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Recent Blog Posts
What Are the Benefits of Converting My Garage Into a Home Gym?
Now that Governor Pritzker has extended the Illinois Stay-at-Home Order through the end of May, you may want to give some thought into ways of making your garage more livable. One of the many ways to do this is to convert your garage into a home gym. You could be creative and resourceful, putting together a makeshift workout room with what you already have, or you could look to create a custom garage that includes a functional, fully-featured gym. Whichever you decide, here are some of the best features you could add to a home gym in your garage:
3 Best Features of a Home Gym in Your Garage
In California, early in the state's Shelter-in-Place policies, a Costa Mesa gym decided to bring the gym to its members-and even its non-members. They brought their equipment to people's garages, and they even commandeered equipment from other gyms or rec centers to help their patrons. Then, they used Zoom to coach and train people on using the equipment in their new garage gyms. Soon, the gym had expanded its business into manufacturing. The point of all this is, if your regular gym is closed due to the Stay-at-Home Order, you can use some ingenuity to figure out ways to keep working out in a gym-like setting. Here are some of the best features that you might want to consider including in your garage gym:
4 Benefits of Remodeling Your Garage to Create Extra Living Space
Recently, Governor Pritzker announced that the Stay-at-Home Order in Illinois will continue through May 31. As COVID-19 cases continue to create problems across Illinois and the nation-and with a vaccine possibly more than a year away-residents throughout the state are having to adjust to a "new normal" that will require them to stay closer to home more often than they have before, and possibly for a much longer period of time than they ever anticipated. The need to be at home so often necessitates a re-evaluation of your garage space. Could you use it for more than parking? Are there parts that you could build out into extra living spaces that could help you during this trying era of "COVID quarantining?" The good news is, if you do decide to remodel your garage to create extra living space, the benefits will not only serve you now during this crisis, but they will also benefit you well into the future.
Why You Need to Build Out Your Garage Into Something Greater
Still “Staying-at-Home” in Illinois? Make Your Garage More Livable
Officially, Governor Pritzker has extended Illinois' Stay-at-Home Order through the end of April; however, early reports suggest that Illinois has not yet reached its peak of COVID-19 cases, and this might not happen until mid-May. This means that you and your family could be staying inside your house even longer than originally planned. To make sure you do not get cabin fever, here are some ideas to help you make your garage into a more livable space and keep you occupied.
10 Ideas to Help Make Your Garage More Livable
If you have been stuck at home for the last few months like many Illinois residents, you are realizing quickly that there is only so much you can do in your house to keep you and your family occupied. That is why you might want to consider making your garage more livable by transforming it into any of the following:
- Guest Bedroom/Quarantine Room-Use your garage to space out your family's living and sleeping quarters. If you suspect that one family member is sick, then you can make the garage comfortable enough for self-quarantine from the rest of the family, or you could simply make it into an extra bedroom for any guests you invite over during a long weekend.
Why You Should Consider Installing Plumbing in Your Garage
Whenrenovating your garage, there are many things to consider, including aesthetics, function, and safety. These renovations can get even more complicated if you plan on using your garage for more than just a place to park your car or store your tools. In those cases, it is a good idea to consider adding plumbing to your garage.
6 Ways Plumbing Could Enhance Your Garage
If you would like to add additional functions to your garage, or if you are thinking of converting it to a different type of living space, plumbing might be critical to the development of yourcustom garage. By installing plumbing in your garage, you will be able to add useful features and functions, such as:
- Floor Drains-Especially during the wintertime or after rainstorms, simply having a sloped garage floor that allows gravity to pull melted ice and rainwater toward your garage door might not be enough. This method of drainage can get sloppy, which is particularly bad for you if you want to use your garage for more than a place to keep your car. Installing floor drains with pipelines in your garage could work wonders in terms of eliminating puddles and limiting moisture. The best part? These types of drains are not very complicated to install.
What Are the Best Smart Garage Door Openers and Controllers?
If you have been updating your home to make it into more of a smart home, you might be thinking of extending the convenience of such technological advancements to yourcustom garage. There are plenty of ways to make your garage smarter, but the most obvious way is to install a smart garage door opener or convert your existing opener into a smart opener using a smart garage door controller. This type of garage renovation is not too difficult, but picking the right device is critical. Here is a comparison of the most popular devices to make your garage door opener smart:
Smart Garage Door Openers and Controllers Compared
There are many smart garage door openers and controllers out there, and it might be difficult to decide which one you should get. While one device will not necessarily fit the bill for everybody, odds are there is at least one that is the right fit for you and your garage. Here are some examples of top-of-the-line equipment:
4 Ways to Make Your Garage Into a Great Home Theater
With just about everyone in Illinois homebound due to the coronavirus, it might be a good time to think about ways of making your home more livable. For instance, if you are tired of using your garage to park cars and not much else, you may want to consider converting it into a home theater. From wall-sized projection to leather recliners, you can imagine the possibilities. You may never want to go to an actual home theater ever again once you customize your garage in this way.
Must-Have Features of a Garage Home Theater
There are plenty of different things you can do to make your garage into a home theater that can be enjoyed by the whole family and all your friends. Here are a few suggestions:
- Pay Attention to Design-Clear out the entire garage, including removing storage cabinets, tool storage, and other items. Clean everything, making sure that all of the typical garage scents and grime are no longer present. Once you have done all this, it will be easier to figure out ways to design your garage home theater. You will probably want dark maroon or black painted walls. You might also want to have some fun with the flooring. It does not have to remain concrete; you might want to consider hardwood or carpet. You can use the unique nature of the space to replicate a true movie theater experience.
3 Ways to Modernize Your Garage
As you make updates and improvements to your home, you should not neglect your garage, and you can take a variety of steps to modernize this space. Doing so involves more than just converting your garage door opener into a smart garage door opener; there are all sorts of other ways to make improvements to your garage, including through smart technology, improved safety, or creative garage renovation ideas.
Update Your Garage With 2020 Trends
You can bring your garage into this high-tech age with a flurry of bold activity if you consider the following methods of modernization:
- Smarten Up-Make as many things in your garage as possible "smart." This is especially helpful for people who spend a lot of time in their garages. Here are some examples of smart devices for your garage:
- Smart Garage Door Openers-Updating to a smart garage door opener can help you keep track of whether your garage door is open or closed, and it will also allow you to open and close it from anywhere in case of emergencies.
5 Creative Ways to Use Your Garage
A custom garage can increase your home's value and provide you with a wide variety of benefits. However, you may not want to fully renovate your garage or convert it into an additional living space, such as an extra bedroom or a home office. Instead, you might just want to figure out what to do with some extra space in your garage. Rather than transforming your entire garage, you can use this space to add some nice touches that will make the garage even more multifunctional.
New and Exciting Ways to Use Your Garage Space
Here are some creative ways to add additional value to your garage, optimize its use, and meet your family's needs:
- Pet Grooming Station-If your garage already has plumbing, it can be easy to adapt the faucet and sink to a station where you can groom your pets. This is especially useful if you have a large dog or more than one dog. With the correct setup, you will be able to give your pets a comfortable space to get their fur cleaned and cut. You may consider installing an oversized sink with a faucet and special nozzles, as well as a pedestal where pets can stand while you shave or brush their fur. You could even arrange for a receptacle to dispose of fur, as well as shelving or storage to keep the grooming tools readily available.
How Can I Upgrade to a Smart Garage Door Opener?
If you are planning to make use of "smart home" technology, one area that you may need to address is your garage. However, if your garage is older, you may not be sure about whether your electric garage door opener can be upgraded to something smarter. You may be surprised at your options when it comes to converting an existing garage door opener into a smart garage door opener by using a smart garage door controller. This is a great way to customize your garage without breaking the bank.
What Are the Advantages of a Smart Garage Door Controller?
You or a qualified expert may be able to integrate technology with your current garage door opener that enables a variety of smart capabilities, essentially transforming your old garage door opener into a smart garage door opener without replacing it entirely. There are many benefits to installing a smart garage door controller. Depending on which controller you choose, some features may include:
When Should I Consider Building a New Garage?
Depending on the current state of your garage and your family's overall needs, you might be thinking of renovating your garage or even a complete garage rebuild. Before beginning a garage construction project, you will want to consider your goals for your home and the options available to you. Although building a new garage may seem overwhelming, a trained professional can walk you through the process and help create a plan that will meet your needs. If you are in the market for a new garage, you will want to do the following:
Evaluate Your Garage's Condition
The simplest way to tell if you need a new garage is by examining your current structure and determining whether it meets your needs. If there are any safety hazards in your garage, it may be time for a renovation. For example, structural issues could make your garage unsafe, or damage caused by water or fire may need to be addressed. Performing a thorough inspection of your garage can help you identify any existing issues and determine whether they can be repaired or whether you will need to rebuild your garage. Before assuming the worst, you should work with a garage construction expert to determine the overall state of your structure and the best ways to address any hazards or damage.
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