If you live in a home without a garage, it may be time to build one on your property. This beneficial asset can add value to your home and comes with a host of perks for everyday life. While it’s true that garages are often utilized to house cars, their function can expand far beyond just a parking place for family vehicles. If you’re considering a garage addition for your home, these advantages may help you make the call.

Extra Storage Space

Every homeowner can always use more space to house their prized possessions. Adding on a garage ensures that you have the area you need to store seasonal items, keepsakes and larger objects in a safe place that’s dry and more climate-controlled. It also solves the problem of keeping certain outdoor objects outside on a constant basis, meaning you can better protect your belongings from damage and theft while cleaning up your front or back yard.

Protection From Inclement Weather

Housing your cars in the garage can help protect them from weather damage. Even being parked in the sun can take a toll on your vehicle’s paint job and interior components. However, your family can also enjoy the convenience of parking in the garage. A garage addition ensures a dry and more temperate walk to and from the car on rainy, cold or hot days. Unloading groceries, large purchases and even kids is a lot safer and simpler when parking inside an attached garage.

More Room for Organization and Hobbies

Storing items in your garage means you’ll have the space to keep your home more organized and clutter-free. Many garage owners enjoy using the extra space for hobbies as well. Whether you like working on cars, crafting, music or working out, a garage addition can help create a designated space for the activities you love.

Are you ready to enjoy the perks of extra space that helps shelter you and your belongings? Consider a new garage addition to give your home the extra space it needs.

If your basement is wet, smells rotten, or simply feels damp, then it may be time for a basement waterproofing project. Depending on the source of your problem, you’ll have to determine if you need to waterproof the interior or exterior of your basement.

Here are three steps you should takebefore moving forward with your project.

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Turning unused attic space into a functional room can be an ideal way to expand the living area of a home. However, not all attics can be converted. Before starting an attic remodeling project, there are a few best practices that can help you get started.

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Are you finally ready to tackle that big project in your basement? It has sat unfinished or out of style long enough. Now it’s time to get your creativity on and think of how you want to turn that large empty area of studs and concrete or those drab, tiring rooms into a beautiful, functional living space. You need to consider your budget constraints, but for the most part, the sky’s the limit when it comes to basement remodeling.

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When deciding on which home additions you may want to do to your residence, there are some things you should do to prepare for the actual. These basics should not be overlooked, as skipping a step may set you back either time or money – or both. Here are four steps that will have you ready to get started.

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Siding replacement can improve curb appeal and increase your home’s overall value, making it a worthwhile project for many homeowners. Whether you are giving your house a fresh look or simply replicating the old siding, there are a few important things to consider before getting started.

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Your garage roof has a vitally important function to play in shielding your vehicles and other possessions from rain, wind, and sun. However, it will inevitably take a beating from harsh weather conditions and likely require replacement. If your garage is separate from your house, you may be able to choose a different, more effective option for roof replacement. The following tips will help you make your choice.

1.  Identify the Current Roofing Material

This will help you to gauge how difficult it will be to replace the roof. Replacing asphalt shingles is a complicated matter, while replacing rubber roofing is much more simple.

2.  Assess the Slope

Different options for roofing materials are available for roofs with a low slope than for a high slope. Consult with a contractor for materials that are likely to work best given the slope of the roof.

3.  Look at the Timbers

It is usually not the timbers that require replacement, but rather just the roofing sheets. However, a roof replacement affords you the opportunity to check the timbers for any damage and have your contractor address them as necessary.

4.  Check for Leaks

It is possible for a roof to leak without your being aware of it. Check for telltale signs like discoloration, warping, or a musty odor. If you are already aware that the garage roof leaks, try to pinpoint the source. This information will be valuable for your contractor. Remember that the job is not complete until the roof has been tested and shown to be waterproof.

5.  Choose a Professional Contractor and Quality Materials

For a job this big and important, you want it done right the first time so that you will not need to worry about roof replacement again for many years to come. Therefore, now is not the time to try to save money on substandard materials or to attempt the work yourself if you do not know what you are doing.

Decks have been a part of human relaxation for over a century. Often built to surround homes, they later moved into backyards as families developed more time out of the office. Once decks were constructed solely of wood, but modern technological advancements developed materials that feel and look like wood, and these composite materials are used by homeowners across the United States. When you begin your custom deck building design, keep these tips in mind to create a deck that fits your lifestyle.

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Lofts bring a lot to the table when you’re looking for an urban living space that gives you versatility and breathing room without making you overcharge for the extra air. They duplicate some of the most desired features of freestanding houses in that regard, providing a little more elegance than a standard apartment. Not all loft spaces are equally spacious, though. Often, the lofted area is itself a little cramped, even if the extra head space in the living room is great. That’s where adding a dormer window can be a great help to homeowners who have recently purchased loft properties, as well as to landlords looking to offer a little more on the next lease cycle.

How Loft Dormers Work

By adding a window and the additional infrastructure to support its view, the head space in the loft area is expanded, and it takes just a couple of extensions at right angles to the existing roof to install. This simple change not only gives you more light and more personal space without a lot of hassle, but it can also add a safe exit route in the event of a fire or another emergency. It’s a matter of working with your professional installation team to ensure the new window choice is the right size and placed to facilitate access to a fire escape or another safe route to ground level. It might not always be possible for your architecture, but it’s worth exploring if it is.

Work With an Experienced Team

A new dormer window should be installed professionally, especially if you’re having the dormer area built for the first time instead of replacing an existing window structure. Professionals know how to properly alter the structure without compromising any integrity, and they guarantee their work, so you don’t have to worry about getting it right. Experienced installation professionals also bring a level of familiarity that even a talented do-it-yourself expert just won’t have.

• Save time
• Schedule at your convenience
• Get robust advice about your options
• Consult about other home improvements
• Gain the consumer protections that come from working with home contractors

In the end, there are a lot more reasons to let a professional install your dormer window than to go the other way. Consider an installation team for your next project.

As springtime blossoms with budding flowers and chirping birds, more and more homeowners want to renovate their yards. One popular way of adding outdoor living is with outdoor gazebos. These structures provide an escape from the heat, a pleasant place to picnic and a relaxing location to enjoy the beauty of nature.

History

Gazebos were originally built using mortar and concrete for easy maintenance. Beams and pillars support the roof structure. The style may have changed as the years have passed, but they still remain popular structures in community areas such as parks and gardens. The roof offers respite from the elements whether rain or shine, cold or hot.

Design

Outdoor gazebos are traditionally octagonal or round but come in all sizes from a small backyard one to a giant wedding venue. Build one out of wood, concrete, metal or a combination of materials to suit the look you want to achieve. The weather conditions of the area influence the best materials to use for your specific gazebo. The wrong material cannot withstand the elements such as snow, ice, rain or heat. Treating and finishing materials can be used to extend the life of certain materials such as wood. The price of the gazebos depends on construction costs, material costs and detail work such as intricate wood carvings.

Maintenance

The traditional concrete gazebo had nearly no maintenance requirements, but wooden gazebos have considerably more. Pests and the elements can attack your gazebo and render it useless unless care is taken. Cleaning, servicing and protecting the materials extend the life of your backyard structure.

Outdoor gazebos let you get more out of your yard. Family and friends have a natural gathering point outdoors. The roofed structure makes a great place to escape a sudden rain shower or to relax in the heat of the day. The beauty of nature surrounds you in the open structure whether enjoying a lazy summer day or participating in your child’s wedding.