I get where you’re coming from, but I’ve gotta push back a little on the “either space can be amazing” thing. In my experience with a 1920s house, it’s not just about sweat equity—sometimes there are limits you can’t muscle through:
- Attics in older homes often have weird framing, low headroom, and ancient wiring. Sometimes you just can’t make it code-compliant without tearing half the roof off. Not always worth the battle.
- Garages (especially detached) in my neighborhood are basically drafty sheds on cracked slabs. No amount of sealing or insulating will fix a slab that wicks up water every time it rains.
- Historic districts can throw a wrench in plans too—can’t just pop in new windows or raise the roof.
I’m all for creative conversions, but sometimes it’s smarter (and cheaper) to work with what you’ve got inside the main house. I love a quirky nook, but not if it means fighting moisture and city inspectors forever. Just my two cents from the “old house” trenches...
