially finished garage, which would be walls and ceiling with either paneling or sheetrock, any general contractor can do for a few thousand dollars.
1) Building Codes
You will want to make sure your new garage is up to code, by going over all plans with your city before any work begins.
2) Permits
If you’re vastly transforming your garage into a living space or building a new garage, you’ll need a building permit. Depending on your location, the size and complexity of your project will affect your permit cost. However, most building permits cost up to $1000.
3) Plumbing
Most garage remodels, do not include adding a bathroom or sink, you may want a sink to be able to have a hand wash area. Plumbing costs vary, but you will want to expect to pay at least $500 to hire a plumber and install the necessary piping.
4) Electricity
Most garages already have electricity in place, but if you’re converting your garage into a living area, or man cave, you’ll need additional outlets and wiring, which generally costs around $1,100.
5) HVAC & Insulation
Garages have minimal insulation, so if you’re renovating your garage, you’ll certainly need to add insulation and HVAC if you live in cold or hot climates. Adding new HVAC and insulation can cost up to $3,000.
6) Garage Flooring
Your garage most likely has a basic concrete floor. Depending on how you plan to use your new space, a concrete floor may be all you need. If the concrete slab has problems such as cracking, flaking, stains, pitting, or wear, it can be easily fixed by applying either epoxy or polyurethane-based coating. It bonds to your current concrete flooring to create a long-lasting flooring solution. You can add in different colors to your topcoat or even a slip-resistant mixture for a safer garage floor.
7) Ceiling
If your garage is too hot or cold, it’s most likely because the ceiling is not insulated like the rest of the home. The cheapest and fastest way to solve this problem is to add fiberglass batt insulation. You also can install drywall over any insulation for a more complete look.
8) Walls
An unfinished garage has necessary frame walls or wall coverings that may not be ideal for a newly finished space. If your walls do have an original covering, you’d want to remove it for the more accessible location of studs, vents, and electrical writing. If you wish to finished walls, but don’t need the extra polish that you get with drywall, plywood panels are a cost-effective option. You can screw it directly to the frame, and it will be able to support additional shelving you may want. You can paint the plywood to fit into your ideal design.
9) Doors
The most defining feature of any garage is the large garage door. There are a few ways to deal with a large entryway when going through a garage renovation. You can choose a new door from a bountiful of doors out there, close off the entry or paint the inside of the existing entrance to create a unique design element. Pretty much all garages have another door already built into their design for regular access to space, or you can choose to install a new one.
10) Install weather stripping
Seal out drafts and bugs by installing the garage-door with weather stripping. Leaky doors and windows can let in uncomfortable drafts and increase heating and cooling costs. The overhead garage door can be a significant source of drafts and heat loss. Older entries may be lacking a weatherstrip. Garage door weather stripping is available at home centers, and installation is relatively straightforward. 
11) Add storage with shelves or cabinets
A garage storage system doesn’t need to be overly complicated. You can get basic plastic or metal garage shelves, or plastic garage cabinets can hide your mess behind doors. Adding storage can be as easy as installing old kitchen cabinets.
Bouns – Finished Garage Designs Ideas
There are plenty of different ways to use your newly finished garage. Here are some ideas:
–Storage Space
-Bonus Room
-Man Cave
-Finished Garage Loft
– & More…
Need Help or have questions about 11 Things to consider when finishing the garage? Contact Us online at or give Us a call at 1 (503) 3357-8810. From concept to completion, we provide full remodeling services. Let’s Build It!
Kurt Kopp is a dedicated professional with a commitment to excellence. He is a master builder of over 35 years of experience that strives to deliver the highest quality product to his valued customer.
