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Expanding Your Garage Adding to Existing Space

Enhancing Your Home with a Garage Addition to Existing Space

Assessing Your Needs and Goals:
Before embarking on a garage addition project, it’s crucial to assess your needs and goals carefully. Consider factors such as the size and layout of your existing garage, your parking and storage requirements, and any additional features or amenities you’d like to incorporate. By defining your objectives upfront, you can ensure that the garage addition meets your needs and enhances your home’s functionality and value.

Evaluating Existing Space and Structural Considerations:
When adding to an existing garage, it’s essential to evaluate the available space and structural considerations carefully. Consider factors such as the size and layout of the existing garage, the condition of the foundation and framing, and any potential obstacles or limitations. Consulting with a qualified contractor or structural engineer can help you assess the feasibility of your project and identify any necessary modifications or reinforcements to ensure structural integrity.

Designing the Perfect Addition:
Once you’ve assessed your needs and evaluated existing space, it’s time to design the perfect garage addition. Work with a professional architect or designer to develop a plan that complements your home’s architectural style, maximizes functionality, and optimizes curb appeal. Consider factors such as the size and layout of the addition, the placement of doors and windows, and the integration of design elements such as siding, roofing, and trim.

Selecting Materials and Finishes:
Choosing the right materials and finishes is essential for achieving the desired look and durability of your garage addition. Consider factors such as the climate, exposure to the elements, and maintenance requirements when selecting materials such as siding, roofing, and trim. Opt for high-quality materials that offer durability, energy efficiency, and aesthetic appeal, ensuring that your garage addition stands the test of time and enhances your home’s overall appearance.

Navigating Building Permits and Regulations:
Before beginning construction on your garage addition, it’s essential to obtain the necessary building permits and comply with local building codes and regulations. Working with a qualified contractor who is familiar with local requirements can help streamline the permitting process and ensure that your project meets all necessary standards. Failure to obtain permits or comply with regulations can result in costly delays, fines, or even the need to remove or modify the addition.

Budgeting and Financing Your Project:
Budgeting and financing are critical considerations when planning a garage addition to existing space. Take the time to carefully estimate the costs associated with materials, labor, permits, and other expenses, and develop a realistic budget that aligns with your financial goals. Explore financing options such as home equity loans, personal loans, or lines of credit to help fund your project if needed, ensuring that you can proceed with confidence and peace of mind.

Hiring Qualified Professionals:
When it comes to a project as significant as a garage addition, hiring qualified professionals is essential. Look for contractors who are licensed, insured, and experienced in garage construction and renovation. Request references and portfolios of past projects to

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Wood

Tabletop and Other Small Space Vegetable Gardens

master5 years ago08 mins

If you live in the city, or simply can’t find enough “yard” to grow your own vegetables, take a second look. Salad greens, tomatoes and other vegetables grown in your own garden are simply tastier and more nutritious than those you pick up at the grocery store, plus you have the added advantage of knowing they weren’t sprayed with harmful chemicals. There really is no comparison to picking your own vegetables, and minutes later enjoying a salad or stir-fry. There are lots of innovative, space-saving ways you can grow vegetables in your own space no matter the size.
Start With Small Space Vegetables
If you have little space, you obviously won’t be growing rows of corn or squash with sprawling vines or melons. There are, however, plenty of tasty vegetables you can grow just fine, such as tomatoes, baby carrots, salad greens, baby cauliflower, peppers, bush beans, snow peas or cabbage. Shoot for plants that tend to grow vertically or upright and that have shorter growing seasons. Only plant the types of vegetables that you and your family really love, as you won’t want to spend the time on a crop nobody eats. Vegetables which are marketed as “baby,” “dwarf,” “bush,” or “compact,” are all good choices for your small space garden. If you have a nice, sunny windowsill, you can get a jump on spring by planting several varieties of seeds in your window. By the time spring does finally appear, you will already have plants ready to set outside in containers, on a balcony, or in hanging pots.
Container Gardening or Raised Beds
Even if you don’t have soil in your yard to grow vegetables, you can incorporate raised beds, or choose from a wide array of containers for container gardening. Raised beds let you increase the fertility in the soil, and to raise more vegetables in a smaller space. Mulching every fall with leaves will keep the soil healthy for growing. Raised beds can be built with 1″ x 8″ boards, cinder blocks or bricks. Don’t use treated wood for your raised beds as the chemical used to treat the wood can leach into your vegetables.
Container planters come in all shapes, sizes and prices. Terra cotta pots always look great, but tend to dry out quickly, so remember to water often. A new way of growing, although not as aesthetically pleasing as a well-built raised bed or pretty container, is to buy bags of garden soil or potting soil, lay them out where you want to grow, and simply cut holes in the top for individual plants. Grow bags can easily support cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, lettuce or French and bush beans. Window boxes both look nice and allow you to grow cherry tomatoes, lettuce, celery, peppers or herbs. The traditional strawberry pot can allow you to grow a crop of strawberries in a small space on your porch or deck. Remember that vegetables need lots of fertilizer when growing in containers, as well as consistent watering …