Should I Convert My Garage Into Living Space?

Dear Dave,

I own an older home, built in the 1980’s. I’m doing some upgrades this spring and am considering adding on to it. I recently saw a home that was a similar age and when they remodeled they turned the two car garage into a living room and opened up the adjoining wall into the house. Something like this might suit our needs perfectly. What are your thoughts on this? Is it good for potential resale or would I be better off leaving it as a small garage and not adding living space.  Thanks. I would appreciate the advice.

John - Grand Junction, CO

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John,

This one is a tough one. If you need extra living space, it does not get any more convenient or inexpensive than to convert the garage to a new living room or couple of bedrooms. Keep in mind that the conversion does come at the expense of valuable resale space, the garage. I am one of those who believe the garage is sacred space!  Where would one put his duck decoys, bikes (motor or pedal), ATV’s, kayaks, canoes, dog kennels, gun safes, hunting gear, tool boxes, work bench, etc.? I am sure you see my point. A garage, especially here in Western Colorado, is valuable space and hard to replace. Oh, and I nearly forgot, you might even have enough room to park your car!

For resale purposes I am of the belief that the conversion will generally cost you money and not increase your value. That being said, if you convert and add two bedrooms and go from a 3-bedroom home to a 5-bedroom home, you might find someone who has a large or blended family that has a specific need for the extra bedrooms. In this specific scenario I could see the possibilities of the conversion adding value. Outside of this specific situation I think the loss of the garage outweighs in cost and function the addition of added living space.

The last thing to consider is to go ahead and make the conversion, but do so in such a way that you will be able to easily convert it back when/if you sell in the future. By doing this you will have a cost effective addition and keep the flexibility to convert it back easily. This is a common practice and is easy to remedy when the time comes to sell.

As you can see, I am a fan of garages and believe that having a garage is an important and valuable feature. I will close with this, if a conversion will fit the needs of your family perfectly, then go ahead and do it and enjoy living there with the added living space. Converting and then converting back in the future will surely be less expensive than selling and buying. If the rest of the house fits your needs, just convert and do so in a way that leaves you the flexibility to easily convert back if needed. Hope this helps! 

Dave Kimbrough

The Kimbrough Team

What Are Your Thoughts On Converting A Two Car Garage Into A Living Space?

Dear Dave,

I own an older home, built in the 1980’s. I’m doing some upgrades this spring and am considering adding on to it. I recently saw a home that was a similar age and when they remodeled they turned the two car garage into a living room and opened up the adjoining wall into the house. Something like this might suit our needs perfectly. What are your thoughts on this? Is it good for potential resale or would I be better off leaving it as a small garage and not adding living space.

Thanks. I would appreciate the advice.

 John - Grand Junction, CO

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John,

This one is a tough one. If you need extra living space, it does not get any more convenient or inexpensive than to convert the garage to a new living room or couple of bedrooms. Keep in mind that the conversion does come at the expense of valuable resale space, the garage. I am one of those who believe the garage is sacred space!  Where would one put his duck decoys, bikes (motor or pedal), ATV’s, kayaks, canoes, dog kennels, gun safes, hunting gear, tool boxes, work bench, etc.? I am sure you see my point. A garage, especially here in Western Colorado, is valuable space and hard to replace. Oh, and I nearly forgot, you might even have enough room to park your car!

For resale purposes I am of the belief that the conversion will generally cost you money and not increase your value. That being said, if you convert and add two bedrooms and go from a 3-bedroom home to a 5-bedroom home, you might find someone who has a large or blended family that has a specific need for the extra bedrooms. In this specific scenario I could see the possibilities of the conversion adding value. Outside of this specific situation I think the loss of the garage outweighs in cost and function the addition of added living space.  

For resale purposes I am of the belief that that a garage conversion will generally cost you money and not increase your value.

The last thing to consider is to go ahead and make the conversion, but do so in such a way that you will be able to easily convert it back when/if you sell in the future. By doing this you will have a cost effective addition and keep the flexibility to convert it back easily. This is a common practice and is easy to remedy when the time comes to sell.

As you can see, I am a fan of garages and believe that having a garage is an important and valuable feature. I will close with this, if a conversion will fit the needs of your family perfectly, then go ahead and do it and enjoy living there with the added living space. Converting and then converting back in the future will surely be less expensive than selling and buying. If the rest of the house fits your needs, just convert and do so in a way that leaves you the flexibility to easily convert back if needed. Hope this helps! 

Dave Kimbrough

The Kimbrough Team

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Timeless Style for Kitchen Renovations

Dave,

We’re starting plans to remodel our kitchen (finally!). Right now we’re collecting samples and checking out different styles online. We’ve come across some trending ideas that I just love, but I’m worried if we use them in our remodel, our kitchen will be out of date again in 5 to 10 years. If we spend money now to update, then it becomes outdated again, will we ever see a return on our investment? I know you’ve probably seen a bunch of trends come and go in all your years of real estate. When it comes to current kitchen trends, what are some you think will last and some that we should avoid?

Thanks a ton!

Autumn, Fruita

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Autumn,

Congratulations on your new kitchen remodel! Sounds like it has been a while in the making and I know from experience that when you save for years and the finish line is in sight it is a very exciting time. I am super excited for you, but your concerns about short-lived kitchen trends are valid and you are wise to focus on a more “timeless” remodel.

Nothing gives away a home’s age more than the kitchen…ok, maybe bathrooms would run neck and neck for the time machine give away. As I am writing this, I am listening to my “Best of the 70’s” iTunes playlist and I can’t help but think about those 70’s bathrooms. Nothing screams “boogie nights” like shag carpet and avocado green toilets…oh yeah, mix in a little wallpaper to complete the effect and you have a real winner! Ok, back to your kitchen! It is so hard to know what will stand the test of time and what won't.  When we did our remodel we tried to focus on things that would stand up over the years, but we placed a higher value on what we wanted vs. how long would the style hold. We had decided that we would not be moving anytime soon and that the remodel was for US and not the future owner. If you believe you will be in the house another ten years I would suggest you do the same! Regardless of how hard you try, you can be confident that no matter what cabinets you choose today, in ten years there is a good chance they will be out of style. I am sure the same can be said for the back splash! Keep in mind that even though the updates you do now may be somewhat dated in ten years, they will be ten years closer to current than what it would be if you did not do anything at all!

In my opinion things you should avoid include tile counter tops, any kind of shiny brass hardware, dark wood cabinets (unless it’s a dark island to offset other lighter cabinets), inexpensive speckled granite, open shelving (I know its super cool now, but I am not confident how long everyone will think it’s all that), bold color statements that are difficult to change, avoid dark timber or a heavy “Tuscan” feel or faux painted walls. Dark and heavy are out! These items are either out or well on their way to a well-deserved extinction! I would encourage you to concentrate on the things that remain a bit more timeless and much of creating timelessness comes by focusing on functionality.

“ I would encourage you to concentrate on the things that remain a bit more timeless and much of creating timelessness comes by focusing on functionality.”

Make sure to incorporate a pantry, focus on plenty of counter space and storage. There is no substitute for natural light (maybe add a window or two). Include space for gathering in or near the kitchen so that entertaining is effortless. Make your statements with lighting, knobs, mix matching textures, back splash tile and things that can be changed (relatively inexpensively) over time to help maintain an up-to-date appearance! Maybe go with glass door cabinets instead of open shelving, Quartz counter tops instead of Granite and I think if done correctly white cabinets are still the closest bet to timeless as there is in the cabinet world. As for flooring, I think real wood floors or wood look tile (not travertine or tumbled anything) are the best way to ensure a timeless look.

What an exciting adventure! The most important thing is that you LOVE what you do and enjoy living there after the remodel is done. When the time comes to sell, I bet you find someone that will love it just as much as you do! Best of luck and have fun with it!

Dave Kimbrough
The Kimbrough Team

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Fix Your Home's Quirky Layout Before Selling?

Hello Dave,

We removed 2 walls in our bungalow as it was quite dark. Now we are selling and the layout seems to be putting buyers off, my agent tells me to leave things as they are as someone will love it, but I need to sell fast and not sure if I should replace the stud walls. The bedroom doors also open into the living area which is a privacy issue. 

Thanks so much,

Susie

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Susie,

Shoot…it’s hard when you make changes to your home that you are confident will make it better only to find out that you actually might have made things worse. If your feedback has been consistent that the change you made is now a hindrance to the house selling, then you might consider putting the walls back up. Before you make any hasty decisions, make sure that the layout feature that is putting buyers off is indeed the wall removal and not the fact that the bedroom doors open to the living area! I have seen it time and time again, if the master bedroom is visible from the living area when the bedroom door is open it is a major buyer turn off. A “funky” floor plan is worse than a floor plan that shows dark, but identifying exactly what is causing the hesitation is crucial. The last thing you want to do is fix the wrong problem! Regardless of the floor plan quirk that is holding the house back, often times it is hard for a buyer to see how to fix the problem. Actually, even if the buyer can identify it, they do not have the expertise or know anyone who can make the changes for them to make the home more livable. Obviously, as your agent suggested, you always have the option to just wait it out, rather than fixing the problem.

“I understand your agent’s perspective and advice as I always say, “there’s a butt for every saddle” and if you wait long enough, you will eventually find the right butt and that butt will love it! ”

I understand your agent’s perspective and advice as I always say, “there’s a butt for every saddle” and if you wait long enough, you will eventually find the right butt and that butt will love it! Sometimes waiting is not the best option, especially if you can easily correct the issue and make the property more sellable and “now ready.” This time of year waiting takes on a whole new meaning, especially for those who wish to sell quickly, since we are headed into the winter months. As we creep closer to the holidays, patience can start to take on a whole new meaning and playing the “waiting game” can be a bit of Russian roulette. A house that shows dark is not a good thing, especially in a bungalow where space is at a premium. In smaller spaces it is always a best practice to try and have it show as bright as possible! One, cost effective, way to add more natural light to dark spaces is by adding solar tubes. A solar tube can bring lots of natural light to any dark area at a very affordable price. If you decide to put the walls back, then adding solar tubes may be an effective answer to your “dark” problem. 

Regardless of what the problem is, you are doing the right thing by listening to your feedback and proactively trying to correct the problem. Identify the real problem. Get it fixed. Add a solar tube. Watch it sell! Best of luck! 

Dave Kimbrough
The Kimbrough Team

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Is Wallpaper Back in Style?

Dear Dave,

I’ve been looking into doing some redecorating on my house. It looks like the new up and coming trend is wallpaper. What do you think of wallpaper in a newer home? I’m not considering any of the patterns from the 70’s, but what do the people that you work with think of wallpaper? Is it easy enough for someone to remove if I go ahead and do it and then sell my house? I just want to be smart and not do something that will be a huge deterrent from my house when I decide to sell it.

Thank you – I really enjoy reading your answers each and every week!

Jaquie – Grand Junction, CO

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Jaquie,

Great question! You are right! Wallpaper is starting to make a comeback and is gaining quite a bit of traction in the housing market again. You know what they say, if you wait long enough it will come back and be popular again and I think that is where we are headed with wallpaper. At least to some extent. 

Keep in mind that wallpaper of any kind is a very personal touch to a home. The kind of wallpaper we are seeing gain in popularity is more on the textured side, not necessarily the pattern side. The old patterned wallpaper of the yesteryear will hopefully never make a comeback, however bringing in new textures can really be an awesome addition to any room or home. There are so many choices, but I have seen some wallpaper that look like different grasses and fabrics and they look incredible and really add a ton of value in making a texture statement instead of a color statement. If you want to see some really great wallpaper go to grahambrown.com, pintrest.com or houzz.com and prepare for the do-it-yourself urge. 

“Buyers are very open to wallpaper that makes a textural statement, as long as it is tastefully done. ”

Buyers are very open to wallpaper that makes a textural statement, as long as it is tastefully done. Remember, sometimes less is better so wallpaper on an accent wall or in a powder bath etc. can be plenty of statement and all that is needed to make the impact you are trying to achieve. I think some of the new wallpaper can make a positive impact on potential buyers if done correctly, but also remember keep it neutral in color and subtle in style. 

Removal can be tricky. Regardless of if it is patterned or textured, it can be difficult to remove so keeping it on the accent side of things will make it easier to remove if there is not as much of it. If potential buyers want to take it down, they can always do so after they purchase or request the seller do so prior to close. Let this be said, NOBODY likes to remove wallpaper, thus the reason wallpaper is a riskier proposition to paint! Consider your wallpaper installation carefully and thoughtfully and my bet is you come up with something gorgeous and people are going to love it. I say go for it and see if you can make your home sizzle with some new wall fashion!

Dave Kimbrough
The Kimbrough Team

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Is carpet or laminate wood best for bedroom flooring?

Dear Dave,

Two years ago we completely remodeled our kitchen and replaced all of the tile floors throughout the home and living areas with laminate wood, but decided to wait to replace the bedrooms existing carpet for financial reasons. We will be selling our home next year and are ready to replace the carpet, but now we aren't sure if we should replace it with new carpeting or the same laminate flooring as the rest of the house. I've learned from your articles that both choices would give us an excellent return, however which choice is more appealing to buyers in our area? We are so conflicted!

Virginia, Grand Junction

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Virginia,

Ugh…I understand why you are so conflicted, as I am also conflicted with my answer! Personally I can’t stand having my bare feet on any surface other than carpet, thus I am not a big fan of tile, wood or any “hard” surface. We have tile in our bathroom, however my bare feet almost never touch it…weird, I know. One of the things I miss most when we are on vacation to any beach locale is carpet. I know you can’t get carpet as clean and that it harbors sand, dust, mites and who knows what else, but personally I love carpet in bedrooms.

“You are right, either will give you a good return on your investment so honestly you can’t really go wrong, but I am going to say carpet in the bedrooms is the correct choice.”

You are right, either will give you a good return on your investment so honestly you can’t really go wrong, but I am going to say carpet in the bedrooms is the correct choice. It is a softer surface and helps create a warmer atmosphere and I believe that is the more desirable surface in a bedroom. You have chosen wisely in the rest of the house, as people love that wood and tile is easier to keep clean, but in the bedrooms go with carpet!

Dave Kimbrough
The Kimbrough Team

Home updates with the best resale value

Dave,

We are considering selling our house in a few months and have done some research online about what home updates will get you the best return when selling. There are mixed opinions in the articles we’ve read. We don’t want to pour money into updating a part of our house that will not increase our home’s value—especially since we won’t live here any longer to enjoy it.

What home updates do you suggest to your clients when they are getting ready to sell their house? Do we need to consider big projects or will small things—like painting—make a difference?

Becky, Fruita

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Becky,

Super great question! It is one of the most frequent questions I get and the reason I spend at least one column per year addressing which home improvements provide the biggest bang for the buck. After all, who wants to do upgrades that don’t pay off? NOBODY, but you must remember that not all upgrades or home improvements are created equal! Listen, if you spend big money on a cigar room, wine tasting enclave, commercial kitchen or home dance studio you can’t blame anyone but yourself when your return on investment is non-existent. Spending too much on over personalized upgrades will never pay off a big return, if any at all. However there are home improvements that do provide a great return on investment.

“The two home improvements that will generally create the largest bang for the buck return and are always the first two I discuss with people are flooring and paint!”

The two home improvements that will generally create the largest bang for the buck return and are always the first two I discuss with people are flooring and paint! In my experience, over 15 years and literally thousands of homes, buyers have the most positive reactions over flooring and paint and the reaction is universal to price range. It does not matter what price point you are talking about, buyers love the smell of new carpet and new paint and remember buying a home involves all the senses and smell is a very influential one. For example, and heaven forbid, you have blue, sage or mauve carpet your return on investment will be over 100%! If you have 4 bedrooms and each one has been painted a different color of the rainbow, your return on investment will be over 100%. These are easy improvements to make a decision on. Do not procrastinate that kind of improvement, just do it and you will be glad you did. 

There are also other easy and cost effective home improvements. Next to flooring and paint, new light fixtures, plumbing fixtures, doors, door knobs and hinges also provide a great return on investment. In the grand scheme of things all these improvements are also quite cost effective and will not break the bank, however they will provide great return on investment. If you have a 70/80’s vintage home and have the old dark stained wood doors, replace them with white 6 panel doors (around $100 each at Home Depot) and behold the transformation! Give that dark dingy hallway a bright and light feel! While you are at it, remove the brass door knobs and brass hinges and take it a step further. Same goes with light and plumbing fixtures, costs are not huge and the rewards are awesome.  Lastly, don’t neglect the outside of your home. Outside home improvements are also cost effective and provide a great return on investment.

If you want all the latest and greatest on home remodels and improvements go to Remodeling.com and their cost vs. value report for 2016 and get the skinny on all things home remodel and how much you can expect to get back on your investment. This is a great resource that also breaks things down regionally so you can see what is most important in our neck of the woods. Hope this helps and best of luck on your home's facelift.

Dave Kimbrough
The Kimbrough Team

Should I add to my current garage or build a detached shop?

Dear Dave,

I have been throwing around the idea of building a shop at my house. I live on about an acre lot and have a fairly new home, built in 2007. I have room to build a detached shop and also room to add onto my current 2 car garage.

My question for you is, what do you think would make the most sense when I go to sell the house someday? Do people appreciate a detached shop or would they like it connected to the house?

Thanks for the help-
Robert, Grand Junction

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Robert,

I believe this is an idea that virtually every man throws around from time to time, where can I build a shop? Building a shop has almost become part of the American dream. Right behind the dream of a detached shop is a three car garage or three car garage with large storage shed! As you wander through life accumulating “things” that you probably no longer need, but can’t force yourself to part with the idea of more and more storage becomes increasingly important.

“A detached shop can be a man’s private kingdom and it is hard to put a price on that.”

In my opinion, build a detached shop. The nice thing about a detached shop, over one that is attached, is that what is in or what is happening at the detached shop is less likely to spill over to the main garage and house. This is a simple function of being “detached”. A detached shop can be a man’s private kingdom and it is hard to put a price on that. The fact that a garage or shop is detached from the rest of the house implies that not everyone is invited, there is limited access.  Having a shop that is detached also gives one the opportunity to separate his or herself from the chaos or activities of the main structure and provide a place of solace and privacy where anything goes and being clean are not words that need to be feared! Having a place that is a safe haven is valuable and for those who are used to having it, it is VERY valuable.  

Go detached and live longer and more prosperous and when you go to sell, enjoy the rewards of having a detached shop! I am kidding about the longer and more prosperous part, but the rewards will be no joke! It will, no doubt, be a big selling feature that will have you seeing more green! ($)

Dave Kimbrough
The Kimbrough Team