How much does it cost to renovate a garage on a high end budget?

ARTICLE Penny Lewis

Whether a rumpus room, a kitchen, laundry room or a hobbyists personal sanctuary, a high-end garage renovation which starts at $10,000-$15,000+, transforms your once single-purpose garage into a dedicated room of its own.

How can I maximise garage storage space on a high end budget?

Self-assembly just doesn’t cut it for some of us. Luckily, there are top-of-the-range garage storage systems that come ready-assembled, such as the Gladiator Garageworks Premier series, which has heavy-duty welded steel construction.
To maximise space, Wayne Gordon from Refresh Renovations recommends going to a specialist joiner to make cabinets. Choosing someone who might also make kitchen and laundry cabinetry can eke out most of your available room. Asking your renovation consultant to frame something up using building timber won’t give such a tailored result. Wayne says there are pros and cons to things like cavity doors. You will need your walls built out a bit more to accommodate them, but they will save room in other ways.

How much does it cost to add a garage door on a high end budget?

For high-end options opt for cedar/ply or quality steel doors. Tongue and groove horizontal and vertical panel cedar doors can be made in various board widths and thicknesses. They will usually include a layer of insulation, including a styled overlay.
Expect to pay around $2,700 plus for a high-end garage door.

What carpet options do I have?

Practicality rules with garage carpet. There is a choice of colours across different brands, but nowhere near the same variety as household carpet. Barb Morris from Ian Hunt Floorings Carpet Extreme says the garage carpet specified most is Irvine Crazy XL solution-dyed polypropylene in ‘Anthracite,’ a dark-grey colour. This is the most popular – and practical – colour should your car track in dirt in its tyres or have an oil leak. As well as being practical, it’s a low-key colour. “The majority of people don’t want to stand out with red carpet,” she says.
Whatever colour people choose, it needs to be carpet made specifically made for garages. Conventional carpet or vinyl just won’t cut it. “Any oil spills will show up pretty quickly, Barb says. The beauty of polypropylene carpet is that it can be vacuumed for regular maintenance or hosed down if there’s a mess. Garage carpet can cost from approximately $950.
Garage carpet is glued directly on to concrete. It won’t adhere to painted surfaces, so if your garage floor is painted the paint will need to be sanded off. Any holes will need to be filled or bumps ground down for a flat surface. In general, garage floors in home built before 1974 won’t be suitable for carpet to be laid immediately as they generally won’t have adequate damp proofing.
Carpet retailers will always do a site measure before carpet is ordered so they can advise on whether your garage floor requires any remedial prep work and arrange it for you. This is an extra cost, depending on what is necessary.
Ian Hunt Floorings Carpet Extreme sells garage carpet, rubber-backed Velcord and Blockit, priced at $73 and $74 respectively per lineal metre. If you choose to go with a pattern for the carpet in your garage, bear in mind that over time a pattern will be flattened or distorted with the weight of a car parked on it in the same spot, Barb Morris suggests from Carpet Extreme.
Another option for heavy-duty garage flooring is tile floors like the gladiator tiles from Gladiator Garageworks. The tiles snap together easily with no adhesives and quickly cover cracks and stains. The durable tiles support vehicles and other heavy equipment. They are insulating and slip-resistant, stain and chemical resistant.

What are vehicle turntables?

If your car-turning space is tight, you may like to consider a vehicle turntable. Auckland manufacturer Electro-Mechanical Fabrication Ltd’s Deb Gill, says car turntables are becoming increasingly popular because of difficult access, problems reversing onto busy roads, steep driveways and limited parking/turning space. “They are installed both in garages and driveways. The more frequently installed option is on the driveway outside the garage, but we have installed some turntables in garages.”
Deb says turntables are typically 4m in diameter, but EMF does make a 5.4m diameter turntable for two vehicles. The turntable is constructed on a level, reinforced concrete pad 100mm below the finished driveway level. It is operated by remote control from within the vehicle. Turntables are fully galvanised and of durable construction. While a flat site is preferable, they can be installed on a slope.
The price for a turntable depends on a number of factors, such as access to the site, degree of slope, number of site visits, area and freight. Deb says as a guideline, a 4m-diameter turntable installed in Auckland on an easy access site costs from $21,000, plus GST.
Another cool alternative is a vehicle stacker. This is a parking lift installed either in or outside the garage. There are a range of styles and the lifting capacity is generally around 2700kg or 3000 kg, depending on the style.

How much does it cost to build a new garage?

Wayne Gordon says if you are building a new garage, allow $80,000 for a high-end three-bay garage with a workshop bench and insulated storeroom. This covers materials and labour. Budget a further $10,000 for council permits and utility connections.

And if you are just starting your garage renovation research, read our basic and mid-range garage project estimates to get a full picture on renovation costs.

Get in touch if you're thinking about renovating

If you would like to discuss options and ideas for your next renovation project, please use the enquiry form alongside to provide us with your contact details. We will get in touch with you at a time that suits you to discuss your project. If you would like to provide us with more information about your project, we have a more comprehensive enquiry form on our "Get in touch" page too.
*Costs are rough estimates and are subject to change. For a fixed-quote accurate to your specific project, please consult your local Refresh Renovations specialist. All Refresh Renovations franchises are independently owned and operated.