Over the next few weeks, I’m going to discuss the evolution of garages: from sheds to what have been called ‘Garage Mahals‘, home extensions that contain everything from work stations to interlocking floor tiles to hydraulic lifts.

The word garage comes from the French garer – to shelter or protect.  It’s an apt name because that’s effectively what garages do.  They protect our cars from the elements.

During the early part of the 20th century, cars weren’t that common because they were expensive.  The first garages were just converted carriage houses that were remodeled to fit cars rather than horses.  Garages that were designed for cars didn’t become common until the early 1920s when car sales increase.  However, demand grew quickly.

By 1925, in fact, garages were on people’s must have lists. According to the June 1925 issue of Atlantic Monthly, ” the first question asked by the prospective buyer is about the garage.  The house without a garage is a slow seller.”

These garages were mostly stand-alone structures, built away from the main house. It wasn’t until the early 1950s that builders started to incorporate garages as part of the house design.  Before this, drivers had to brave the elements when getting from their garage to their home.

Carports became popular in the 60s as a low-cost alternative to a garage – often just roof and four posts, they were popular in warmer parts of North America.

The next major change happened in the 80s.  Garages were built to be conspicuous and large, to make room for families with multiple cars. Thankfully today they’re now being built to be less obtrusive.

The first patent for an automatic garage door opener was issued in 1937, but oddly enough, it didn’t really become popular until the late 1960s.

Fun fact: many businesses have been started in garages, including Hewlett Packard, Walt Disney, Apple Computers and Motown Records.

No matter what the size of our home is, most of us feel as though we could use more space: an extra bedroom, a home office, or just more storage.

The question we really need to answer:  Are we using the space as efficiently as possible?  Judging from the garages and basements I’ve seen, that answer is a resounding “No!”

The two most common rooms I see wasted are garages and basements. When I see a home with a disorganized garage, I’d bet that the basement is just as cluttered.  In most cases, the problem isn’t lack of space, people simply aren’t taking advantage of all the space they already have.

In previous blog posts, we’ve talked about how to declutter your garage (keep, donate, toss) but this also applies to basements.

How are the basement and the garage connected?  Once the garage has been cleared of everything that’s unnecessary, and shelving, cabinets and overhead storage has been added, it can create room to store more in the garage, including some of what is currently in other parts of your house, such as your basement.

Emptying your basement of unnecessary items leaves you valuable internal space for better use.  People have converted their basement into a home theatre, guest room, home office, game room, even an art studio. One recent client was clearing out the basement to create a nanny suite.

Regardless of how you plan to use your basement, if it’s full of stuff you no longer use or need,  now is the right time to be thinking about decluttering and getting your storage spaces organized so you can take advantage of all the space you have and use your home the way you’d like to use it!

When it comes to cabinets for your garage, the good news is that there are choices.  The bad news is that the quality varies greatly, and you get what you pay for.  At the retail level, there are several types of products available:  MDF (a waferboard),  a Rubbermaid product and steel.

As you weigh your options, the most important thing to consider is the strength of the material.  How secure is it and how much weight can it bear?  Check the hinges as well and make sure they’re solid.  If they’re not, the cabinet may start to wobble.

The advantage of the Rubbermaid cabinet is that it’s impervious to moisture versus the MDF products which will swell and weaken if you have a damp or humid garage.  However, neither are very sturdy, so you run the risk of the shelves not supporting anything of any significant weight.

I believe steel or aluminum cabinets are the way to go.  They’re sturdier and resistant to animals.  They are also lockable, so if you’re storing anything valuable, such as skis and ski boots or tools, you can lock them behind the doors.  They’re also good for keeping chemicals out of reach from little hands.

Some retailers carry a steel product but the material is light weight and not commercial quality.  It looks similar to the appropriate grade steel cabinets, but it doesn’t hold much and can dent easily, losing its aesthetic appeal quite quickly.  In addition, light weight materials may not provide the appropriate level of safety and protection of your valued tools, sports equipment, vehicle and family members.

To find out how strong a steel product is, you have to look at the ‘gauge’. The smaller the number, the stronger it is.

I recommend Onex cabinets.  We install these high performance steel garage cabinets because they last longer than retail products while offering superior weight support.  They’re also lockable, come in various colours and can be adjusted to the height, width and depth of the space.  It provides a high level of utility and quality while giving your garage that luxury feel.

Onex offers a wide variety of cabinets, so we can create a custom storage solution rather than finding something that simply fits into the space.

If you have any questions about cabinets or anything else garage related, please give us a call!

When you’re transforming your garage into the space you’ve always wanted it to be, there can be more to think about than shelving, cabinets and flooring.  Think energy efficiency when thinking about ways to make your garage green.

Many houses have rooms directly above the garage, and if the garage ceiling is not properly insulated,  the room and the room floor can be cold.

There are other ways you can make your garage more environmentally friendly:

Energy efficient lighting

Often a garage was built with just a single bulb.  If you’re planning on doing anything in your garage other than parking your vehicle, this isn’t enough.  As part of a Nuvo Garage transformation, we install fluorescent lighting as an energy efficient solution which also makes your garage a comfortable place to work and maintain.

Paint

Use BEHR paint with less than fifty VOC (Volatile organic compounds) which also have freeze and thaw capability.  And, while an insulated garage is ideal for lower overall home utility costs and more comfortable connecting rooms, if your garage isn’t insulated, this particular paint won’t crack with the weather extremes.          

Flooring

The flooring we use are also green, using low VOC while being mold resistant, easy to clean with a long lasting finish.

Garage doors

Many garage doors and windows let the heat out.  By instalingl energy efficient doors and windows, your heating costs go down and your garage is a more comfortable room to work in.  I refer people to Aurora Overhead Doors, a company that does a great job.

In with the old

If a customer has things that are re-useable, I’ll use them.  One customer had a Rubbermaid cabinet he was happy with, so rather than sell him a new one, we incorporated it into his storage plan.

Insulated light switches and outlets:

Use switches with foam gaskets that insulate and help secure the connection between the house and the garage.

Finishing details

Caulk between the walls and the floor.  Over time and seasons, the connection can expand and contract, leaving gaps where heat can escape.  Caulking improves the insulation factor while providing a pleasant finish to the garage space.

Custom Folding Workbench for a 1 Car Garage

Once you’ve made the decision to transform your garage so it better suits your needs, you’re faced with a choice:  Do it yourself or bring in a professional?

There are advantages to doing it yourself.  You have the satisfaction of a job well done (if you’ve avoided the pitfalls I spoke about in an earlier blog post), and it will likely be cheaper because you’re not paying for labour.

However, when you’re installing an ‘out of the box’ system, you end up with something generic, but it’s unlikely they’ll fit perfectly.  You’ll probably end up with some wasted space. We come in and build to the measurements of your garage, using the space from wall to wall.

Everybody has different wants and needs, whether it’s storage, garage size, lighting requirements or aesthetics.  A professional may be able to come up with options that you’re not aware of.

For instance, several weeks ago I visited a client who had a one car garage that was too simply not wide enough to accommodate a car, but it was high and deep.  I asked him if he had things he’d like to put in a garage.  He told me he had Christmas decorations taking up space in the basement.  We talked about building a shelf along the back wall for storage, which doubled the storage space available.

He’d hadn’t considered anything other than floor space.  I find that overhead storage is the most commonly overlooked area.  The space is ideal for storing things you don’t need more than once a year such as holiday decorations or snow tires.

For some clients, the way the garage looks is as important as the job it does, whether it’s keeping boxes and tires out of sight or incorporating more high-end finishes.

The flooring is where customization can really shine.  Your floor can be anything from standard grey tiles to something with a granite look.  I come prepared with 6 to 8 samples of what’s available, but if a customer doesn’t like those, they can select colours from the Sherman Williams colour palate for a completely custom job.  No one else offers that.

We look for the right eyeline, so what we install fits in with the rest of the garage.  For instance, when we choose a spot  to install slatwall and hooks, we may keep it level to a door.  We also incorporate existing features such as light switches.  It’s a finishing detail that makes the job more professional.

For your shelving, we can give it either a rough or finished look.

Lighting is also a consideration.  You may be using your garage for more than just parking after the transformation, but a bare bulb may not be enough light. We can install pot lights under a platform or in front of cabinets.  We can even position small spotlights if you’ve got sports cars you’d like to feature.

Every customer we see and every garage we visit is unique.  Nuvo Garage tailors the storage solution to maximize the space available, leaving you with a superior product and a garage that meets your specific needs.

As Canadians, we’re a culture that places emphasis on value, and nobody wants to spend money they don’t have to.  Unfortunately, sometimes we cut corners and do something ourselves when it would make more sense to hire a professional.

There are risks when undertaking a construction project of any magnitude and a garage renovation is no different.  There are many things to take into consideration including space planning, materials, aesthetics and, depending on the level of the renovation, building codes.

To ensure you get the results you want, you need to do some research beforehand.  Using the wrong materials can result in not just substandard results but increased costs when the job has to be redone!

Here are the most common DIY mistakes I see:

Using Medium Density Fibreboard (MDF) slat wall

Many people purchase MDF slatwall because it’s available at retail stores and at first glance, it looks like what the professionals use.  Don’t be fooled, though.  MDF is not nearly as strong as professional grade slatwall and it’s susceptible to moisture, which means that not long after it’s installed, things are going to start falling off the wall.

Commercial grade slatwall is made of thermoplastic, so it’s stronger, waterproof and mildew proof.  You can find this slatwall, but it’s a little trickier to install.  If your garage is drywalled, you have to make sure you’re screwing it into a stud.  If your garage is concrete, it can be difficult and messy to attach it directly and if you’re using a tapcon screw, you can warp the slatwall.

Garage Door Openers hooked up to an extension cord

One thing I see over and over are extension cords snaked along the top of a garage for the garage door opener.  According to Ontario Building Code, your garage door opener has to be plugged directly into an outlet – and not an extension cord.  Newer homes may have an existing ceiling outlet, but if you are in an older home, call in an electrician.

Improperly preparing the floor for paint

There are special paints available for garage floors, designed to withstand heavy use.  However, it’s not enough to simply wash the floor – it has to be grinded for the paint to adhere, similar to sanding a piece of furniture that you’re painting.  If the surface isn’t prepared properly, the paint will peel off in no time.

Undersupported overhead shelving

The typical DIY overhead shelving I see isn’t properly supported.  People may build a wall-to-wall shelf and use a floor support that not only blocks room for one of the cars, but isn’t enough support, resulting in a sagging shelf.  Another issue is using plywood that’s not thick enough – it needs to be at least ¾ inch.

If space is an issue, the shelf can be supported from above.  We have used airplane wire to hang shelves, which is just as strong as a ground support.

Not taking advantage of all the space available

People often forget about the space overhead.  Either they don’t see it or they see it and don’t want to do it.  The space that people often miss is above the garage door.  This space is valuable because it’s out of the way. As long as there’s enough clearance, you can store things you don’t want to see.

If you’ve chosen to undertake your own renovation, make sure to do your research.  If you think you want to use a professional, please give us a call at 647-346-8735 for a free estimate.

In the last several blog entries, we discussed clearing the clutter out of your garage.  In today’s blog, you’re going to find out about the process of a garage transformation, getting an estimate and what questions you should be prepared for.

When I’m called in, the decluttering should be nearly complete.  Only the stuff you want to keep should be in the garage.  When we can see the space we’re working with, it makes planning a whole lot easier.

You may also find that there’s stuff in the house such as seasonal decorations that you’d like to store in the garage as well as boxed items like clothes, or tools that are currently in the basement.

Some people have a good idea of what they want or need, such as shelves for storage, tools they want to hang on the wall, cabinets to keep things out of the way.  Most people show me what they want to store and ask for recommendations.

The main questions I need answered are:

• What’s your objective?
• What do you want the garage to do that it’s not doing today?
• How many cars do you want to fit in the garage?

The answers to these questions and the initial visit can last up to an hour.  I get a sense of how the client lives and what they are looking for.  I try and understand their aesthetic priorities versus their functional needs.

Some people like to be able to see everything at a glance.  In this case it could be mostly hooks and shelves.  Other people are a little messy, and I understand that.  Cabinets are great for hiding messes, as well as keeping things like chemicals out of the reach of small hands, for people who have kids.

Within two days of the visit, I’ll send a detailed drawing, proposal and itemized estimate.  It’s not something I can do on the spot as each job is custom, which is one of the benefits of using NuvoGarage.

The transformation can be done in as little as two days, if all we’re doing is getting the garage organized.  If we’re drywalling, that will add another two days and flooring will add a day.

Once you’ve had a chance to look over the proposal and estimate, you have a chance to ask any questions you might have, give me additional suggestions and make the decision to move forward and have the garage that you’ve always wanted.

So far, we’ve discussed the motivation to clean out the garage and how to get started.  Now that the clutter is out of the garage, garbage has been taken away and non-essentials donated or sold, we’re left organizing everything we want to keep.

Our main goal is to create a space for everything so it can be found easily.  In order to accomplish this, we have to maximize all the space available – walls, floor and even the ceiling.

It makes sense to think about the large items first.  Tires take up a lot of space.  There may be one extra set or two, but either way, they can occupy a lot of real estate.

Depending on the height of the garage, a storage system can be set up overhead to hold them.  However, not everybody is comfortable pulling four forty pound tires down, so the floor is an option.  In this case, I recommend storing them along the back wall or in a corner as that’s often dead space.

Other large items are garbage and recycling bins.  Because they’re used so frequently, they need a spot where they can be securely stored but easily accessed.  Depending on the size of your garage, they may be at the back of the garage under a shelf or by the side at the front.

Large tools such as rakes and snow shovels can be hung on the wall.  Something as simple as 2×4 pieces of lumber affixed to your walls will work. Just add long nails or screws and you’ll be able to hang most tools.  You may also consider a wall organizer which gives you more storage and will hold heavier items as well, including your lawn mower!

Did you know that more people decorate their homes for Halloween than for Christmas?  Even though the box of decorations is only used for one month a year, it makes sense to clearly label the container and have it within easy reach.

There are shelving systems available for these boxes as well as cleaning products, tools that can’t be hung and anything else you want to store in your garage.

If you need help organizing your garage, please check out our products page for ideas.  We are always available to come to your home for a no cost or obligation estimate.  We can take care of everything from the removal of junk, hazardous chemicals and reusable items, to the storage of items that need to remain.  Let us know what you need, or want, and together work out how we can help you.

Last time, we discussed Seasonal Garage Anxiety Disorder and how to cope with it.  Today, we’re going to prepare you to start your garage cleanup.

Remind yourself why you’re doing this.  There are probably tools, seasonal decorations or other items that you know are in your garage, but you just can’t find them.  Maybe a paint can spilled or things are piled so high there’s a risk of something falling.

Sometimes when we can’t find something, we replace it.  Don’t be surprised if you end up with multiple sets of tools, weed whackers, etc.  When you have proper storage systems with slatwall hooks for tools and equipment, you won’t be spending money on things you don’t need because you’ll be able to find everything you have.

Here are some things you can think about when you’re preparing to attack the clutter in the garage:

First, plan to dedicate an entire day for this and get members of the household on board.

Second, before you start removing items, designate areas for three categories:  Keep it, donate it, toss it.

Be prepared to experience emotional attachments to some of the things you find.  This is where a family member can help you decide – if you’re not putting it to use, it’s best given to someone else.

I have three basic rules:

• If it can’t be used, or has no value, toss it.
• If you no longer need it, or plan to use it, give it away or sell it.
• If you need it and use it, keep it.

Tip:  Half-full cans of paint can be taken to Rona.  If you’re throwing out a lot, you can take it to a dump yourself, or call a company like 1-800-Got-Junk.

Once the garage has been purged, it’s time to get organized.  We want to maximize the space we’ve got on the floors, walls and overhead.  Stay tuned for the next blog.

For most of us, the garage is likely the largest room in our house.  Our cars are probably our second largest assets.  It makes sense to use this space to house and protect our vehicles.

During spring and summer, however, we leave our cars on the driveway to have easy access to things like lawn mowers, bicycles and gardening tools.

It’s during the first cold snap of the year as we’re putting everything away that we look into our garages and wonder how two cars are going to fit.  Seeing everything that’s filling up the garage, we experience paralysis.  Often, there’s no clear way to start the clean-up process, so it doesn’t get started at all.

I call this Seasonal Garage Anxiety Disorder (SGAD):  All the stuff  is preventing us from using our garages for what they’re meant for and it causes concern.

In the next two blog entries, I’m going to help you cope with your SGAD!  But first, we have to think about motivation:  how badly do you want to get your car in that garage and why?  

If the garage is de-cluttered to make room for vehicles, we can:

• say goodbye to scraping ice off the windshield before the sun comes up
• get into a warm car – in the middle of winter
• worry less about security, especially for those who spend much of the winter down south

One of the main objections to cleaning out a garage is the amount of decision making that has to happen. It requires some tough choices about what to keep and it’s usually a full day’s worth of work.

I’ve encountered garages that were full of furniture – both from parents who have downsized and children who were moving out, seasonal decorations, winter tires, garbage and recycling bins.  Some of the clutter has value, but there is only an emotional attachment to the rest.

The feeling of relief that’s experienced once all the stuff you’re not using is gone, will give a sense of release and freedom necessary to move forward with new activities and projects.

How great would it be to have shelving and storage systems that allowed garden tools, holiday decorations and toys to be found without digging through boxes?  Easy access and storage for seasonal items like paddles, kayaks and canoes and tires?  A discreet space for your garbage bins?

Garage storage systems, whether it’s cabinets, wall organizers, shelving, or a combination, can keep the garage organized all year round.  So when next fall comes, we’re not standing in front of our garage doors, wondering where we’re going to park our cars, we simply drive them in. 

Stay tuned for the next blog:  How to get Started.