Garage To Office Conversions Are On The Up

By Author: unknownmem
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According to recent surveys, during this recession, over 600,000 garage conversions have taken place in the U.K. Not surprisingly, more than half that have been converted are now home offices.

With the increasing cost of travel, whether it be public transport, or your own car, more and more companies, who are feeling the effects of the recession, are offering their employees the chance to work from home, thus keeping their expenses down. IT companies have the highest number of "home" workers.

This suits many people, but it can also have it's problems. Small children, animals and sometime spouses can be very distracting, and can often affect the way we work. The idea of leaving the house at a certain time everyday, and arriving at an office fully equipped for all our needs, and leaving it at the end of our working day, is something we have all become accustomed to. However, things are changing, and it has been suggested that half the workforce will end up working from home in the future.

Most new houses will include an office or study to accommodate this trend, even the smaller average dwellings. ...
... The problem today, is that unless you are fortunate enough to live in an executive-style home, or can afford a house with extra spare rooms, home-working can sometimes create a problem.

Hence the trend to utilise garage space. Most people often leave their cars on their drives for convenience, and the garage is usually cluttered with children's toys. If the garage is attached to the house, then it is usually converted to look like an extension. Should the garage be detached, then it is usually converted to look like an annex and in keeping with the main build.

Finding the right builder is essential, as the office will need electricity, will need to be warm, and reasonably soundproof (especially if it is attached to the house - vacuum cleaning and babies crying can be very distracting!). The right builder will explain the best way to go forward with the conversion, he will listen to your needs, and will work within your budget.

Because the housing market has been very slow in the recession, garages attached to the main build, have also been converted into an extra bedroom, bathroom or games room. Once again the conversion ends up looking like an extension to your home. People appear to be realising that the cost of converting what they already have, is more convenient and cheaper then trying to sell their homes, uprooting their families, children from their schools and causes a lot less stress.

Moving house is a costly affair. A larger house will obviously cost more then the smaller house you sell. After the Estate Agents commission, the Solicitors fees and the cost of the actual removal, there is always additional expenses with the internal furnishings. Taking all this into consideration, is it little wonder that over 600,000 families have opted to convert their garages?

If you are considering a garage conversion, make sure you use a good builder with a good reputation and will be able to furnish you with testimonials. A garage conversion could be just the answer you are looking for.
If your looking for reliable builders with experience of Conversions including Garage Conversions check out Building Solutions (Midlands) Ltd.