Many small businesses don’t have the funds to operate out of an office block or a proper premises, and many still operate their business operations from their home. Usually this comes in the form of a spare room or office, that has been converted into a workspace for one or more people. But is this optimal? Or is there a better way that business can find a way to work in a nice environment that is optimised for working? As far as we can tell, these are the options for small start ups looking to get a foothold in the business world:
- Shared working space – great for new starts but not ideal if it is a busy work place
- Bedroom/spare room – good for comfort but not optimal for consistency and distractions
- Garage office – favoured by many entrepreneurs over the years, not optimal if it is unfinished
This last option is one of the more interesting ones, since nowadays most people’s garage spaces tend to go unused, so they are the perfect black canvas for an office environment. That is why we wanted to highlight the benefits of garage conversions Glasgow businesses can use to get a great working space that is fit for purpose and helps minimise distractions and maximise output.
Considering a Garage Conversion in Glasgow?
Are you thinking about garage conversions? Have you been considering converting your garage into some kind of commercial or industrial use? Are you aware of all the additional costs that might come along with this project? Well, before we go any further, please keep in mind that converting a garage (whether it’s a residential garage or an industrial one) can have a number of additional costs that must be accounted for before you complete the conversion. That being said, there are lots of garage conversions in Glasgow that have been done on a budget and they have been very successful, proving that you don’t need to spend lots of money in order to create a great working space.
What Are The Drawbacks?
There are, however, a few minor drawbacks to garage conversions that need to be addressed. For example, if you live in a subdivision or neighbourhood that has a lot of home owners associations, you may find that you cannot convert your garage to an office space because your neighbourhood requires such use of garages. In such cases, the best thing to do is work with your homeowner’s association to find out if your particular group has any restrictions or guidelines regarding garage conversions. If so, you should be able to proceed without any problems.
However, another limitation to garage conversions is related to the size of the space that needs converting. Although conversion can often be achieved in a much smaller space than originally envisioned, it’s not unusual to find that after converting a particular amount of living space, you have to go back and redo everything from the floor to the ceiling again. Yes, it’s often possible to just make a few changes here and there, rather than completely gut the entire space, but it’s also not as easy as just flipping a building and starting over. Such a large investment usually requires quite a bit of planning. Fortunately, there are some great companies out there that are happy to help people like you with their expert planning and design services.
Things To Consider
As far as possible, the best garages to convert are those that already have either existing structural issues or have just need a simple face-lift with some tiling or drywall replacement. In these cases, professional contracting companies can take care of the heavy lifting part for you, while giving you the ability to enjoy the added value of your new living space right away. While it may be more expensive to install new drywall or tiling floor covering in these situations, it’s still a much cheaper option than tearing up the existing walls and replacing them with a completely new setup.
One other major issue that often comes up with garage conversions is the parking issue. Garage spaces that are converted into home offices, artists’ lofts, or even parking spaces for cars are all hard to get into and hard to find places to park, which can cause major problems during the off-peak hours when many home owners are trying to make money. However, with the right planning and the most reliable contractors around, converting your garage can give you an easy solution to both of these parking difficulties. If you’re ready to take the plunge into garage conversions, consider consulting one of the reputable consulting firms out there in the residential remodelling field and let them show you how it’s done.
