A garage can be an amazing space in the right hands, says NFI Property Solutions. For people who put in the work, it becomes a space for more activities than storing your car.
That’s why it’s not surprising how many people spend time in their garages. Reports show that 55% of Americans spend 1-2 hours in their garages per week.
If you have a garage renovation in the future, it pays to do some planning before you start. Follow the tips below to renovate a garage the right way.
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Set Your Budget
It’s not uncommon for the budget for home improvement projects to get out of control. You keep finding new things to do and spending money on things you may not need.
If you want to avoid spending a small fortune on your new garage, set a budget before you start. Look up the average cost for the project type you want.
Once you have that number, you can set the budget for your project. Try to come in a little higher than how much you expect to pay. This will give you a little extra room to work with if things go wrong and keep you from adding too much to your garage that you don’t need.
Declutter the Space
One thing that will cause problems with your new garage design is how much stuff you currently have. It’s common for people to throw a ton of extra stuff in their garages because it’s a great place to store things that don’t fit in your house. However, this can lead to a mess.
The only things that should be in your garage are the things that should be there. For everything else, it needs to go to storage.
Spend time looking through everything in your garage to determine what needs to go. The more stuff you have to organize, the more challenging time you’ll have creating a garage design that works.
Ideally, figure out what you want your garage space for and limit your things to what you need for those activities.
Create Separate Zones
Many people only use their garages to house their cars and extra stuff. But that doesn’t mean it’s your only use for the space. You can use your garage for much more, depending on your hobbies and other activities.
You can start woodworking, metalworking, electronics, and other activities from your garage. However, you don’t want to create one space for everything and throw everything there.
It makes more sense to create zones for each activity. If you have the space, designate sections of your garage for those purposes. Once you have your spaces designated, you can design those areas to work for those activities.
Finish Your Walls
A common thing for garages to lack is finished walls. Many homeowners don’t use their garages for much, so their garage walls are unfinished and have no insulation.
While this makes the installation cheaper, it also makes spending time in the garage harder. You’ll end up uncomfortable and move back inside.
One way to offset this problem is by finishing your garage walls. Insulate the framing and add drywall to the sides. This will help insulate your garage against the elements and make it more comfortable.
Redo Your Flooring
The flooring you choose in your garage makes a big difference. Depending on your usage, the wrong choice can lead to problems down the line that cost more money to fix.
Take a garage that stores cars, for instance. You don’t want a flooring material that can’t stand up to the weight of a car. This is a big reason why manage garages use concrete flooring — it stands up well to the weight of cars.
It’s also a good idea to invest in garage floor coating. These products will give your garage extra protection and help it last longer. The coating also helps garage floors withstand abuse — such as water damage and heavy objects dropped on the floor.
Add Storage
There’s no getting around needing storage in your garage — you need it for your garage activities and extra stuff that doesn’t fit in your home. But you may not be able to get all the storage you need if you don’t plan for it.
There are many storage options available in garages. One of the most common is standing shelves next to your workspaces. These options will give you plenty of space to store your activity items.
You can also add storage on your walls for anything else. You should have plenty of wall space, so there should be no shortage of storage shelves.
For anything else, think about installing overhead storage. Things you don’t need much will do well here since you’ll likely need a ladder to access this space.
Consider Safety
You may have dangerous equipment in your garage. You’ll have a sharp saw and milling equipment if you do anything with wood. If you have a lawnmower, you’ll have a device with sharp blades.
This means you must take safety seriously in your garage. Carefully place items in your garage to avoid causing harm if something goes wrong.
It’s also wise to put safety coverings on sharp items. Take a saw, for instance. Think of getting a protective tarp to cover the blades.
Make Plans When You Renovate a Garage
Remodeling a garage isn’t a task you should take lightly. You have a lot of work to get things right, and if you go into things without a plan, it’s hard to create a beautiful garage that meets all your needs.
That’s why you need to do some planning before you renovate a garage. Now that you’ve read the advice above, put the tips into place to create a new home garage that meets your expectations.
If you have any more home improvement projects in the future, our blog has what you need. Check out more posts to learn how to best tackle your next project.
