The garage serves many purposes, some park their vehicles in them, others store personal belongings, some get converted, and sometimes it’s just a massive disaster. No matter the category that you fall into, if you own a garage and it could use some renovations, here are some great places to start that can add value and perceived value to your property.
Garage Flooring
Updating your garage flooring is optional depending on what you use it for. If you turn a wrench often and work on cars, you may want to leave the concrete foundation as is.
However, if you are looking to update the garage flooring with something a little more pleasing to the eye there are a few different options out there for you.
Staining and sealing the concrete has become common, and there are some really nice stains out there that can make your garage floors look like natural stone surfaces. We have also seen homeowners cut into the concrete with tile-like patterns, giving the flooring a look and feel that is similar to tile. Another alternative to the concrete flooring is epoxy flooring.
Epoxy comes in various colors and patterns that resemble natural stone, flakes can be added to the mix to create unique designs and give the flooring a more exotic look. Besides home garages, epoxy flooring is common in airports and other commercial properties like malls and restaurants.
Shelving And Rack Space
How many of you store holiday supplies in your garage? As a kid, my dad would store our belongings in the attic, but you won’t catch me in that dusty environment fishing for Christmas decorations.
Nope, instead, you can find me in the garage accessing my holiday bins from organized storage spaces. I prefer residential pallet racking, it’s super durable, and can be adjusted to fit just about any space.
While this may be too industrial for some, there are other options for garage shelving, cabinetry and storage options that are aesthetically appealing and provide more shelving space in a closed cabinet. Pallet racks are open, perfect for storing boxes, but not lose items. Either of these options will work for organizational purposes, and while the pallet rack is my go-to choice for garage storage, professionally installed cabinets may be more appealing to a potential buyer should the home ever go up for sale.
Lighting And Solar Accessories
Nothing is worse than digging through the garage and needing to grab a flashlight to access those dim corners of the room. Efficient lighting makes any room in the home more accessible and the garage is no exception. Adding additional lighting throughout the garage will be beneficial for anyone needing to rummage through space. Adding skylights or windows is a great way to introduce natural light into the room. This can add a tremendous amount of free lighting during daylight hours.
Conserving energy and using natural sources of light not only will save you money on your electric bill but it will reduce your carbon footprint as well. You can also install solar panels, and add solar lighting to the interior of the garage to create an eco-friendly lighting arrangement in the garage.
If you decide to invest in solar panels to power features in your newly renovated garage, you should also consider a solar-powered garage door opener, solar exterior lighting, and solar security cameras to protect any investments and personal belongings that may reside in the garage.
The Garage Door
Garage doors can look so generic, especially when you drive through a cookie-cutter housing development with an HOA and every garage door is identical. For those of you fortunate enough not to be married to an HOA, you should consider investing in a heavy-duty garage door for your home. There are many benefits to upgrading the garage door.
If you live in a state with extreme climates like Alaska or Arizona you may benefit from insulated garage doors. Heavy duty garage doors also improve the security of the property, making it harder for criminals to break in through the garage.
While these added benefits may seem minimal, it’s definitely worth considering. As an added value for cosmetic reasons, you can’t go wrong investing in an aftermarket garage door.
For more great tips on organizing your garage, you can check out these six tips for organizing your garage.
