Archive for November, 2008

How often should a garage door need to be maintained?

Sunday, November 30th, 2008
mag asked:


How often does a garage door break or fail to function properly?
What parts need to be maintained?
Are the repairs costly?

Vera
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How to install Garage door opener with Main Beam in the way?

Friday, November 28th, 2008
R asked:


I want to install a garage door opener, but in the garage the main beam is in the way. It is a high ranch with a 2 car garage and the beam crosses through the middle of the garage parallel to the garage doors (supported by a pole in the middle of the garage between the cars. To install a ceiling mount garage door opener, I would have to cut a large hole or notch in the beam for the rail to pass through.

Is that OK? What are the alternatives?

Ted

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How many garage sales are held each week in the United States?

Thursday, November 27th, 2008
momma88 asked:


Having trouble locating an accurate figure of how many garage sales are held in the US each week or weekend?
Some estimates say 10,000 a week, others say a million.?
if there are 106,000,000 households in America what percentage is having a garage sale this week? Are there any states that dont have them? Are you more familiar with the term garage sale or yard sale? Do they mean the same to you?

Lewis
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5 Creative Garage Design Ideas

Tuesday, November 25th, 2008
Bruce Lipski asked:


If you are lucky, you have a big garage and have lots of extra room. Or maybe you have a two or three car garage but only one car to put in it. All that extra garage space can be put to good use for more things than just extra storage. Listed below are some great ideas of what you can do with that extra garage space:

1) The cool garage game room - Every guy would like to have his own space where he can get away and hang out. Depending how much you are into games and game machines, the garage is a perfect place if you have the space. There is no better area to put a real pinball machine or old arcade game or games. If you have the space and the money, you can really do it up right and turn part of your garage into a themed game room. You can put in carpet or some other surface underneath and put the appropriate memorabilia on the walls. Just remember to heat it properly in the winter if you live in a cold area.

2) The garage gym / workout area - Your garage is a great place to assemble a gym. One reason is that you can open the garage up any time to let fresh air in. You also might be able to worry less about the heavy gym equipment doing damage to the floors or walls. In the colder months the temperature might be just about right in the garage for a workout but the summer might be a bit hot. Make sure you have your garage heated or cooled correctly for the desired temperature.

3) The garage play room - This can only be done if you live in an environment where there are no big temperature swings. Turning the garage into a play area for the kids is something you might think of if you lack the extra room in your house. You would need to have that garage area carpeted and make sure it is safe just like you would for any other room. On nice days, the garage doors can be open or partially open if you like and if you have a system to make sure the kids don’t go in the street.

4) The garage workshop - This is a common one of course with the guys who traditionally have their tools stored in the garage. This is where many guys get away to build things or repair things or just to get away.

5) The sports themed garage - Some guys are into sports big time and need a place where they can go to watch sports, be with their sports equipment, work on their sports equipment, and just hang out. Turning your garage or part of it into a “shrine” for that favorite sports team is a way to make the guy happy and it keeps that stuff out of the house to make the wife happy. You can even put in a couch and a flat screen TV on the wall to make your sports garage complete.



Dana
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What is the rough cost to build a garage?

Sunday, November 23rd, 2008
fibtje asked:


I am looking at purchasing one of two houses, one with a garage and one without. I like the house better without the garage and can get it for cheaper so I am wondering if I could build a garage. There is back alley access and a detatched garage would suit us fine. Including labour and concrete floor etc what is the general cost of building a basic garage?

Brent
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Steel Garage Building Plans: An Easy And Savvy Solution

Thursday, November 20th, 2008
Kirsten Whittaker asked:


A steel garage is a perfect addition to any home. Steel garage doubles as a shelter for your vehicle, storage for tools and equipment, and can even serve as a working space for a do-it-yourselfer. Steel garages have become a favorite among savvy homeowners, as they are flexible, easy to build and very affordable. With a steel garage, you can store one vehicle or even a truck or a boat, even though you cannot accommodate a guest apartment or an office there. In any case, you can always choose a garage building plan that suits your needs without sacrificing space or look of your property.

When built according to garage building plans, a steel garage can cost you up to 40% less than conventional garages. With a steel garage, you can add a roof of your choice, install the doors and windows right where you want them, and of course, you can pick materials you can afford.

When picking a garage building plan, you must decide what your family needs. Would that be a two-car garage or a simple tool shed? With a clear idea in mind, take a look at your property and find a suitable space. You need to make sure that the garage has an accessible driveway and connection to the house for water and electricity. Avoid damp areas, if your property has them. To find the balance in form and function, you can add a steel garage to the side of your house. In fact, most garages today are attached to the house. Check your building permits and local building codes to make sure you don’t violate any of them.

Steel garages are fairly easy to assemble, but even with the simplest plan, you need to consider if you have enough time and expertise to build the garage by yourself, or maybe you need to hire a contractor to finish the job. As for the tools, most of them you might already have. If not, you can always rent them instead of buying. The garage building plan will list all the tools you need. Expert constructors recommend having all tools on site before beginning construction.

Steel garage building begins with precise marking of the excavation area. Most likely you will need a contractor to excavate the area and build the garage foundation with anchor bolts enclosed.

When the foundation is ready, you can raise walls. Before lifting the steel sheets into place, make sure the bottom is correctly positioned. At this stage ensure you have some help with lifting and holding the wall in place while fixing it in.

The roof must be built immediately after you have finished constructing the walls to avoid any weather damage inside the steel garage. Roof trusses will sustain loads only when they are vertical. Carefully lift the trusses and set them in place. Now you are ready to add roof sheathing. Polyurethane or particleboard is the most common material.

Steel garage building plans allow you to build exactly the garage you have in mind to fit in perfectly in whatever style home you have. Best of all, complete steel garage building plans are available for any project with blueprints and detailed walkthrough for every stage of the construction.



Cory
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Converting garage to playroom?

Wednesday, November 19th, 2008
newmomma asked:


Hi,
I am planning to make our garage a playroom for my 9 month old. baiscally put his toys there so he has lot of room to explore without worrying about getting hurt by any furniture. Now the question is, what should I do to the floor of the garage? What can be done to make it child friendly. My garage is clean with no furniture or cabinets or any junk whatsoever. Please share your ideas.

Jesse
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How much does a garage increase the value of a home?

Tuesday, November 18th, 2008
jenny84 asked:


I have a garage at the back of my garden which can be accessed by an alley way at the back. Right now I just use it for storage. If I clear it, make it secure and add a high tech door, will this increase the value of my house (4 bed North West London) and if so, how much will it increase?

Gregory
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Why Garage Floor Sealers Are Important To Avoid Putting In New Concrete

Monday, November 17th, 2008
Sal Farzin asked:


Homeowners with garages should make sure that this particular part of their house is well maintained. Many people ignore their garage but keep on improving and renovating other areas of their properties. This is actually bad practice. The garage is an official part your home. If you don’t maintain it, you’ll realize too late that your garage can actually pull down the market value of your house. The bottom line, make sure that you keep your garage as appealing as the rest of your house. At least use garage floor sealers to provide some level of protection to the floor.

Garage floor sealers are functional enough if you’re not planning to use other types of floor covering for your garage. While it is possible to use floor tiles and mats on your garage applying the sealer, you won’t be able to use latex or epoxy paint to it any longer. Garage floor sealers keep moisture and liquids from penetrating into the floor. As such, paints won’t be able to stick to it at all. Even if you try, the paint would simply just peel off in a matter of days.

Garage floor sealers are used for bare concrete garage floors. Get the one that is especially created for horizontal surfaces. Sealers can be used on walls too. The ones created for floors are stronger as they can withstand traffic, weight, and impact better.

If you go to a hardware shop and buy garage floor sealer, you will find out that there are a lot of choices before you. There are some advertised to be fast-drying. Some are priced ridiculously while others are dirt cheap. There are also special floor sealers for special types of floors. If you are at a loss as to which sealer to get, check out the label of the product. Scan through its features and salient points. If you recognize a trustworthy brand, you can purchase that one.

Else, focus on the product’s components or contents list. The best performance garage floor sealers are the ones made from synthetic epoxy resins. This substance can keep water and moisture away from the surface of the floor. Sealers out of epoxy resin can last for years. And that would give you peace of mind really - because you don’t have to worry about leakage or spills for a long time.

Keep your garage looking new and in the best shape at all times. Use garage floor sealers to preserve its appeal. While it may not add anything to the attractiveness of the garage, it can add the necessary resilience to it for sure.



Jacob
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How close to the street can you build a garage? How much driveway do you have to have?

Friday, November 14th, 2008
mommy to be of 3 asked:


I live in jasper county(newton) iowa and would like to build a garage connecting onto the front of my existing garage. Does anyone know where i can find this information either online or by calling? If so where? I have a ranch with an integrated garage and I want to build the new one over part of my big driveway, can it be a 2 stall, how close can I build to the property line?

Jeremy
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