Everyone deserves a garage that best fits their needs and wants. During this time of the year, you may be starting to consider the types of features you would like to have for your garage. If you just want a place to store your car and other personal items, or if you are planning to use your garage to host social gatherings, you will want to be up to date with the best features that will give your garage a unique feel.

Technology and Smart Home Features

As new technologies continue to be developed, they can provide some great solutions for your garage. Some of the most helpful technologies include home automation features that can be tied into one network through your home security interface. With this type of technology, you can use your smartphone to activate certain features when you are away from home, including turning lights on and off, locking or unlocking doors, opening or closing your garage door remotely, and activating or deactivating your security alarm.

What Else Can I Add to My Garage?

In addition to technological innovations, there are a wide variety of ways you can manually make your garage stand out. Some ideas include:

• Climate control – A modern climate control system can automatically monitor the temperature, humidity, and air pressure of your garage, ensuring that the items or vehicles you store there are kept in good condition.
• Car elevator – A hidden door in the floor of your garage can be used to store your car underground, with an elevator entrance and exit.
• Hydraulic lift – If you love to work on your car’s engine, your own hydraulic lift is a great solution. A lift may cost a few thousand dollars, but it can provide you with the maintenance features you need and save you the need to visit a mechanic.
• Elegant styles of flooring – Concrete is the most common flooring type in today’s garages. Polished marble or other types of custom flooring are a good way to show off your car collection and to give your garage a more elegant touch.
• A bar or social section – Having a fully-stocked bar in your garage is a great idea if you love to host social gatherings. Depending on the style of your home and garage, it may be a good idea to create a bar area or social area that matches the design of your home.

Call Blue Sky Builders, Inc.

For over 39 years, Blue Sky Builders, Inc. has assisted DuPage County area clients in a wide variety of projects involving special garage features. For further information on how we can help you add the features that will take your garage to the next level, please contact us at 630-852-8485 today. To view some of our previous work, please visit our gallery.

Spring is now here, which means that it is time for many people to think about how to get their garages ready for the upcoming warmer weather. In the Chicago and DuPage County area, the weather was very cold during the winter, and this may have resulted in a variety of issues which may need to be resolved, such as cracked caulking on a garage door or the invasion of unwanted creatures. Here are some tips on how to get your garage in order this spring:

Organize Items Needed for Spring Use

As the weather warms up, many people like to play sports, ride bikes, and participate in other outdoor activities. Unfortunately, bikes, sports equipment, and other items often become very disorganized during the months that they are not in use. While getting your garage organized may seem pretty daunting at first, there are several easy ways to put your garage in order.

First of all, if you do not have enough floor space to store balls, you can consider building a bungee cord storage solution. All you need are a few bungee cords and two square frames. Mount the frames to your garage wall and hook the cords to the frames, and you will have a secure way to store balls or other equipment.

Other great ideas include using laundry bags or duffle bags to store sports equipment, mounting a corkboard on the garage wall where equipment can be hung, building shelving units, and hanging bicycles, tools, or other equipment from wall and ceiling hooks.

Keep Bugs and Flies Out

To keep pests out of your garage, it is a good idea to spray organic pesticides around the inside and outside baseboards of the garage. If the seal on the bottom of the garage door is cracked or missing, this may allow bugs to enter the garage, so be sure to repair or replace any faulty weather stripping.

In order to keep bugs and flies at bay, it is important to make sure all food and garbage are kept in properly sealed containers. It is also a good idea to store all items off the ground to ensure that they are not ruined by pests.

Check for Any Dangerous Combustible Items

Many people store fertilizers and herbicides in their garages, as well as other dangerous, combustible items, such as paints, solvents, gasoline, antifreeze, windshield washer fluid, and brake fluid. These products may be a fire hazard if they are not stored properly, so it is very important to keep them in their original containers and away from any sources of flame.
It is best to only buy as much of these products as you need, decreasing the likelihood of having to dispose of these products at a later date.

Contact Blue Sky Builders, Inc.

You can always count on Blue Sky Builders, Inc. to answer your questions about how to get your garage ready for the spring. For over 39 years, we have provided top quality service to our clients, providing expert advice on their various garage projects. If you want to know more about how we can help you create the ideal garage this spring, please contact us at 630-852-8485 today. To view some examples of our work, please visit our gallery.

Your garage is not just a small building where you park your car. Depending on your lifestyle, you may spend a great amount of time in your garage. Whether you are using your garage for storage, hosting a get-together, inviting friends over for a game of pool, or just relaxing, it can be a haven from the hectic life that many of us face every day. During this time of year, you may be planning to see how you can update your garage to better meet your needs, and you are probably wondering when the best time would be to build a new garage or renovate your old one.

Timing is Everything

Late winter and early spring is a great time to start building an addition to your home. When the ground is frozen, and the air is dry, it can be easier to dig a foundation and pour concrete footers.

Many homeowners make the decision to build a new garage in the spring or early summer. Implementing new ideas during this time allows them to get the most use out of their garage throughout the summer and fall. However, since spring is considered to be home-building season, the cost of labor and materials for your garage may be greater during this time, due to higher demand.

In the summer and early fall, it is a good idea to work on roofing projects for your garage, since roofing materials must be exposed to higher temperatures to properly seal.

Most homeowners would like to have their garage building and remodeling projects done by the end of the year. During the fall, homeowners may want to remodel the inside of their garage, ensuring that it will be ready in time for Thanksgiving and holiday gatherings.

Pre-Planning Your New Garage Build

Building or renovating a garage can be a complex undertaking. When preparing for your garage project, you will want to design a space that will meet your needs, estimate the costs required, obtain any necessary permits, ensure that the foundation is properly built, plan for framing the building, choose the right materials, and determine the style and materials of doors.

The cost of a new garage is usually between $30 to $55 per square feet, depending on the materials used. A one-car garage will typically be around 240 square feet, and a two-car garage will be around 380 square feet. If you do the framing of your garage yourself, using a wood or steel frame kit with pre-cut materials, you may be able to save on the costs of labor and complete the project more quickly.

Contact Blue Sky Builders, Inc.

As you plan for the upcoming year, you will want to be able to get the most out of your garage. If you have any questions about how to get started on your garage project, Blue Sky Builders, Inc. can assist you with your unique needs. For over 39 years, Blue Sky Builders, Inc. has provided top-notch service to our Chicago and DuPage County area clients, and we can help you create your ideal garage solution. Contact us today at 630-852-8485. To view some of the great garages we have built, please visit our gallery.

Spring is just around the corner. As the weather starts to warm up in the Chicago area and DuPage County, this is a good opportunity to plan for spring cleaning around your home, and your garage is no exception. As you plan to clean, organize, and maintain your garage in the coming months, the following checklist will allow you to stay on top of the tasks you will need to complete.

Cleaning and Organizing Your Garage

A garage spring cleaning and organization project can be a large undertaking. Here are some steps to follow:

• It is best to start by getting rid of all the items in your garage that you do not need or are unlikely to ever use. You may be able to donate items to charity, or you could throw them out at a local dump or recycling center.
• Sweep the garage out to remove all the dirt, dust, and dead bugs that have accumulated during the winter. Use a shop-vac to clean corners and other areas that are hard to reach.
• Clean your garage floor using a concrete floor cleaner. If you have kept your car inside your garage during the winter, you may also need to use an oil stain remover.
• Clean your garage door by lightly sweeping it with a broom, soaping it with car wash soap, and hosing it off.
• Plan for making the best use of your garage space by installing wall hooks to hang landscaping tools, gardening equipment, or bicycles and using shelves and storage bins to free up floor space.

Inspecting Your Garage

Every year, it is very important to inspect the interior and exterior of your garage to determine if there is any damage which will need to be repaired. The following tasks can help you find any issues which will need to be addressed:

• Check all doors in the garage to ensure that they are properly weather-stripped. Ensure that seals fit correctly at the bottom of each door.
• Make sure your garage door is operating properly, including testing the sensors that keep the door from closing if a person, pet, or object is blocking the entrance. Oil the door’s hinges, tracks, and rollers.
• Clean out your garage’s gutters and inspect them for damage.
• Inspect your garage roof for damaged or missing shingles or tiles.
• Look for damage to garage walls, especially in spots that are dark or moist. Damage to wood can indicate an infestation of termites or carpenter ants.
• Inspect the garage’s walls and foundation for cracks or mold.

Contact Blue Sky Builders, Inc.

By following this checklist for cleaning, organization, and maintenance, you can ensure that you will be prepared to get the most out of your garage in the coming months. If you have any further questions about garage maintenance, or if you are considering remodeling or renovating your garage, the garage professionals at Blue Sky Builders, Inc. can help you create the ideal garage that meets your needs. Please contact us today at 630-852-8485.

Electric cars are becoming more and more common, and they provide their owners with a number of benefits, including efficient use of energy and savings on fuel. As electric cars continue to evolve to suit a market that wants to conserve energy, many people are considering purchasing one of these vehicles. However, before making the move away from a gas-powered car, it is important to understand the changes which will need to be made to your garage to accommodate an electric vehicle.

Installing a Home Charging Station

In order to charge your car’s battery while you are not driving it, you will need to install a home charging station in your garage. At the very least, an electric car requires a 120-volt circuit, but a typical car can take 20 to 25 hours to fully charge when using a standard household outlet.

To cut down on charging time, it is best to use a 240-volt charger, which can charge a vehicle in half the time. These chargers require the installation of a dedicated 240-volt outlet, which can be done by an electrician.

One important consideration when installing a charging station is the length of the cord. Be sure that the outlet installed by the electrician and the placement of the charging station leave enough room for the cord to reach the car.

Maintaining Safety With Your Charging Station

The large amount of current carried over your charging station’s electrical cables can be a cause for concern, so it is important to be sure that it is installed correctly and connected to your home’s circuit breaker. It is also a good idea to invest in high-quality home surge protection, ensuring that your house’s and car’s electrical systems are safe from events such as lightning strikes. Finally, you should be sure to keep a foam fire extinguisher on hand; even though the chances of a battery catching fire are very low, it is best to be prepared to protect yourself and your home from fire damage.

Call Blue Sky Builders, Inc.

Electric cars provide many benefits, but to get the most out of these energy efficient vehicles, you should invest in updates to your garage that will allow you to store and charge your vehicle safely. If you have any questions on how to create the ideal garage for your electric car, contact the garage professionals at Blue Sky Builders, Inc. With more than 39 years of experience in the garage sector, we can work with you to make the updates and modifications you need. Contact us at 630-852-8485.