Time to give the garage a makeover

It may be your home's entranceway, and the largest room in the house, so why not make the most of it?

Jul 11, 2009

Special to the Star

Debra Lewis's uptown home reflects her taste and flair for design, but her garage was in a shambles.

Too much stuff packed into too little space equals a mess. "A mess in the garage makes me feel like a mess," she says. She knew this space deserved an overhaul – a makeover.

She's not a compulsive neat freak or even a car girl : " I won't give up a day at the beach to clean out a closet," she says. But she understands the value of good organization.

Her garage is an entrance into her home, but it was filled with the white elephants of daily life. Garbage and recycling bins, gardening tools and chemicals took over one corner, bicycles and toys were in the other. An ugly electrical cabinet was in plain view with a vacuum hose underneath.

In her two-car garage, it was a challenge just to park her Toyota Highlander.

So she hired a makeover company to tackle the "last room in your house," as OnWall Solutions owner Ron Binder calls it.

Specializing in garages, OnWall is one of many companies that helps homeowners transform an underused area into an attractive, safe and organized space. Garages are normally the largest room in the house. And after all, "it is cheaper to utilize the garage to its full potential than to move to a bigger house," Binder says.

His plan for Lewis's garage was to cover the floor with a poly-urea coating. It's a durable and slip-proof material, easy to keep clean and available in many colours.

"Our product has a 15-year warranty. It's thicker and will never chip or crack," says Binder, explaining how the floor differs from anything that's do-it-yourself.

"We prepare the surface using diamond grinders, patching systems and industrial grade vacuums. It can be installed in minus-40 to plus-40 degrees and dries in a day, like no store-bought product."

Makeovers can be completed in a day if a new floor isn't included. Once the bottom is finished, the only way to go is up, with shelving. Storewall panels known as slatwall are installed and cabinets are mounted on them, made of 18-gauge steel and with a lifetime warranty. They are powder-coated for looks and durability, and have high-quality hinges, self-shut doors and cast aluminum feet.

Time and costs vary with the scope of the project. A two-car garage can range from $2,500 for a small floor space and some modular cupboards, to $10,000 for a larger space and more detailed work.

A five-car garage can range from $5,000 for just floors and simple storage to $15,000 with the addition of new lighting, full cabinetry, insulation, drywall and painting. Specialized work can cost more.

Clutter can be stressful, says Elizabeth Scott of About.com, who helps people with stress management and healthy living.

For her, just sitting in a cluttered room can create stress.

"Whether you conceptualize this in Feng Shui terms as `stagnant chi', in cerebral terms as too much information for the eye to process, or in practical terms as a visual reminder of how much work you have to do to get your house clean, you probably already know that mess means stress," she says.

"Living in a cluttered home can create constant low-grade stress and subtly but steadily drain your energy. People in cluttered homes spend extra time virtually every day looking for lost items such as keys, shoes, or tools, etc."

Lewis's garage was finished within a week. An electrical box is now enclosed in a custom-made cabinet. Her tools are in their proper place, within reach. Chemicals are stored away safely and her nephew's toys are out of the way. Driving in to park, she is no longer faced with chaos.

"Some customers say that we saved their marriage by organizing the garage," says Binder. "This usually comes from women who are sick and tired of their husband's mess."

It is certainly cheaper than a divorce lawyer.

Toronto Star