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You are here: Home / Archives for garage renovation professional

Hiring a Garage Renovation Professional

March 2, 2019 by Rick Scully

When you’re looking to renovate your garage, you’re looking to add some utility to your garage so it becomes a valuable space in your home.  A good garage renovation specialist will help you manage the entire process from beginning to end.  Here are some things that you’ll want to do to prepare and hire the right garage renovation specialist.

Start with a Consultation in March or April

professional garage interior designer, rick scully, spatial visualization, engineering, design, commercial tools, knowledge, experience

Start a complimentary in-home consultation with your garage renovation specialist to review your vision of how you need to use your garage and add value to the home.  A garage renovation is a lot like a kitchen renovation.  Just like a kitchen you will likely need some work spaces but you’ll also need a variety of different storage spaces.  Many of us will want a place for those large green bins, blue bins and garbage bins so we can just wheel them out to the curb on pick up day.

Also, we’ll have some essential tools that we’ll want to easily access. The tools may range from lawn mowers in the summer to snow shovels in the winter.  And, we’ll likely see our garage as a place for the kids bikes and other toys such as scooters, skateboards and much more.  For outdoor activities and travel, it’s also where we’ll store a Thule carrier, kayaks, canoes, camping gear, stand up paddle boards, snowboards, hockey gear and so much more. Of course, we may also store the Christmas tree, lights and other decorations of the season in the overhead spaces.

And, the most obvious thing to do with our garage is to park the vehicles inside the garage.  With time, sometimes we allow the clutter of things to take over our garage.  Parking the vehicles inside the garage helps provide safety for our vehicles, a longer vehicle life away from the elements and reducing theft or vandalism.  It’s important for most of us to be able to have the space for our vehicles as well as many of our lifestyle items for ourselves and our children in the garage.

De-Clutter and Eliminate Things You Won’t Be Storing

In addition to the initial consultation most people will need to de-clutter their garage before the project can start.  You can begin the de-cluttering before you meet with the garage renovation specialist and even beyond or after the initial meeting.  The goal of a garage renovation is to create a space which you actually use regularly.  If you haven’t used something in a long time, consider if you’ll actually use it ever again.  It can be some outdoor toys that the kids have outgrown or it could be a tool that you thought was a great idea at the time, but you’re really using something else instead.  Of course, there are things such as snow shovels which may not see a lot of use some years but you’ll need at some point which you will need to keep. 

Items which are not used can be given to a neighbour or you can get a garage sale day going for your entire street so it becomes a community event with a lot of drawing power.  If you get the whole family involved, it becomes a fun day and learning experience for the kids to understand running a small business project. 

Anything left after a garage sale can be donated.  There are a variety of charities who are in need of lightly used items so if you have two of something in the garage because you purchased something twice, you may want to consider donating one if it doesn’t get purchased at the garage sale.  Or, you can run a kijiji ad if it’s something you know that you can sell but just didn’t find a buyer on the day of the garage sale.

There are some great learning experiences for the little ones to pay it forward and let go of things emotionally by de-cluttering.  Then, learning life skills and business skills from doing all the activities of running a garage sale will grow their independence and confidence while creating an opportunity for the family to come together.

Group Belongings by Lifestyle Activities

After de-cluttering and a garage sale, whatever is left needs to be organized.  Before the garage storage project begins, organize the items into piles for your garage renovation specialist to review and understand what you’ll need to store in the garage.  Also, a discussion of your family lifestyle together will give an idea of what you’ll need your garage to be able to do.  It’s much like a kitchen.  The master cook may want a double oven while the busy family may want an oversized fridge for all the kids to find food.  Our lifestyles will determine how the garage can be designed as much as determines what we may need in any other room of the house.

By grouping items into piles, it will help you see and understand what has been dumped in the garage and the storage challenges these items have presented so far.  You can consider each family member’s hobbies such as handyman activities, crafts activities, gardening activities and sports that each person plays.

During the initial consultation, you’ll get an idea of what can be done.  An in-depth discussion into the things your family would like to do or need to do will help define how you can get the most out of your garage space.  Also, your organizational style will also be explored.  For instance, if you would prefer a clean looking garage where everything is put in its place and hidden away behind doors, garage cabinets will make a lot of sense.  If you prefer to see things so it will stay fresh in your mind that you own certain things, then an open style storage solution would be more appropriate for you and your family to find things easily.

A Garage Renovation Timing and Timeline

Once the project begins, you’ll want a garage renovation specialist who will keep you informed and prepared for the next phase of the project.  Sometimes, this may be moving items into the backyard or basement during a specific phase of the project or having access to the full driveway for specific days of the week.

Project management skills are a key element of a good garage renovation specialist.  They will guide you through each phase of the project instead of having these tasks become a surprise on the day they arrive to do work.

Plan You Garage Renovation Well in Advance

If you’re looking to do a garage renovation this year, March or early April is the best time to start the consultation process so that the project can match your family’s schedule as well and the appropriate garage storage solutions can be made-to-measure and delivered in time for installation day.

If you’re looking for both a good renovation experience as well as solution, contact us today to learn how we work to make this a reality for your family.

Filed Under: Garage Interior Design Tagged With: complimentary in-home consultation, customized garage storage solutions, de-clutter garage, garage cabinets, garage renovation professional, garage sale, personal project manager

Six Eco-Friendly Ways to Celebrate Earth Day

April 19, 2016 by Rick Scully

Earth Day Canada has grown from a small movement 25 years ago to an event six million Canadians participate in each year. Earth Day is celebrated annually on April 22nd by more than a billion people worldwide. However, the true power of Earth Day is its ability to prompt individual action and effect policy changes. With that in mind, let’s look at six eco-friendly ways to celebrate Earth Day this year.

Review Your Recycling Routine

nuvo garage earth day 2016 eco friendly green initiatives garage organization design renovationCanadians generate 31 million tonnes of trash annually, recycling only about 30%. There are 10,000 landfills across Canada. Yet, many are nearing capacity. As the contents of landfills decay, landfill gases—like methane and carbon dioxide—are produced, polluting air and harming the environment.   

Recycling is one of the simplest actions we can take to improve the environment. By complying with the convenient Blue Box recycling program available in most communities, we divert tons of glass, paper, plastics and electronics from being dumped in landfills.  

Review your home and work recycling habits. Create a dedicated recycling zone in your garage, if you haven’t already. Community recycling guidelines change periodically. Re-familiarize yourself with the guidelines at least once each year to ensure you’re in compliance. Maximize your environmental impact by recycling as many items from the list as you can. For an even greater impact, reduce the waste your household generates. For instance, using a water filtration pitcher or a refillable water jug can significantly reduce the number of plastic bottles that end up in landfills each year.

Reduce and Repurpose

We all have a stash of items that have outstayed their welcome lurking in our closets, the basement or the garage. Combine your Earth Day celebration with your annual spring cleaning and purge items you no longer use. Recycle or discard broken or outdated items. Give new life to items that don’t work for you now, by repurposing them.

Organize the remaining items in your garage by installing a wall organization system. Maximize storage by making use of wasted vertical space. Enlist a garage renovation professional to safely install overhead storage racks.

Safely Dispose of Household Hazardous Waste

We often think of hazardous waste in commercial settings. However, the average home and garage are brimming with hazardous substances, like automotive fluids, solvents, pesticides and household cleaners.

Do your part to keep the environment clean. Check with community guidelines to learn how to safely dispose of household hazardous waste in your home and garage. Don’t toss household chemicals or old electronics into the trash or pour used automotive oil down the drain or into the ground. Automotive oil can contaminate the soil and up to two million litres of water. Visit your city’s website to find out how to properly dispose of household hazardous waste.

Make Your Home More Energy Efficient

You’ll reduce reliance on non-renewable fossil fuels, like natural gas, oil and coal by making your home more energy efficient. Start with small, inexpensive changes that quickly pay for themselves in energy savings.

Install energy efficient CFL or LED bulbs in your home and garage. LED lights are ideal for use in the garage. They are resistant to cold and you won’t have to wait for them to warm-up to reach full brightness.

Weatherize your home and garage. Temperatures are rising now, but it’s the perfect time to seal drafty spots in your home. Apply weather stripping around the garage door and to the entrance between the house and garage. Seal around electrical outlets on exterior walls to prevent heat loss during winter and cooling loss during summer months.  

Reduce Carbon Emissions

Most households have multiple vehicles, increasing air pollution and the use of gasoline. If you live in a walkable community, bike to nearby destinations whenever possible. A brisk ride offers numerous health benefits, and you’ll have the added satisfaction of knowing you’ve reduced your carbon footprint. Keep your family’s bicycles neatly stored with a horizontal, vertical or overhead bicycle rack.

Keep tires properly inflated and perform vehicle maintenance, like oil changes and tune-ups, at regular intervals recommended by the manufacturer. When your vehicle is in top form it will run more efficiently, emit less pollution and use less gasoline. Store automotive accessories in a dedicated automotive zone in your garage. It will be easier to keep inventory of essential fluids and you’ll have everything at your fingertips when you need it.

Join Local Earth Day Initiatives

More than six million Canadians will participate in local Earth Day activities. Here are a few events happening in Ontario:

  • Clean Your Commute – On Friday, April 22nd, look for ways to reduce the impact of your commute. Carpool, bike, take public transit or work from home.
  • Earth Ball 2016 – Toast 25 years of Earth Day Canada at the Mill Street Brewery in the Distillery District. Celebrate Earth Day Canada’s impact on the environment through innovative campaigns and programming. Enjoy live entertainment and mouth-watering fare prepared by Chef Michael Stadtlander. Doors open at 7 PM on April 22nd.
  • Toronto Botanical Garden – Looking for a low-key, family-friendly event? Bring the family to the Toronto Botanical Garden on Saturday, April 23rd from noon to 4 PM. Enjoy a stroll in the Edwards Gardens. Take a guided hike. Make a green smoothie with ingredients from the garden, blended with a blender bike. Visit the Teaching Garden and enjoy a scavenger hunt and woodland crafts. The event is free. No registration required.

In light of climate change and other environmental disasters, it’s more important than ever to adopt an eco-friendlier lifestyle. What we do individually may seem insignificant. However, when considered collectively, even small changes to our daily routines make a difference.

Review our past articles on green initiatives for your home and garage. Then visit EarthDay.ca to learn how you can join efforts with fellow community members to increase your positive impact on the environment.

Filed Under: Environmental Responsibility Tagged With: bicycle rack, Blue Box, carbon footprint, climate change, community recycling guidelines, Earth Day, eco-friendly garages, emit less polution, energy efficient, environmental impact, garage renovation professional, green initiatives, household hazardous waste, overhead garage storage racks, recycling zone, reduce carbon emissions, spring cleaning, wall organization system

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