FULL COST BREAKDOWN $$$ - Watch This Before Converting your Garage into Living Space!!

The most comprehensive and detailed cost breakdown of how much it costs to convert a garage into living space. I've listed every dollar I spent on converting my garage and will show you the exact process and how we added a living room, bedroom and bathroom into our 38m2 double garage. Watch this video if you want to some garage conversion ideas and learn the garage conversion process step by step to better understand what is involved in converting your garage into a granny flat or additional living space. This is such a great life hack and will earn you up to $500 per week in passive income for the rest of your life. If you are into DIY you will be able to save money during the construction of the tiny house/garage.
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[@Robynhoodlum]

Being from the US, the price tag made me do a huge double take, then I realized: 1) This is in New Zealand Dollars 2) You contracted out most of the labor 3) You bought most of the stuff new and off the shelf. As a Midwestern American, I can KZbin most of the skills to do this and building permits allow me to do almost everything myself, I have family who can lend me power tools and expertise, and I can get most of my stuff second hand. You asked if It could be done for cheaper, not including sweat equity for me and my family, this project could cost me as little as $10,000- $20,000 USD.

[@aaronblankenbyl]

Thanks for your insights Bethany. I wish I could have done this for 10-20k but working a fulltime job with 2 kids there is not much free time so I decided to outsource majority of it. Good luck with your conversion if you decide to go for it

[@z5m2]

When one contracts work, ussually its 40 to 60% of the cost is labor. If one can self perform labor, yes its over half off for a reno project.

[@easypimpin123]

Hahahaha! I just posted a comment about the exact same thing right before I read this. I’m in Ohio and I was pulling out my hair with these coats before I realized it’s in kiwi dollars. Lol. I was thinking no more than $12,000 US or about half that if I do all the labor. I’m thinking of doing a project like that soon actually, except I want a bedroom/bathroom penthouse suite look.

[@easypimpin123]

Hahahaha! I just posted a comment about the exact same thing right before I read this. I’m in Ohio and I was pulling out my hair with these coats before I realized it’s in kiwi dollars. Lol. I was thinking no more than $12,000 US or about half that if I do all the labor. I’m thinking of doing a project like that soon actually, except I want a bedroom/bathroom penthouse suite look.

[@petevsplants7516]

I think that's about $100,000 NZD with the US dollar how it is currently lol

[@easypimpin123]

This cost is insane. There’s no way converting an existing space into living space would cost $100,000. The new soace looks incredible but you could literally build an entire 1000+ sq ft house for that much money. And in some towns in the south a medium sized 3 bed 1.5 bath house in a decent area for about $75,000. He basically built an upscale hotel room for the cost of an entire house.

[@aaronblankenbyl]

Welcome to New Zealand :)

[@easypimpin123]

@@aaronblankenbyl lol, yea I didn’t realize you were pricing everything in kiwi dollars. Ugh you New Zealanders are so care free with the minutiae of details. Lol. Probably because your world is basically like living in a resort town 24/7. Lmao. Btw I would love to travel to your part of the world one day. It looks like uttter paradise.

[@thepsychologist8159]

@@easypimpin123 Why, where do you live? I live in Australia and this 'excellent' conversion would cost about the same, especially with building and labour costs.

[@mathewdessureault3365]

Need to realize the material alone is big money not to mention the plumbing needs and electrical need to be run from the main living space then you need or should have proper drainage to shed water from the building just installing the the plumbing to your sewer line isn't cheap. With all that said do you want it to last and look nice good quality work costs. If you don't care and you just want it thrown together and end up fixing things every month then It would be cheap. That's not counting paying for insurance paying for workers compensation and medical. 100k for a property you are getting a return of 500 or more a month and it's close enough you can make sure the tenants aren't destroying your property. Only one water and sewage bill only one electric bill if you wanted only one yard to mow only one garbage disposal bill. Not to mention if you have elderly parents that need help but are stubborn they will still have their space but are close enough you can make sure they are OK

[@fmcm7715]

@@easypimpin123 I bet you live in USA?

[@studlygrish]

I had a girlfriend who was divorced that did not wanna go over to her exes for Thanksgiving or Christmas because she said she felt out of place but it was the only place she could be with her children on the holidays. So I turned my 12 by 24 garage into a living room that holds 16 people comfortably 1. Paint the garage inside white=$100 2. Bought a 12 x 24 piece of carpet and laid it on the floor.=$150 3. Hooked up an electric fireplace.$350-$500 . 4. Rented two L-shaped couches, right and left, a loveseat, a couch, 4 end tables. And two coffee tables. For two months=$500 5. Bought four or five pictures and hung them on the wall.=200 6. Put my rotating 8 foot Christmas tree in the far corner. 7. Bought some candles and decorated the garage door to make it look like a giant present with bells on it.= $100 TOTAL=$1550 💰 I needed no permits no permission from the city and I can turn this area back into a garage within 2 hours time

[@lz6364]

That was sp thoughtful!

[@metratone5]

One of the most enjoyable, nicely presented and informative videos (series of) I've watched on Garage Conversions. Love the end result. I wish I had the funds to convert my own just for the much needed space. Thanks for sharing 🖒

[@aaronblankenbyl]

Thank you for the kind words. Appreciate it!!

[@Grethana]

Awesome video as always Aaron!! So cool to see how you transformed your garage!! Looks so cosy and fancy rent house. Keep making your videos, I like to watch then.

[@aaronblankenbyl]

Thank you Gretha :) next video coming soon

[@shanezsoysa3522]

Mint reno - I actually love how you did those barndoors too. I am gonna try my hand at that

[@kirry5497]

I love this breakdown. Well executed. Great job guys.

[@aaronblankenbyl]

Thank you Kirry :)

[@aaronblankenbyl]

Leave a LIKE if you found this video HELPFUL and be sure to check out my other garage conversion videos for more info!

[@GWalt22]

Great videos on building out everything and this video was very helpful as well. I've been looking for breakdowns and possible cost for converting our garage and basement into living space. The challenge that I will encounter will be getting a pump for the water since the basement is below the septic and converting our garage entrance into a more appealing view after the garage doors are taken down.

[@aaronblankenbyl]

Thanks Gavin, glad it was helpful. Every conversion has it’s challenge for sure. I hope you can find a solution re waste water. Good luck!

[@toniallen6680]

Awesome work, much appreciated thank you!

[@aaronblankenbyl]

Thanks Toni

[@n2bfw884]

Great video. Thanks so much!

[@aaronblankenbyl]

Glad it was helpful!

[@nanaronhano337]

Oh, it’s so beautiful at the end. Wow.

[@aaronblankenbyl]

Thanks :)

[@pcbackup9195]

great video!

[@beauwoodall9404]

dope video mate!

[@aaronblankenbyl]

Cheers bro :)

[@Hbd2002]

You could make it an open concept studio type apartment, so the only enclosed room would be the bathroom

[@rafvan4697]

is the pink lumber a special kind of wood?

[@heroknaderi]

I enjoyed it good job. Im curious did you have to pull a permit.

[@aaronblankenbyl]

Glad to hear, thanks for the comment. Yes all permitted

[@ttocskael9309]

Looks good and nice videos!, but you could have done this way cheaper by doing most of the labour and sourcing second hand or materials bought from tm or fb marketplace. Shopping around can save thousands.

[@chrisnaughton5376]

Great work Aaron...would it be possible to get the details of your architect in Auckland ?

[@aaronblankenbyl]

Thanks Chris, I used Designfire

[@simob7862]

I did it for $50K but I just purchased the land and did it from scratch I then put in a grant flat 2 years later

[@cindyclark491]

Did you level out the slope in your garage? I didn’t see that part in the video. Thanks for sharing.

[@aaronblankenbyl]

From my understanding it was level already. Neither council or architect mentioned this to me

[@christydavy351]

Can you please share what floor product you purchased at Bunnings

[@aaronblankenbyl]

HanWood 2.15m2 8mm Farmhouse Oak Laminat

[@victoriacalhoun9322]

Thanks for this. I'm currently converting my garage too and it's costing way more than I thought. May I ask, what is the square meterage of your garage?

[@aaronblankenbyl]

Hi Victoria, it’s 38m2. Good luck with your conversion

[@boyzone3912]

We are looking at converting our existing stand alone garage to a 2 Bedroom granny flat. However, we would like to have a separate setup for power, water, internet etc. We are stuck between upgrading the existing garage or building a totally new dwelling. What would you recommend? Thanks in advance.

[@Charlie-vl9op]

Better build ask a reputable granny flat builder . Here in sydney around 90 to 120k on standard granny . Designer granny 150k +

[@boyzone3912]

@@Charlie-vl9op Thanks for the suggestion. Here in Auckland, we have been quoted a price more tha $350K for a 60 sq. Mt. Granny Flat. Ridiculous prices compared to Australia.

[@antonklimenko5263]

What about kitchen do they have to use yours?)

[@aaronblankenbyl]

Yes, thy don’t have a kitchen, only a microwave and hot water kettle. If we had more parking we could have put a complete kitchen in but the council wouldn’t allow us.

[@diegognunez6641]

Do you have any before and after pics?

[@aaronblankenbyl]

Thanks for your comment. I’m planning on doing a time lapse version if the conversion to show a bit of the before/after progression.

[@sensahofficial]

Just curious to learn more about garage conversions in general. Did you simply refer to a general contractor, or an architect to design it first?

[@aaronblankenbyl]

Hi Preeti, I engaged an architect first. He submitted plans to council and once we had approval talked to a builder

[@jovisilaphanh3138]

where did your dryer go? When you renovated your laundry 5:55

[@aaronblankenbyl]

I bought a 2 in 1 washer dryer from lg

[@lfuentes4098]

What country are you in? And what is the pink wood? Thanks.

[@aaronblankenbyl]

I live in New Zealand and the pink wood is used for framing. The pink is to protect it from moisture

[@Aupm-1]

How much is the size of your garage ? so i can convert the cost of building your sleepout ( if you whant to share that ,)

[@aaronblankenbyl]

About 38 - 39m2

[@rebeccaw8820]

What kind of insulation is that

[@aaronblankenbyl]

If I remember correctly the product is called earthwool glasswool

[@christydavy351]

Can I please ask what architect you used

[@aaronblankenbyl]

Sure, we used THE DESIGNFIRE Architects. They are based in Auckland. I found them good.

[@sr9253]

Did you need to level the concrete floor?

[@aaronblankenbyl]

In my case the existing concrete floor was level

[@TheMalcolms7]

Great job mate 👍🏾 I'm curious to know what's the average salary where you are. Things seem so expensive 😅 like they will charge you for air to breathe. On a serious note. Well done mate. Really good job 👍🏾. I wished you were doing this from the UK as I can't find anyone to compare with in terms of cost from start to finish. I am planning a conversion myself but I can find any builders atm. I'm at the stage now where I need a builder to cost up the project for me to check affordability. Do you fancy moving to the UK and doing it all over again 😅

[@aaronblankenbyl]

Cheers Kenroy, I live in Auckland New Zealand and I was surprised too at the end how much it cost me. I think the best thing you can do is call an architect for a chat if it’s actually possible and then get quotes in. I obtained 3 quotes. They were all about the same plus minus 10k. It took me about 2 plus months to get 3 quotes as it’s hard to track down a builder here too. Good luck with your project mate:)

[@TheMalcolms7]

@@aaronblankenbyl I've got the architect already and done the drawings. I am struggling to get a quote from the busy builders however 😅 Still trying though 👍🏾

[@lorelleriley9282]

Where are you from please ? Australia or New Zealand ?

[@aaronblankenbyl]

Auckland, New Zealand

[@stevenito9239]

How long did the whole process take?

[@aaronblankenbyl]

About 9 months from start to finish. One month for architect, 1m council, 1 month getting quotes, waited a month until builders started, builders took about 6ish weeks on and off, and then I did a lot myself like flooring, organized the bathroom tiler, cupboards, etc. that part dragged out the process, should have just let the builders do it all but had to manage cost as best as I could

[@lillianmcclinton8866]

Your cost equals to a house in the US. I just added an extra room like yours and the cost was 22,000. You may even find it cheaper.

[@aaronblankenbyl]

Wow that’s crazy. Lucky you :)

[@Handleme23]

How many square feet is your garage?

[@aaronblankenbyl]

410 square feet

[@esexavo]

100,000 for a garage convertion, I am starting a new built home including the land is going to be 96,000, I am building it myself with my dad.

[@aaronblankenbyl]

That’s so awesome Yair, well done. I wish I had the skills and time for such a project

[@dogluckychi]

How much does it cost to open a barber shop in the garage?

[@aaronblankenbyl]

About $57 dollar all up according fo my excel calculation. $7 for a pair of scissors, $20 for a mirror and $30 for a chair.

[@dogluckychi]

@@aaronblankenbyl Do I need permission from the government to run a store in a garage?

[@aaronblankenbyl]

@@dogluckychi unsure sorry. You will need to tell your house insurance provider that you are using your home for business purpose to continuo to be covered

[@carlosgarza8666]

minute 4:39 $36,323 WOW!!!! way expensive, less 10K is fair

[@kle-j-cung-me]

What state is this, Aaron?

[@aaronblankenbyl]

Hi Khanh, I’m based in Auckland New Zealand

[@kle-j-cung-me]

@@aaronblankenbyl oh wow, great to see your video. I thought you’re in the US.

[@aaronblankenbyl]

@@kle-j-cung-me yeah strange enough most of my viewers are based in the US! Hope you got some inspiration

[@kle-j-cung-me]

@@aaronblankenbyl your work is awesome

[@zulema0307]

Ohh New Zealand… I thought USA too - I saw another video costing 16k + total

[@betagaming1259]

Noooooo. Not quest piping and sharkbites... get ready to call a real plumber.

[@1glopz]

Not one building permit ey?

[@aaronblankenbyl]

Nah got all the permits, I call it coucil fees from memory. It was 5k all up for permits for the Auckland council

[@nickk05281982]

id pay 500$ a month to have a garage lol

[@UsernameUnkwn21]

Could have done sooo MUCH better on the closet

[@richardreed6249]

I called BS on the cost. There is no way a simple garage conversion cost as much as building a thousand square foot house. Especially considering that the land was already paid for. Unless he built it out of gold and silver.

[@aaronblankenbyl]

I wish it was cheaper but that’s what I paid. But I live in New Zealand and it’s NZD dollars so not USD…

[@ajanderson2285]

100k wanted to make me stop watching from the beginning

[@aaronblankenbyl]

At least you have options :)! I had to pay it. But it’s in New Zealand Dollars and building is expensive here too

[@GreenGateTV]

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣hell no

[@chriskonstandinos4996]

100k😂😂😂😂

[@aaronblankenbyl]

Yep, 100k New Zealand dollars but still 60k US

[@gabrielarteaga4847]

You got ripped off big time

[@aaronblankenbyl]

New Zealand prices man. Got 3 quotes all about the same

[@helennguyen6297]

way tooo much to charge in new zealand in us to convert garage like this cost 20 k without permit and 30 k with permit your garage cost way toooooo much money

[@RandySRT]

You paid way too much