Add value with a home office conversion

The advent of BlackBerrys and iPhones has revolutionised our lifestyles to the extent that most of us carry our work home with us. We all know that if you have a laptop with an internet connection it's possible to work from the comfort of your sofa or kitchen table. But if you're really serious about being productive, it's a good idea to create the right environment. This requires setting up an office space.

The concept of home office space has caught on in Dubai, mostly among people who live in villas and have extra space. Shivraj Dalvi of Home Concepts & Solutions says, "If there is an additional room in the house, people usually convert it into a workspace." 

The process

Setting up a home office is not really a complicated job. The first thing you need to do is to choose the right space. You could convert an extra bedroom, the maid's room or even your garage.

To keep distracting noise to a minimum, often people create an office area with gypsum walls and a door. Bear in mind that if your home office will be used by more than one person in your household, you'll need to choose a room with more space.

Shivraj emphasises the importance of planning when doing a home office conversion. "Plan everything," he says. "You cannot have an office next to the kitchen, kids' room or the living area as all these rooms are prone to noise and smell," he says.

Once you find the right place for your home office, finalise the support gadgets you need such as a printer, scanner, fax and answering machines. It's important to make sure you have enough power sockets and air-conditioning vents in the room. Furniture and stationery can be purchased after you decide exactly what you need. You also need to make sure that there is enough storage space for files and reference books.

Before arranging the furniture and shelves in the room, choose the right place to set up your desk and chair. You might be tempted to sit in front of the window, but eventually you'll find that the sun will shine directly into your eyes at certain times of day. But once you decide where to sit, the rest of the furniture can be arranged around it.

Converting a room into an office doesn't have to be expensive. "If you convert an existing room into an office space then the work includes electrical, painting and wooden flooring, which will cost approximately Dh2,500 to Dh3,500," says Shivraj. But if a new space (4m x 4m) with gypsum walls, doors and flooring has to be built, the cost could reach Dh5,000 to Dh7,000. 

Do your homework

Usually home office conversions don't require permission from the developer, unless you plan to make some structural alterations to the room. If you're renting an apartment or villa, then you'll have to obtain a no objection certificate from the landlord before you start your renovations. It's also important to know that when doing your conversion or making renovations, you should never tamper with your home's fire alarm system.

Shivraj has some important advice for people who are thinking of setting up an office space in their home. "While it's extremely convenient to have an office at home, it's not an alternative to your office as the laws in the UAE stipulate that in order to get a trade licence you must have a ‘proper' office space," he says. It's important to understand the law before you invest your hard-earned dirhams on a conversion.

If you're an owner and you have plans to sell the property in the future, it might not be a good idea to adopt any major structural changes to the room unless you're sure potential buyers are willing to give up a maid's room or a garage in favour of a home office, too. You should be able to revert to the room's original function with little hassle.

Service providers

Home Concepts & Solutions 04 271 3845
Blissland Home Fashion 04 340 9118