Archive for the ‘Garage’ Category

New Garage Planning Tips

Sunday, September 5th, 2010

New Garage Planning Tips

Garage Size Planning Garage buildings keep getting larger and larger, with this realization even backyard sheds often turn into the building of a small garage. This brings a realization that planning your garage building design needs more attention than is often received.

A typical garage is not an expensive piece of construction, but too often the drive to keep costs to a minimum results in a finished product that detracts from the visual appeal of your home setting. When planning your new garage, here are some ideas that may help you create a new design that is right for your needs.

Attached Garage or DetachedWhen driving through a newer housing development we seldom do not see garages attached to all of the houses. These “Attached” garages offers much convenience. If you are planning to build a garage, take some time to consider the benefits that separating the garage from the house.

Two-car garages have become the minimal standard in the industry. Why? The new garage buildings need to be large enough for SUVs, minivans, large pickups, and boat storage. Three and four-car garages are increasingly popular in upper end residential developments, and many real estate agents are eager to tell you that they can be a positive selling point.

Consider an Angled GarageRather than having your garage face the street, try to adjust the blueprint so that your garage entrance is angled away from the street. A 90-degree offset from the house is often beneficial, and even a 45 degree angle can significantly reduce the impact the garage entrance has on the street view of the house.

Garage Living Space It may be a wise choice to design a simple garage that can be attached to a house without looking overly dominant. This can create a challenge to create additional living space above the garage. Because of the combined wall heights of the garage and a full-size space above it, the roof peak may need to be even higher than the ridge of the house.

Living space over a garage can be an economical way you have to create a new home office, game room or create storage space. A lower dollar alternative can often be achieved with a detached garage.

When adding living space over an attached garage an ideal distance between the garage ceiling and the top of the door is better in the 12 inch range rather than the typical 18 inches.

Blending into Your Home Aesthetically Does MatterSome of the nicest garages simply do not look like garages. A nice design blends the garage into the house itself. Think about ways in which you can blend the garage into your home smoothly. Match your siding style, windows, and entry doors. You may even include decorative trim with what’s on the house. A variety to a single garage door is to include two or more smaller overhead doors. Adding decorative glass lites to the garage door panels also adds extra class.

Where Does Snow Go?Before it melts is the question at hand. :-) If you live in snow country, keep in mind that you will want to leave room for snow removal. This is especially important if you use a plow to remove the snow. If your garage is located at the end of a driveway, it can be very hard to plow it cleanly. A turn around driveway often optimizes close to your garage often creates an ideal location for your snow location.

When a Loft is Desired Plan Your Stair LocationUpper levels require a method to get there with a stairway system being the most common method. When stairs are inside the garage, place them along one side. If you create a work or storage area of equal size on the other side of the garage to create balance in the design. Note that if the upper level will be used as a bedroom or a rental unit, you will probably be required to have an outdoor stairway system to create a garage with egress code compliance. Be sure to check requirements with your local building inspector.

Garage Storage Solutions for Its Smooth Functioning

Saturday, August 28th, 2010

Your garage storage space may be a roof for the gardening equipments and dump like furniture and used equipments. Garage products like unwanted or rarely used equipment may cover up a fine portion of your garage storage space. Moreover, these may also be breeding grounds for insects and rodents. Due to them, your garage storage may get disorderly and muddled. The parking space reduces as these garage products cover up most of the space. This is common with many people and garage storage solutions prove effective for overcrowded and dysfunctional garage storage spaces. Garage storage solutionsGarage solutions like garage storage cabinets and garage cupboards can enhance your garage storage thereby improvising the look and feel inside. However, before these garage storage solutions are implemented it is important for you to throw away the junk and get serious about your garage storage. You must study the needs of your garage and look for futuristic garage storage solutions. By examining the current pattern of your garage storage you can work out a revamp. Here are few effective ideas for garage storage.Examining your needsYou must examine the space on the garage walls. Garage storage space can be created through effective use of walls. You can use J hooks on the wall that can be used for hanging various things. You can further attach holders or plastic baskets on these hooks that can be used for the storage of gardening equipments like spades, saws, nails, blade and various equipments that can be balanced well on these hooks. J hooks make one of the best garage storage solutions.Garage storage cabinetsGarage storage solutions like garage storage cabinets and garage cupboards are useful. When you are on the verge of making your garage good looking and organized, garage cupboards can house many scattered tools. Garage storage cabinets and garage cupboards can be installed anywhere on the corners based on convenience. The ceiling wall mustn’t be ignored as it provides highly useful garage storage solutions. You can get garage cupboards and garage storage cabinets installed all around the garage storage space and put your rakes, old papers, bags, toys, household scrap, etc in them.Garage products and ultimate proUltimate pro at your garage storage space can help you to set up your cycle in house itself. This is easy to integrate and set-up and can cater to the repairs of your bicycle at your garage storage space itself. Ultimate pro is a must have. Garage storage cabinets according to preference can be used to shelve the ultimate pro. You may prefer to have rare use materials like Christmas décor and rake in the garage storage cabinets at the ceiling and everyday use requirements like lawn accessories, toys and ultimate pro at the lower end. All the tools, pesticides, fertilizers and lawn use resources can be placed in separate garage storage cabinets. These garage products also help you to protect your belongings from dust. There are various other garage products that work as garage storage solutions available in the market. Garage storage cabinets and garage cupboards and hook boards are highly recommended. A workbench at the garage may prove handy.

Garage Remodeling And Organization

Friday, August 20th, 2010

Garage remodeling is when you transform that almost neglected part of your house that your wife and children do not even dare to enter. Remodeling of garage is more efficient today because of recently developed garage organizing and storage systems. Remodeling of your garage is very important aspect of the home remodeling. It is probably the quickest way to add much needed space to your home.
If you are considering any sort of home repair this may just be the one that should be first on your list, because it is often the most visible exterior element of a home. Its no wonder that garage remodeling is getting a closer looks from homeowners. How to deal with a cluttered garage is an issue faced by every family at some point and garage remodeling and organization are among the most popular solutions. Therefore, the first important step in garage remodeling is to empty out the garage completely of its contents.
Door
The garage door is beginning to get more attention from todays homeowners as garage remodeling is becoming more important to them. To give you some idea of what you might be looking at, a new garage door usually costs somewhere around $1,000, and a garage storage system is another $1,000. For garage door tips, consider changing your old garage door. Newer garage doors are more secure and make better use of technology for safety and security.
An old door and opener could be a real threat for your children playing near the garage. The door needs to be maintained every now and then to ensure its continued safe use. When a door and opener gets really old, periodic maintenance gets even more expensive as some worn out parts would have to be replaced. The best way to go is to replace that old door and opener with a new one. Aside from looking better and saving on maintenance costs, these doors and openers contain better technology than the old one you have right now.
Nevertheless, a home survey found that the garage door is now the most used exterior door when entering the home for both men 44 percent and women 42 percent. The front door was close behind as the second most used exterior door. Wood composite garage doors can also be embellished with stylish details such as unique trim designs, beautiful woodgrain patterns, decorative hardware, multi planked grooves and a variety of window inserts to help bring more natural light into the garage.
Floor
However, for more extensive and lasting renovations that include insulation, flooring, soundproofing, electrical wiring and plumbing, you will probably need to hire a general contractor who can plan and oversee your garage renovation. Garages are notorious for being functional, yet unattractive, dull concrete floors, rough looking exposed beams and a general lack of organization are often the culprits. Some careful storage planning, a little drywall and may be a bit of epoxy floor covering can truly make a less than incredible garage into something worth showing off. As part of your garage remodeling process you may wish to give attention to the garage floor.
Generally speaking, these floors are made from concrete and often detract from the appearance of the garage due to various stains. However, there are a number of methods that can be utilized to give attention to the garage floor. One of these methods can be the application of paint to the garage floor. Another method of sprucing up a garage floor is through the use of a durable garage flooring product. It is strongly suggested that if utilizing this method of refinishing the garage floor that professional installers be contracted with.
Space
While garages main use is to store the car, you can also use the garage as a storage area. If you are thinking about expanding your garage area by diminishing the garden area, then this idea works for you. If a potential home buyer has always wanted their own work space, your garage remodel could be the thing that sells your home. The nature of your work space will determine what renovations are needed. Be sure to build a play space, whether it is a poker table, pool table, ping pong table or football table, a remodeled garage can be a mecca of home entertainment. Whether you need to de clutter the garage itself or want to use the space to transfer items out of the main part of your home, the garage is a common place for home storage.
Conclusion
While kitchen and bathroom remodeling continue to lead the way in home improvement projects, garage remodeling is beginning to come its own as more and more homeowners decide to use their garages for more than just storing their vehicles. Garage remodeling can be a home improvement strategy that provides many benefits to homeowners.
They can be remodeled into a new store place where you can make out some place for storing other homely accessories. Garages are very important part of the house and have equal importance such as the other sections of the house. Garage remodeling is probably the quickest way to add much needed space to your home. Garage remodels do not average the same rate of return, although they do certainly increase the value of your home.