New Homes & Lifestyles

Car-tier! - Garages that Sparkle

Garage enhancements have become one of the latest trends in home improvement. An organized, handsome garage improves your quality of life while attracting home buyers and boosting resale price.



Sophisticated floor coatings are guaranteed to transform a dingy area into a spiffy extension of the home. "The majority of our customers aren't going to be changing the oil in their car or tearing apart a piece of lawn equipment. They just want the garage to be as nice as the rest of their house," says Mark Loberg, founder of PremierGarage, a provider of the PremiereOne floor-coating system, cabinetry and organizers.



You can find floor treatments in many colors and finishes, including contemporary solid colors and a stunning terrazzo look. High-quality coatings are stain-resistant and provide an evenly distributed slip-resistant surface. Costs vary depending on size, but a PremierOne floor, for example, starts at about $1,100, and can be completed in less than a day.



<strong>Curb Appeal</strong>

Getting organized is on just about everybody's wish list, and the garage is a great place to start. Cabinetry, shelving and ceiling storage units help create storage space you didn't dream was possible.



With the holidays around the corner-and all the decoration boxing and unpacking that goes with it-fall is an ideal time to look at clutter-clearing solutions.



Overhead storage systems have proved extremely popular with customers of HyLoft Inc. "They let you utilize previously unused space, they're easy to install, keep items safe and dry, and they give instant access to stored items," says Tim Matthias, vice president of marketing.



Units can be set at various heights, even fitting above garage doors with 17-inches clearance. Hyloft also offers a variety of shelving, but the most popular product is its 45-by-45-inch ceiling unit, which sells for about $60 and holds up to 250 pounds. It's available online, at "big box" stores such as Lowe's, and through independent dealers and installers.



"A lot of HOAs endorse our product because the more that people can get their cars into their garages, the better the neighborhood looks," Matthias notes. "We also hear from a lot of happy customers who were able to finally close out their storage-facility units, saving them hundreds of dollars per year."