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Recent Blog Posts
Get the Most Out of Your Garage With These Home Renovation Trends
The newest trend in home design is to make the garage a functional and inviting space to add value to the home. The days of the garage being nothing more than the attached storage unit for the home are long gone. Garage renovations currently rank among the top three areas where homeowners recuperate the most money with the right buyer. Increase the value and functionality of your home with these garage trends:
Organization Is King
If your garage is currently a collection area for tools, sports equipment, and seasonal decorations, there will likely be a transition period as you work to make it more useful. First, spend a weekend decluttering and getting rid of the items that you do not need. Next, spend some time planning organization. Trends currently working for many homeowners include:
- Pegboard walls
- Slatwall systems
- Custom cabinets
- Color coordinated storage bins
- Utility carts for rolling storage
Choosing Between Garage Expansion and Reorganization
Are you losing the battle for the necessary space in your garage? You are not alone. Recently, in a survey of more than 1,000 participants, more than half admitted this area is by far the most disorganized space in their home, leaving many of them yearning for added room.
Multiple factors go into deciding whether you want to add square footage to your garage. The option requires a reasonable amount of time, patience, and planning, but has the potential to increase the overall value and enjoyability of your home. However, a reorganization solution eliminates any potential pitfalls associated with an expansion, such as pricing, complicated logistics, reduction of yard space, and noise complaints. Consider the following factors when determining if a garage expansion is an ideal choice for your family:
Increasing Property Value Versus the Cost of the Project
If cost is the main objection preventing you from a garage expansion, consider the added value to your home. In studies across the country, households with a garage consistently sell faster than their garageless counterparts, even in slow housing markets. Additionally, buyers typically choose a house with a bigger garage, if all other factors remain comparable.
Why Are Garage Gutters So Important?
The family home is often one of the largest investments families make, commonly taking thirty years to repay the mortgage. While you perform preventative maintenance on your home to protect your investment, do not neglect to apply these same measures to your garage, as it is a considerable portion of the whole investment and endures as much usage and element exposure as the remainder of the home.
Homeowners commonly install gutters for the convenience they provide. Aside from allowing your family a dry route to the front door in a rainstorm, gutters perform many home-saving functions, including:
Mold Prevention
With each rainfall, water drenches your home, potentially wreaking havoc on your house and garage. Regardless of your home's construction, the exterior is susceptible to unsightly and hazardous damage. With the addition of water, minor imperfections caused by settling and time become breeding grounds for mold, bacteria, and other health hazards. Even the tight seal at the bottom of your garage door can become an entrance for unwanted water. Gutters guide water away from your home and your garage, lessening its damaging effects.
The Surprising Benefits of a Two-Story Garage
Garages have transformed throughout history from housing for horses and carriages to a structure to keep luxury investments out of the elements and secured. Presently, garages can be whatever a homeowner prefers. Sometimes, this preference changes throughout one's ownership of a home. While some families choose to store their vehicles inside their garage, others use their garage space for convenient storage units, home gyms, man caves, and even as additional living space. Consider the possibilities of doubling that potential square footage. How could your family benefit from such an investment?
Imagine the Possibilities
Whether you are considering installing a new structure or increasing the capacity of an existing building, your family will benefit in a variety of ways by having a two-story garage. Imagine your home investment with an architecturally matching miniature version of the larger main home. The vision of a matching pair of structures creates a dominating and an attractive presence which adds to your home's resale value. A garage is often in the top five priorities potential home buyers consider when making a purchase decision. To top it off, the curb appeal of a two-story garage unit is unparalleled.
Creating the Ultimate Garage Man Cave in Time for Football Season
Football season is nearly upon us, and many of us are left unprepared. Our jerseys are cleaned and pressed, and we may have the schedule prepared, but what about the space to watch the games? If you are looking for the ultimate man cave to enjoy every week of the season, look no further than your very own garage. Frequently, people overlook this area as little more than a storage unit attached to their home; however, it gives you the perfect canvas that allows for the freedom of expression you desire. Whether you need a space to host a rowdy crowd or merely a quiet area to get away, your garage can be a perfect man cave. Here are some tips and tricks for making a space that is uniquely yours:
Start With a Blank Canvas
It is hard to get creative with a cluttered garage. Take a weekend to sort through the mess. Discard any unnecessary items. Consider selling items on eBay or in a garage sale to raise funds for redecorating your new space. Anything that remains should have a specific location in a cabinet, on a shelf, or otherwise out of the way.
Preparing for Winter: Tips for Keeping Wildlife Out of Your Garage
As we near the end of summer, it is the perfect time to begin considering winter preparations. Some animals look for places to hibernate in the winter, especially in climates that drop to freezing temperatures. Other critters are simply looking for a respite from the cold, as well as a constant food supply. A garage can be an enticing option that offers animals shelter from the elements and potential dangers, and occasionally food and water sources as well. Snakes, raccoons, squirrels, and other unwelcome wildlife may find their way into your garage if you are unprepared, potentially having a negative effect on the investment you have made in your home.
Keeping Raccoons Away
Raccoons do not hibernate, although their body functions do slow, and they become less active during the winter. Raccoons take naps that can last up to several weeks. However, their state of torpor breaks periodically, and the critters leave their den in search of food. It is common to find raccoons in attics, garages, pools, and garbage cans. Although they may appear cute, it is ill-advised to feed them, as they can carry a wide variety of diseases and often cause severe damage to homes.
How Professional Floor Coating Can Enhance Your Garage
If you have ever attempted to complete a project in a garage on the standard garage flooring, you understand what a nightmare it can be. Between oil stains, paint spills, and cracks, your flooring quickly becomes a visual nightmare. One way to protect your custom garage investment is to upgrade the traditional concrete slab to a stylish and durable coated garage floor. If this is a feature you think you could benefit from, you are probably right, and here is why:
Give Your Garage a Facelift
Most garage floors have the same appearance: a piece of concrete slab covered in mystery stains and cracks. Your garage investment should stand out just like the rest of your house. Although you could always stain or paint the existing floor, these options do not always last as long as we would like, and cracks will still show. Consider applying a polyaspartic coating to give your garage a shine not found in most houses. This option comes in a variety of colors, enabling you to discover the best palette to match not only the rest of your home, but also the colors of your garage door, panels, and cabinetry.
Signs That Your Garage Door Needs Attention or Replacement
Garage doors tend to fall pretty low on the list of home repairs for most homeowners. However, as the largest and perhaps most used entrance to your domicile, it is essential that your garage door is safe as well as functional. Additionally, the garage door makes up a significant amount of your home's curbside view, making its appearance a contributing factor to your home's overall market value. The timelines for maintenance, repair, and replacement vary considerably depending on the amount of use a garage door endures, and factors such as severe weather, damage, and a variety of other elements can also affect the need for replacement. Here are a few tips to help you know when it is time to replace your door:
Broken Pieces
Splintered wood and bent metal are clear visual cues that your garage door needs attention. Occasionally, individual sections are replaceable in newer models. For obsolete models and doors with extensive damage, replacing the whole door becomes necessary to protect your home against unwanted intruders, such as insects, rodents, or even criminals. Other signs to look for include:
Avoiding Hidden Dangers When Your Garage Door Is Your Primary Entrance
Your home may have an inviting and even luxurious front entry, but how much is it used? For most families today, the garage door is not only the largest door in their home, but it is also the most used. For many, the only people who use the front door at all are strangers, delivery people, and those visiting the home for the first time, and everyone else comes into the home through the garage. When this is the case, you can keep everyone safe by following these tips:
Keep Garage Clutter to a Minimum
If your garage is the first thing your guests see when they enter your home, you not only want it to be presentable, you also want to keep them safe. Check walkways for potential slip, trip, and fall hazards. Also, consider decluttering and alternative storage solutions for seldom used items. Boxes piled excessively high can shift and fall on either your guests or their vehicles, causing damage and injury. Cabinets are an excellent option for storing items that need to be accessible, keeping them off of the floor and out of sight.
Hosting an Independence Day Celebration in Your Garage
The Fourth of July is a day when we come together as a community to celebrate the signing of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, which officially announced that the United States was its own country separate from Great Britain. As a federally recognized holiday, it is an ideal day off from work to enjoy the summer and celebrate our freedoms.
Independence Day is only a few days away, and many people's celebration plans are well underway. Festivities take many forms, including parades, festivals, barbeques, and block parties. When planning for the holiday, your garage can offer a functional space for hosting your get-together.
Decorations
If you are going to host a themed party, it is essential to set the tone by utilizing a fair amount of decorations. Although you can celebrate the day without them, decorations show thoughtfulness and intention. A few classic options include:
Using patriotic tablecloths to cover the food and beverage tables.
Hanging banners that say "America" or "USA."
Scattering flags around the area, in centerpieces, wreaths, plants, or lining the driveway.
Making your driveway a patio for a day by putting out tables, chairs, and umbrellas.
Splurging on red, white, and blue pillows for the patio furniture to provide added comfort for fireworks displays.
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