Garages: The New Home Frontier

First-floor laundry and mud rooms have become the new front door for many families. But there's another part of the house that's competing for this role: the garage.

Nobody's writing off the garage anymore. After all, it's often the largest space in (or next to) the house. A two-car garage typically measures 20 feet by 20 feet. That's 400 square feet, larger than most living or family rooms. For years homeowners have used the garage not just to house cars, but to store everything from garden tools and sports gear to holiday decorations and grown children's old toys. And Barbara Butensky of GarageTek Inc., in Syosset, N.Y., a garage organization and storage systems company, says the garage is now becoming an extra room to pursue a hobby, particularly for homeowners who don't have basements and attics. “They're making them climate-controlled and an additional living space,” says Butensky.

In fact, the garage is on its way to becoming a feature that can help sell a house, along with a good location, curb appeal and the other rooms' condition.

Taking advantage of the trend, a growing number of closet organization companies recognized a golden opportunity to clean up these spaces and garage-specialist companies soon emerged. PremierGarage in Phoenix, for instance, has seen a 200 percent growth rate over the last few years and has 65 locations, says CEO and founder Mark Loberg.

How much homeowners spend varies, from about $600 to have a professional clean and de-clutter to thousands of dollars for design and installation of custom systems.

Many homeowners like panelized or grid wall systems with hooks to hang rakes, tennis racquets, ladders, bicycles and cabinetry, plus counters, shelves and storage lofts of different sizes and materials to store everything from bicycles to canoes. GarageTek, for example, offers 100 options for shelves, cabinets, hooks and more, says Butensky.

But such components often are only part of the overhaul. Allen R. Frechter's The Great Garage Co. in Needham, Mass., designs lighting to improve illumination in the often dark spaces. Other companies install colorful, patterned floors over the typical gray concrete. Loberg's company uses a hybrid, proprietary polymer coating that is impervious to freezing, stain resistant to fluids and slip resistant. GarageTek uses interlocking plastic tiles. More owners are heating floors to create a year-round hobby space.

Some owners are installing plasma TVs, CD players, potting sinks with running water, and cabinetry that's as good as the kind used in upscale kitchens, says Butensky. Frechter set up a wine cellar for one client.

Homeowner Richard E. Hamlin air-conditioned the garage in his home in Bonita Springs, Fla., to protect his collectible cars, including his 1931 Ford Model A roadster. The large garage also has two windows, a trophy case for his awards from car meets, a TV and treadmill. He loves to show guests the room when he and his wife entertain, he says.

Here are ways to make your garage the best it can be:

• Clean and organize. Throw out stuff you rarely or never use. Dana Korey, co-owner of Away with Clutter in San Diego, recommends going through what you have and organizing items into similar categories. “When you see that you have 30 umbrellas, it's easier to edit. If paint is dried up, get rid of it,” she says. You also need a system to organize what you keep, she says. Separate sports balls for golf, tennis, football since you don't want to throw them into one container because you won't be able to find them. Before you hire a company to do the organizing, ask about hourly charges. Tom Anderson of Clutterboy in northern California charges $100 an hour. He says the average garage takes between six and twelve hours to clean and organize.

• Pick good storage. Most companies suggest high quality wood or steel cabinets that are weather resistant. Units should be installed a few inches off the ground to eliminate water damage or pest infiltration, says Loberg of PremierGarage. While many closet and garage companies offer distinct lines, homeowners can also choose their own at storage companies' retail or online sources such as The Stanley Works. A useful planning tool is ClosetMaid's questionnaire and planner, which helps homeowners determine what they need. For $15, a homeowner gets two design versions for a garage or any room.

• Plan a new garage. If starting from scratch, make it roomy with an extra garage bay or even a half-bay, says Frechter of The Great Garage Co. Also make the ceiling high enough - 10 feet to 14 feet.

• Consider a security system. To protect all that you will keep in the garage, put it on your alarm system or add a surveillance system.
  

By Barbara Ballinger, Content That Works