Why is it that the more we improve our homes, the more our garages fall into disrepair? We finish our basements, install hardwood floors, paint, put up blinds and completely reinvent the kitchen. All the while the garage collects the remnants — the old paint cans, the leftover lumber, the old foosball table from junior’s college days, the faded University of Colorado seat cushions piled in the corner.
The act of remodeling seems to inversely impact our garages. The familiar process is played out along the Front Range in every neighborhood.
Over time the garage acts more as a storage unit than a part of the house. Mike Wislinsky, one of the owners of Premier Garage in Golden, asks: “The garage typically represents a sizeable percentage of the total square footage of the house, so why not turn that square footage into a more useable and livable space?”
The lazy days of old, throwing items into heaps on the garage floor, are quickly coming to an end. Making up an excuse to get out of doing something about that atrocious garage is harder than fixing the problem once and for all.
There are stacks of literature available that can educate on the countless ways to organize and remodel the garage. One such periodical, Your Garagenous Zone written by Bill West, begins with some pragmatic advice, “When in doubt, throw it away.” Sounds simple, right? Well, that could depend on whether the “pack-rat” gene courses through your veins.
The next step might be to find organizational tools — plastic bins, cabinets and hooks — to help with the cleanup. This may enable you to squeeze at least one car into the garage.
After all the do-it-yourself tips have been exhausted, or the garage doesn’t fit personal needs, it is probably time to find a professional. The Internet is a good place to start.
Wislinsky explains, “Typically the customer will go to (our website) to research the various solutions that we offer. After that they call us or email us via our website, we set up an appointment, and one of our sales people meets with the customer in the garage.”
It is important to have an idea of what the garage’s main purpose will be after the renovation is completed. Will the garage be used mainly for parking the cars and storage, or will it be used as a shop? Consider these questions before picking cabinets, flooring, shelves and other add-ons.
With computer programs like Auto Cad, the consumer can gain a greater comprehension of what the garage will look like when finished. “After the initial meeting, we provide a CAD drawing that shows exact location and sizes of the cabinets, as well as locations of any organizers. A 3-D perspective helps the customer visualize what their garage will look like when the renovation is complete,” explains John Hettich, who along with Wislinsky, owns Premier Garage.
Little preparation is needed to have the garage renovated. A few garage companies will help homeowners clean up and find suitable storage during the upgrade.
“We try and make the process as easy as possible for our clients.” says Scott Denton, owner of Custom Garages in Loveland. “We just need a clean garage, and we can help facilitate that even if it means renting a storage unit and we fill it for them.”
Compared with most other home renovations the garage is quick, easy and inexpensive. Besides being practical, remodeling the garage also serves as a sound investment for the house.
“Upgrading the garage adds value to the home at a very reasonable investment. On a per square foot basis, upgrading the garage is usually much less expensive than upgrading other parts of the home,” says Wislinsky.
On average a two-car garage with flooring, cabinets and organizers will cost between $2,500 and $4,000. If the cash flow in the house is temporarily down to a trickle, the garage renovation could take place in stages, starting with the flooring. Cabinets can be installed later when more money is available.
In recent years, garage flooring and cabinets have been manufactured to be more durable. A floor coating that is spread over concrete protects against car fluids and abrasive liquids that end up on garage floors.
“(To clean the floor) a water hose and a mop are all that’s required,” says Hettich. “Premier Garage’s cabinets are specifically designed for the garage – thicker shelves, mounted off the floor to eliminate potential for moisture damage, and fully finished inside and out.”
There are also companies that can completely customize the garage to almost any personal desire. Denton says, “I like having the flexibility of helping our customers achieve their ultimate garage, whatever that may look like in their eyes.”
The ultimate garage might include track lighting, a car lift, custom colored cabinets, a dog bath and a flat screen television. Those amenities will cost more. Denton said, “We have finished garages that are well over $50,000 in flooring, cabinets and accessories.”
One doesn’t have to go overboard, but before another summer slips by, pay some attention to the garage. Who knows? There could be valuable CU memorabilia piled in the corner. Or at least room might be made to park a car.
Casey Cisneros is a Loveland-based freelance writer.
