Changing Your Garage Door for a Conversion

When you move into a home, you normally have a large garage door that opens and closes either manually or electrically so you can move your car in and out. If you’ve decided that you’d like to convert your garage to another type of room, such as a recreation room, work room, or bedroom, having a door like that on it usually doesn’t make much sense anymore. When it’s time for a change, there are some steps you can follow to make things easier.

Considering the Task

First of all, you want to consider the conversion task that you’re doing so you’ll know what to do with your garage door. If you’re converting it to a workshop, it could make sense to leave things as they are, especially if you’ll be moving in big equipment and making things like large pieces of furniture. You may still want the big opening to make things easier for you. If you’re converting to a recreation room or bedroom, however, you’ll probably want to make some changes.

Before You Start

It’s very important to check to see if your conversion is going to be allowed before you start to do anything. In some cities and counties, converting a garage to another type of room is prohibited, and you don’t want to make big changes and then have to undo everything. Make sure what you’re going to do is allowed; get the proper permits, and then if you need to change the garage door, start making some plans. Hiring a contractor to help with the planning stage could save you some big headaches later. You want to know what you want and how you’re going to do it before you begin.

Implementing Your Plan

When everything is a go, it’s time to start doing the work. If you’re going to be completely removing the garage door and installing a wall with a smaller entrance, it’s going to take some doing. Unless you have construction skills, you probably want to hire a professional. Some people actually leave the entryway as it is, but build a smaller entryway right into it. This can be tricky, and it’s usually easier to just change it completely.

Changing your garage door to one that fits more with another type of room may turn out to be more of an undertaking than you realize at first, and it could cost you some significant money. Be sure to hire a professional that you trust who will try to work within your budget, and who will guarantee their work. When all is done, you should be happy with the results.