One of the most overlooked rooms in the house is the garage. A garage is the one part of the house homeowners often don’t consider to be a room at all, even when it’s attached. A great garage space can be one of the top things that buyers are looking for when looking for and purchasing a new home.
With the addition of finished polymer flooring over radiant heat in place of concrete, extra outlets, appliances like freezers or refrigerators and an insulated door, a garage provides even greater flexibility for homeowners. A garage can be made to be just as warm as the interior of the home, so it can become the perfect place for working on projects, indoor play space for the kids or even for casual entertaining.
Garrett Waldrop of National Garage Door in Atlanta says that many homes that had sectional overhead garage doors, usually made of fiberglass, composite or steel are now switching to swing out, sliding or bi-fold doors made of wood or materials that can be finished to look like wood doors.
The Garage Is the New Front Door
According to an article appearing on This Old House, entering the home through the garage has replaced the front door as the entryway of choice. A garage door can be as impressive as a formal entryway and can be as simple or as elaborate as a homeowner is willing to go.
“With today’s materials and technology, it’s possible to have a beautiful garage door without giving up convenience or home security,” said Waldrop. “Of course, steel doors remain the most popular because they require the least amount of maintenance and tend to stand the test of time.” If you decide on a metal door, Waldrop recommends looking for a door that is insulated. Some feature an R-value as high as 17 and are dent resistant.
Wood doors are undeniably beautiful, but the price tag makes a wood garage door the most expensive choice and can cost $10,000 or more. If you plan on painting a wooden door, you can choose materials that are made of wood composites, it can cost significantly less with less overall maintenance.
Even if you are not thinking of replacing the garage door, if you have an electric garage door opening system that is older than 15 years old, it’s probably time to replace it. New garage door opening systems have pressure sensitive features that will make the door automatically go back up if it strikes anything that is in its path.
The garage door is a feature that immediately attracts the eyes of passersby due to its size. If it’s looking a little worn, according to The Glimpse, consider speaking with a dealer to get a more modern replacement.
