Custom Garage Trends in 2021: 12 Things to Ask Your Garage Builders About
Once upon a time, a garage was merely a covered parking space with a bit of room for storage and perhaps a few tools. As time wore on, however, homeowners began realizing their garages could serve several functions aside from providing a safe place to park.
Today, garages double as home gyms, workshops, man caves, she sheds, entertainment areas — the list goes on and on. And all the time, new garage trends are causing that list to grow. If you’re planning to build a custom garage on your Twin Cities property this year, here are the top garage trends of 2021 you should know about. You never know — you might just find something you’d like to include in your custom garage plan!
Custom Garage Conversions
The COVID-19 pandemic forced many homeowners to spend a whole lot more time inside their houses than they ever had before. And with all that time spent at home, many people realized their existing garage needed a serious upgrade.
For some homeowners, that meant a garage conversion to a home gym or play area for the kiddos. For others, that meant transforming the garage into a home office or adding an additional room above the garage to add more living space for the family. Regardless of the type of upgrade, custom garage conversions have been growing in popularity for months.
Here’s what you might want to consider if you’re thinking about upgrading or expanding on your existing garage:
● Heating and cooling. If you’re planning to spend a considerable amount of time in your garage for any reason, consider installing a dedicated heating unit in the space. Depending on the electrical capacity your home has now, you may need to discuss electrical service packages with your garage builder when you create your custom garage plan.
● Additional storage space. If you’re upgrading your garage, why not add more storage space? Whether you’re thinking about adding a full-blown attic room with stairway access or a more bare-bones storage area with a pull-down ladder, your garage builder can help you determine which option will best meet your needs.
● High-quality floor coating. If you’re upgrading your garage to create a dedicated space where you can work on vehicles or hobby projects, you might want to consider upgrading from standard concrete flooring too. Concrete can stain easily and it’s not the most aesthetic flooring you’ve ever seen, so why not opt for an epoxy coating on top? Epoxy is super resilient and won’t stain, chip, crack, or deteriorate the way plain concrete can. If you want to add value to your garage, a high-quality floor coating is a great way to do it.
Garage Doors With Benefits
Garage door brands are stepping up their game these days, offering a variety of useful features custom garage owners can benefit from. As you create your new garage plan, it’s important to think long and hard about the type of garage door you want and the features you’d like it to have.
As the most vulnerable entry point of your entire home, your garage door needs to be as secure as possible, and new opener technology can help. That door can also allow substantial heat transfer into and out of your home, so energy efficiency is another common concern. Trending door and opener features you may want to consider asking your garage building about include:
● Remote opener control and monitoring via your smartphone
● Privacy glazing (if you’re getting a garage door with windows)
● Insulation that prevents indoor-outdoor heat transfer to improve household energy efficiency
● Low-maintenance materials (such as composite wood, which mimics real wood but requires far less long-term maintenance)
● Super-durable, long-lasting materials (like insulated steel or aluminum)
Energy-Efficient Roofing & Siding
Homeowners everywhere are becoming increasingly concerned with energy efficiency. If you’re one of them, you should know that the exterior elements of both your house and your garage can either increase or decrease your overall energy use.
That’s because certain building materials are designed to help minimize indoor-outdoor heat transfer. Certain types of windows and doors also feature this design element. If you’re looking to keep your energy costs as low as possible, consider asking your garage builders about:
● Roofing materials with the highest R-values (the measure of the material's resistance to heat transfer)
● Siding materials with the highest R-values
● Insulated, multi-pane windows
● Insulated garage doors and entry doors
Ready to Discuss Your Custom Garage Plan?
If you’re ready to get started on a custom garage plan for your Twin Cities property, our team at Sussel Garages is here to serve you! For over 100 years, we’ve proudly served property owners throughout Minneapolis, St. Paul, and the entire metro area, and to date, we’ve helped over 50,000 customers bring their vision to life. Check out our work to see what we can do!
To learn more or get started, give us a call today at 651-645-0331 (St. Paul) or 612-379-0949 (Minneapolis). Or, go ahead and request a free estimate or send us a message with your questions, and we’ll be in touch.