The garage is often the last place in a home to get some renovation, but it’s an important space that deserves to be remodeled and upgraded. Not only is it the place that safeguards your car – which is likely one of your most expensive possessions – it may also be doubling as a storage space, workspace, or social gathering space, or possibly all three of those things. Even if you don’t have the money to give yourself the garage of your dreams all at once, with some careful planning and budgeting, you can improve your garage in stages over time. Take a look at some tips for renovating your garage in stages.
Start With The Flooring
One of the first things that you should think about doing is putting a new floor into your old garage. Just like your home needs a strong foundation, your garage needs a good solid floor before you begin other improvements. A high-quality polymer floor is actually stronger than the original concrete garage floor and will hold up well under normal garage conditions and periodic renovations.
Not only will good material give you a stronger floor to work with, you’d be surprised at how much a new floor can brighten up your garage. Your installer can add color chips for a more textured look, and once the floor has been cleaned and clear coated, you won’t recognize your garage. Plus, the floor installation process is relatively quick – you should only need to be out of the garage for a day or so.
Doors and Storage
Once you have a good floor to work with, you can start saving for the next phase of your project. The garage door is a good place to start, especially if your current door is old or not working properly. There are many different garage door options on the market, so think about what kinds of doors will meet your needs. For example, if you think that you’re going to need ceiling storage space, consider coach-style garage doors that open outward, instead of the overhead kind. You can still have an automated door, but you’ll have space on your ceiling for overhead storage bins or bicycle storage.
The next thing to do, either at the same time you upgrade your door or sometime after, is to improve your garage organization by adding shelves, cabinets, and racks. You should add storage and organizational features before adding workspaces or entertainment items, because that way, you’ll know what kind of space you have to work with when everything is put away.
Expand Up, Not Out
Need more room, but don’t have the space to knock out a wall and turn your two-car garage into a three or four-car garage? You still have options. Install a car lift to give yourself the extra space that you need. This will allow you to make the most of your space.
You don’t have to use the additional space to park an extra car, either. If you need floor space to set up a workspace or host a poker game in your garage, a car lift can give you the room that you need.
If you’re interested in getting a comprehensive idea of how you can renovate your garage, Schedule your free design consultation.