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Recent Blog Posts
Why Your Dream Garage Should Have Two Stories
Do you have any childhood memories of playing in an attic? Many of us spent our childhoods playing in and around the second story of a custom-built garage, and we may wish to recreate this type of environment for ourselves or our own children. If you have your own memories of playing in a big attic or the second story of a garage, that nostalgia may be all you need to make the decision in favor of building a two-story garage. However, if you need more practical reasons, consider the following:
Room for Hobbies
Do you have closets overflowing with hobby supplies? Are you tired of having nowhere to practice your hobby or wondering how long it will take to unbury your dining room table before you can even think about hosting a dinner party? Adding a second story to your garage could be the perfect solution.
Rental Income
Would you like to offset those Illinois property taxes with some rental income, even if it is just the occasional Airbnb or VRBO guest? One advantage of building a bed-and-bath or an entire apartment above your garage is that it can be completely separated from your house, protecting your privacy. You could even design it as a tiny house to serve as a launching pad for your 20-something kids, allowing you to keep the rent money in the family.
Look Up! Use the Ceiling to Maximize Your Garage Storage
Most of us would love to have a bigger garage, but our property simply has no room to expand the garage footprint. This means that even when we have the opportunity to build a new garage, we still have to use our space as efficiently as we can.
However, few of us are trained garage designers. Once we get our cars parked, we often struggle to find enough remaining space to store our collection of tools, sports gear, and household overflow. With the risk of theft, most people who live in the city or suburbs want to keep large items like ladders, bicycles, and kayaks safely locked in the garage.
One solution is to look up; you probably have several feet of open space in the rafters. Here are three easy ways to make better use of that space. To shop online for these items, just use the bold-faced titles below as your Google or Amazon search terms.
1. Ceiling-Mounted Extension Cord Reels
If you use a lot of power tools in your garage, out on the driveway, or in the yard, you may find yourself tangled in extension cords. Mounting a heavy-duty extension cord reel on your ceiling can be a great solution. If you have ever enjoyed the convenience of a self-serve car wash with the hose mounted on the ceiling, you can easily see the beauty of a ceiling-mounted extension cord. For example, think how much easier it will be to vacuum out your car with a ceiling-mounted power cord.
Using the KonMari Method to Declutter Your Garage
Millions of people have embraced the KonMari method of decluttering their homes. However, KonMari was developed in Japan, where people live in much smaller spaces than we Americans do, and it has been most praised for helping people reduce their wardrobes. So we decided to explore the question: Can you use the KonMari method in your garage?
Declutter by Category, Not Location
One of the first principles of KonMari is that you should not declutter room by room. Rather, you need to work by category. For example, you could gather all of your shoes from all parts of the house: your bedroom closet, coat closet, basement, and anywhere else they might be. Then, work through the items one by one, deciding what you can discard.
How can this work for your garage? To make KonMari work, you need to focus on one category of items at a time, such as gardening supplies. (Other categories might be painting supplies, fasteners, general-use hand tools, and power tools and their accessories.) These items may be scattered around your garage, workbench, garden shed, basement, hall closet, a kitchen drawer, and even your vehicle. Just getting all of your gardening items together in one place is a useful exercise.
Tips on Choosing the Right Custom Garage Roof
When you begin dreaming of your custom garage, you will likely start with the inside features and make decisions about the intended use of the space. You may have agreed on cabinetry, whether you will need windows, and even the style of garage door. However, it is also important to consider the exterior of your garage. Often, the garage roof is overlooked in the initial planning process. The roof style of your garage should match or complement your existing home, otherwise what you think is a wise investment may become a regret. Here are some comparisons for choosing the right roof for your needs:
Hip vs. Gable: Design Differences
The gable style roof is easily identifiable and used by many homeowners. Gable roofs have a distinct triangle shape on two of the four sides of a garage, with the garage door typically being on the gable, or triangle, side. These sloping roofs allow for water, snow, and other precipitation to quickly run off of the roof, preventing excessive buildup.
Garage Versus Carport: Which Structure Is Right for Your Home?
If you compare garages to carports, there are noticeable differences. One is open; the other enclosed. One has a locking door; the other is less secure. One has a higher price tag; the other is budget-friendly. Both are a better option than having nothing at all to protect your belongings. Choosing which structure is right for your family depends on the purpose of the structure. Let us take a look at a few of the most noticeable features:
Option 1: Carport
A carport is a structure which offers limited protection to vehicles parked underneath. Typically, carports are open on at least two sides but provide shelter to vehicles from rain, snow, and extreme heat. A carport is also useful as a permanent canopy for entertaining visitors outside of the home. Due to the openness of the structure, homeowners need not worry about garage door openers or their associated hazards. However, carports fail to protect from potential thieves or vandals and risk catastrophic damage in high winds.
Tips For Keeping Your Garage Dry During the Rainy Season
Although we see steady rainfall throughout the year, the residents of the Chicago area typically receive more precipitation in August and September than the other months of the year. Aside from the inconvenience of muddy shoes and wet hair, rain can wreak havoc on a home. Rain damage costs homeowners across the United States millions of dollars each year.
The garage is often a prime target for water entry. Moisture from umbrellas, shoes, and cars lingers in the garage, along with any rain pouring in while the garage door is open. Keep your investments dry and your family safe with these helpful tips:
Seal Exterior Cracks
Buildings are subject to various stressors, ranging from the wear and tear of the elements to the settling of a foundation. These stressors can eventually damage the exterior of your home. Although seemingly minor, even hairline cracks allow for water seepage, which can not only make the gaps more substantial, but can also let moisture into the garage. Once water accumulates inside, toxic mold may begin to form, endangering the health of everyone in the home.
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.
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