New home construction is a terrific way to ensure your future comfort in a place you'll thoroughly enjoy. Custom-built houses allow you to tweak every aspect of your living space; from the way the rooms fit together to the paint colours.
However, even when you build from the ground up, compromises are sometimes unavoidable. When it comes to your garage, keep in mind that you can fit more than you think into the space you have available.
Why Organization Beats Raw Square Footage
If you're building a new home and you want to maximize your garage space, your first thought is likely to be expanding the garage's footprint. This isn't always possible, though. A lot of great lots simply don't have room for anything larger than a 3-car garage. You may also have other design limitations that constrain the size of your garage, like homeowners' association regulations or a driveway that can only be accessed from a certain direction.
Don't worry! Working with a fixed amount of space actually gives you the opportunity to get creative with the way you use it. Organizing your space wisely and investing in the right accessories can turn even a modest garage into a multi-use powerhouse. The time to start thinking about garage organization is well before you finish construction.
Keep Your Open Space Multifunctional
Even though the possibilities for your garage are virtually endless, there's one dominant design rule that applies to every layout: open floor space is precious. No matter how expansive your garage seems while you're still building your home, it can start feeling decidedly cramped in just a few short years of busy living if you don't plan ahead.
All of your garage organization plans should be designed to use space efficiently and preserve as much open space as possible. This means taking full advantage of compact storage, mobile cabinets, and collapsible work tables. The more options you consider during the building process, the cleaner and more useful your garage will be in the end.
Car Lifts: The Game-Changer
Obviously, storing cars is your garage's prime function. What do you do if you own more vehicles than you have space for on your new lot? Don't resign yourself to storing cars off-site or outdoors! Car lifts can double the number of vehicles that fit into a given garage. This allows you to keep your favourite rides safe and secure on your own property, even if you have a diverse collection.
In modern luxury homes, car lifts are becoming an increasingly common feature that appeals to car-loving homeowners. The equipment good builders install is highly reliable and easy to use. Residential lifts are just as tough and powerful as their commercial counterparts; there's very little difference between a good home lift and the gear you'll find at your preferred mechanic. BendPak is just one of many reputable lift manufacturers that provide lifts for home use.
Don't skip over this idea if you don't have extra cars to store! A car lift is still an excellent investment for any homeowner with vehicles that don't get driven every day. Parking ATV’S, motorcycles or summer cars on lifts frees up a tremendous amount of floor space and allows you to use your garage for other purposes.
Thinking Three-Dimensionally
Even if you decide that car lifts aren't for you, keep looking upwards for great garage organization ideas. Garage ceilings are outstanding places to store seldom-used belongings and tools. While this is a common do-it-yourself project for homeowners who are trying to de-clutter a garage, it's well worth considering when you're building fresh.
Work with your builder so your garage ceiling makes a welcoming home for storage. Joists can be reinforced to increase the amount of weight you can suspend from the ceiling, and purpose-built storage units can be installed during construction. Just like wall storage (see below), ceiling storage you configure during the building process is far more durable, useful, and attractive than upgrades made after the fact.
Custom Work And Storage Spaces
When you're designing your dream garage from scratch, you should look at every square inch of wall space as an organizational asset. Open wall space can be finished for storage by installing slot board, and cabinetry can provide useful work areas in addition to tidy storage. If you're really going all out, you and your builder may want to collaborate with a design firm that specializes in custom garage work.
A complete custom cabinetry installation will add to the cost of finishing your garage, but it's hard to argue with the appeal of the results. A garage fitted with custom cabinets will not only be a pleasure to live with; it'll also add significantly to the long-term value of your home.
Mobile cabinetry is also worth your consideration. Cabinets, tables, and benches can all be mounted on castors for greater versatility. Installing durable mobile furnishings allows you to make the most of that valuable floor space you're working to save. With one arrangement of mobile tables and work benches, your garage becomes a well-equipped wood shop. Roll away the woodworking tools and roll out your mechanic's bench when it's time to tinker on the car. Mobile work and storage units are key elements to a truly multifunctional garage.
Designing your own home is a big job, and you'll have plenty of decisions to make before and during construction. Don't neglect the humble garage when you're defining your desires with your builder! Paying a little extra attention to your garage results in a much more open and useful room once your home is complete. This is especially true when you have a limited amount of space to work with; smart design is the difference between a cramped and useless space and an efficient, productive one.
