How much does it cost to renovate your garage on a basic budget?

ARTICLE Penny Lewis

A basic budget of $3,000+ can be used to begin establishing storage solutions and possibly cover some flooring and parking sensors or used to install budget friendly garage doors. If you are looking to transform into more of a leisure room, you can find prices and ideas in the mid-range and high-end project estimate.
Whichever way you decide to use your budget; it is always best to first figure out your needs.

How do I organise storage in my garage?

One of the most cost-effective ways to overhaul your garage is to get its storage sorted. Being able to organise your garage efficiently and sort chaos into order, can be relatively straightforward.
Most hardware retailers sell a variety of hooks for hanging bikes, tool and other paraphernalia. They’re all relatively inexpensive, but your choice of hook will depend on your walls and the weight of what you’re looking to hang. You may need to use a masonry drill bit to fit metal hooks into concrete walls. For lighter objects, there is a variety of adhesive plastic hooks. They’re easily removable and can be repositioned should you need to move things around.
Traditional pegboards are coming back into interior design fashion, but of course in garages they have never really gone away. Their perforations allow you to attach a variety of hooks and brackets and you can also paint them. Lining your concrete garage walls with pegboard will also help soften acoustics.
When you’re choosing shelving and cupboards, make sure you opt for sturdy fittings. What you might select for linen cupboard shelving, won’t be adequate for housing heavier items in the garage. Purpose-built steel shelves from hardware chains are easy to assemble with no nuts or bolts. With evenly distributed weight, some shelves can hold up to 200kg each – perfect for heavy tools or storage.
Remember that for safety, sharp tools and hazardous materials, such as poisons and flammable liquids, should be stored securely. Galvanised steel cupboards with lockable doors and adjustable shelves should do the trick.
You can keep bikes, kayaks and other sports equipment out of the way with specialised hooks and brackets for your garage walls and ceiling.

How do I stop my garage from feel gloomy?

Boost your garage lighting to make tasks – and finding things – much easier. Good lighting will also stop your garage from feeling gloomy.

How much does it cost to add a garage door on a low budget?

If you have an existing sectional garage door that’s still in good condition, but you have to open it manually or its automatic opening moto is past its best, you may want to upgrade its door opener to a quiet, new model. Look on TradeMe or GumTree for inexpensive new standard models or second-hand doors and motors. You may also want to contact manufacturers to see if they have any factory seconds for sale.
If you have budget to buy new, Doors2000 has a range of four basic steel garage doors, roughly priced at $1.600, plus GST for a standard double door, 2.2m-high by 4.8m-wide. “This will get you the door, a quiet stop-and-start motor, remotes, and installation,” says Doors2000’s James Summerfield. He says the company makes its doors to order and these prices are rough estimates.  

What type of flooring should I use?

If you’re happy with your existing concrete garage floor and want to give it a freshen up, a new coat of paint could do the trick. Choosing a specialist garage paint is necessary so it has good abrasion and chemical resistance and won’t lift under hot car tyres. Wayne Gordon from Refresh Renovations says concrete floor paint suitable for long-life and non-slip floors is useful in garages, “particularly if the garage is going to be used in a workshop”.
Wayne has the following advice to prepare and paint a garage floor with a two-pack epoxy floor coating. To begin with, the concrete surface will require washing with hydrochloric acid and water to remove any existing paint, coating or glues. Two top coats will then need to be applied. “The product we suggest to use is called Pita Cote and is used for factory floors with high traffic areas and is very durable and easy to clean.” After the paint is dry you need to allow a hardening period of seven days for the product to completely dry. “Have minimal traffic on the surface over this time.”
Carpeted garages are becoming increasingly popular. Having something soft underfoot makes your garage that much more comfortable to spend time in and makes the room multi-purpose. Like anything, you get what you pay for. If your budget is really stretched, check out your online second hand reseller for local flooring outlets.

Can I add a parking sensor for my garage?

Yes, it’s still possible to dangle a tennis ball from a piece of fishing line to help you find the right place to park in your garage, but there are higher-tech options on the market. Notsocks sells the Striker garage parking sensor for $59.95. It’s wireless, ultrasonic range-finding technology detects the distance of your car from the wall and it’s easy to install. The light indicates green as a vehicle approaches, orange to say slow down and red to stop.

If you have a slightly bigger budget to work with, why not read our mid-range garage renovations and high-end garage renovations.

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*Costs are rough estimates and are subject to change. For a fixed-quote accurate to your specific project, please consult your local Refresh Renovations specialist. All Refresh Renovations franchises are independently owned and operated.