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What Are the Benefits of a Custom Garage?
A garage is a structure utilized by homeowners to park vehicles, store miscellaneous items, or for a variety of other purposes. Whether your garage is a standalone unit or attached to your house, this extra room can significantly increase the value of your property. Garages are functional year-round and provide homeowners with many advantages throughout each season. In addition, many improvements or upgrades can be made to make sure your garage fits your specific needs. If you are looking to build, customize, or renovate your garage, you should speak to our garage experts today.
Room for Your Car
Most commonly, garages are used for storing parked cars. Since a vehicle is a significant investment, it makes sense that you will want to protect your property. Using a garage as a place to park your automobile provides many advantages, such as:
- Adding an extra level of security against theft or vandalism.
- Protecting your vehicle from inclement weather conditions.
How Can a Garage Renovation Help With Winter Tool Storage?
As the weather starts to get colder and colder in the Chicago area, homeowners are beginning to pack up their summertime equipment. Lawn and gardening appliances are swapping places with shovels, salt, and snow blowers. As you are moving these items around, you may notice that your garage is in need of proper tool storage. Before attempting to cram items unsafely into the space you have or allowing frustration to set in, you may want to consult a garage building professional to determine whether you can add some new storage solutions. A garage renovation may allow you safely store tools and appliances and make the best use of your space.
Prepare Your Walls and Ceilings
Since tools can be rather expensive, you will want to take extra precautions to ensure that they will last a long time. To avoid external damage, tool racks and wall brackets can be installed. Bigger items such as shovels, weed whackers, chain saws, and lawnmowers can hang from the rafters or be placed on the walls. In addition, smaller tools such as hammers, screwdrivers, and wrenches can be organized on a mounted tool wall.
How Can I Prepare My Garage for an Illinois Winter?
Elements such as wind, ice, snow, sleet, and hail can make wintertime in the Midwest a frightful thing to experience. Although garages are exposed to the weather year-round, these structures often do not receive the same amount of maintenance and care that a house would get. Due to the frigid temperatures that occur during the winter months, garages may often be covered in snow or ice. In an effort to avoid any injuries or property damage, agarage renovation project may be needed. Discussing your thoughts and concerns with a knowledgeable garage improvement expert can save you a great deal of time, effort, and money in this type of project.
Addressing Snow and Ice Accumulation
During the winter, it is common for snow and ice to build up on garage roofs. Massive amounts of snow can sit atop a garage, leading to leakage, holes, or even cave-ins. Although it may seem that a little snow on a garage roof can provide an extra layer of insulation, allowing snow to pile up is not recommended due to the possible harm that can result. If the snow begins to melt, extensive water damage may result. Furthermore, snow that turns into ice can lead to icicles and additional safety hazards.
What Are the Benefits of a Radiant Heating System in Your Garage?
As wintertime weather begins to approach the Chicagoland area, homeowners may be looking for ways to keep their garages warm. Options such as insulation and portable space heaters are relatively simple solutions that can help at times; however, they might not be the most ideal solution. If you plan on using your garage throughout these cold months, installing a radiant heating system may be your best option. Before rushing into a major garage renovation project, you should consult an experienced garage professional.
What Is a Radiant Heating System?
Unlike a space heater, a radiant heating system will supply heat to wherever the system is installed. For example, if the system is installed under the floor, heat will be transferred throughout the entire ground. The heat will be evenly delivered throughout the area of installation. Simply put, radiant heating involves the installation of a heat source behind or underneath a surface.
Different Types of Radiant Floor Heating Systems
Can I Remodel My Garage During the Winter?
If you are looking to improve or redevelop your garage, it is important to consider what time of year the project should begin. Although winter may seem like a less than ideal time to start a garage makeover, completing renovations during the colder season will ensure that the finished product will be ready when the warmer months roll around. If you want to enjoy your garage when the weather is nice, a winter remodel may be ideal for you. Before jumping into a garage renovation, it is important to discuss your wants and needs with an experienced garage building expert.
Why Are Colder Months Good for Renovation?
Depending on what type of remodel you are looking to do, the colder temperature of wintertime can make construction easier. If the ground is frozen, and the air is dry, it will be more ideal to dig a foundation. In addition, it is practical to avoid a muddy ground if you are pouring concrete. One final thought to consider if you start a project in the winter months is that you can avoid the unpredictable weather of the spring and summer months.
What You Should Consider When Planning a Garage Expansion
The number of cars in the United States has continued to grow throughout the past several decades, and the average size of vehicles has also expanded. Travel has become more and more of a necessity in today's society, and many families now have multiple cars. In the past, a two-car garage provided plenty of room, but nowadays, that may no longer be enough. With winter approaching relatively quickly, the addition of more room in your garage could be the garage renovation project your family needs. However, you will need to keep a few things in mind when considering this type of custom garage project.
Know Your County Limits
In DuPage County, a single-family home on a lot of 40,000 square feet or less is allowed a maximum size of 650 feet for a detached garage. However, if there is no current detached garage built, the homeowner is provided with an additional 200 square feet. In all single-family residential zones for homes that have 40,000 square feet of property or less, the maximum height allowed for a detached garage is 15 feet.
If your property expands past 40,000 square feet, a detached garage would be in proportion to the amount of land you have. DuPage County allows a garage to be the size of the land multiplied by.01625. The same guidelines apply regarding the additional 200 square feet if there is not a structure already in place. The maximum height allowed for a detached garage on this size property is 24 feet. It should also be noted that a garage cannot exceed a total of 2,600 square feet.
How Can I Childproof My Garage?
The safety and well-being of children are likely to be the primary concerns of any parent or guardian. Whether you already have a child or may be a parent soon, taking the time to childproof your home can be important. However, one area that many parents may overlook is the garage. Items that are often stored in a garage, such as tools, machinery, cars, chemicals, and appliances can be very dangerous. If you are considering a garage renovation project, you should talk to an experienced garage professional to ensure that any safety concerns are addressed.
Assessing Your Garage
What may seem safe to an adult can pose an inherent risk to a young child. It is important to look through your garage and take note of any safety issues that may be prevalent or issues that might be outside the norm. When trying to determine what could be dangerous, these questions may help narrow things down:
- Can my child reach this?
- Can this be opened by a child?
What Flooring Concerns Should be Addressed Before Remodeling a Garage?
One of the most interesting aspects of a garage is the multi-purpose functionality that it can provide. Nowadays, almost anything can be added to a garage; living units, home offices, man caves, and home gyms are replacing what used to be considered an uninhabited area. Garage customization projects can sometimes require significant changes to garage space, but before moving forward with a major renovation, one area that must be addressed is the floor. Depending on the purpose you would like your garage to serve, you will want to be sure the style of flooring meets your needs. Consulting a garage building professional could provide insight on what options should be considered.
Plan for Repairs and Restoration
Whether you are planning to add a new surface to your garage floor or wish to keep your current floor in place, it is important to address any pre-existing damages. Years of wear and tear in a garage can result in cement flooring being damaged. Areas of concern such as cracks, holes, uneven surfaces, or grease and oil stains should be addressed before any renovations begin. Although some aspects of the restoration process can be addressed quite easily, others may require the assistance of a professional.
Tips for Soundproofing Your Garage
A garage is an ideal place for homeowners to participate in activities that may be considered too loud inside a house. Holding band practice, cheering on your favorite team, or having a party can be noisy pursuits that may be enjoyed in a garage. However, while your garage is part of your private property, large amounts of noise could be distracting to your neighbors. To address this issue, soundproofing garage renovations may be the answer.
Soundproofing a Garage Door
A garage door is a large entry and exit way that provides a channel for sound to escape very easily. The addition of insulation to a garage door will decrease the amount of sound that can get out. A well-insulated garage is an investment that would not only keep sound inside the home, but it can also help prevent cold temperatures from creeping in. Whatever the occasion may be, an insulated garage door can help make your garage an ideal location during any time of the year.
Going a step further, the installation of a new garage door could provide you with a renovated look that comes with the desired soundproofing benefits. There are several different types of materials on the market today that can be used for a garage door. One of the best choices for keeping sound from escaping would be a vinyl garage door built upon steel frames and filled with polyurethane insulation. By consulting with a professional contractor, you can ensure that a new garage door will meet your needs while providing an appealing look to your home.
Tips for Increasing Your Garage’s Storage Space
Personal items and property seem to get lost in the shuffle much too easily nowadays, and in many garages, important goods may accidentally become mixed with products that should be discarded. This may occur in your garage if you do not think a certain item will be in the garage for very long, or you may think your garage has more storage space than what is actually available. While every homeowner would love the luxury of having a bigger garage, a massive construction job may not be financially feasible, and there may be constraints based on the size of the property. In these cases, there are a variety of other garage customization options that can use space-saving tactics to provide you with a brand-new outlook on your garage. If you are looking to add more storage space in your garage, you should consider the following:
Get an Idea of What Needs to Be Stored
Before any customization or new storage ideas can be put into place, you should have a good idea of what you will be keeping and the most logical place to store these items. Cleaning your garage extensively and disposing of any unwanted or unneeded items is the very first step that should be taken. Every situation is different, and some people may have an abundance of tools that need precise organization, while others might be holding onto children's toys or family heirlooms that do not need to be organized in a specific manner. Envisioning an ideal layout for your garage could save you time and money throughout the garage organization process.
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