Having a finished garage can be a terrific way to increase the value of your home as well as create space for entertaining or hobbies. The key to a successful garage renovation is careful planning.

Decide What You Want

Do you want a workshop? A rec room, game room or man cave? Do you need to make an extra room for guests? These questions need answers before you decide what needs to be done. Once you make that decision, you can make a list of what you want, and then what you need to do to make the finished product match your expectations.

Framing for Drywall

Many garages are not framed out to accept drywall. You will need to do this before hanging any. Be certain that the framing is adequate for your needs before beginning to hang the drywall. You may also need to take into account your electrical and insulation needs before you start adding framing.  Also, many homes here in Florida have block walls so you may still want to finish these walls with drywall as well.  Process is similar but a little different with furring strips being attached to the block walls.  

Rewiring

What electrical levels will you need for your goal? You will need to check that what you want to add will not overtax your electrical systems, and add any necessary outlets and circuits. We recommend using a licensed electrician for any wiring work.

Ventilation and Insulation

You want your new space to be comfortable enough to spend extended periods of time, so make sure there’s plenty of ventilation and insulation. In roof vents, there should be at least 1 square foot of ventilation space for every 300 square feet of attic. Use vent chutes to make sure your ventilation is effective. Vent chutes prevent blown insulation from blocking airflow to the attic space.

For insulation, friction-fit fiberglass is recommended with poly sheeting fit with caulk to make it airtight. Once the drywall is fitted, use blown insulation to complete the process.

Weatherstripping

Keep out the weather by weatherstripping doors and windows. The overhead door can be a big source of drafts and heat loss, and many older models are not weather stripped, so this is would be a good time to add that in. It is fairly straightforward to install, and easy to find at most hardware stores or home improvement stores. You can also search online by using “garage door insulating kits” as your search term.

Drywall

This is the most economical covering, especially for ceilings. Be sure to remove the garage door track before putting up your ceiling and carefully mark the angles and places to screw in the tracks. A drywall lift will help a great deal with putting up ceiling drywall.

Finished Garage Floors

Finishing the concrete garage floor with a beautiful epoxy floor coating does more than add style and beauty.  On many occasions the coating is non-slip so that keeps safety in mind when you are using your outdoor space.

General Tips

Make certain to take things like the design of your room into account when you decide where to place outlets and lighting. You don’t want to decide where you want to place your TV or band saw and discover that you don’t have an outlet nearby!

Finally, be sure to make a list of all the items you will need to buy or rent, including paint, screws and outlet covers. This is good practice for budgeting as well as for organization.