Considering Adding a Garage to Your Home? Here’s Why You Should

Have you been contemplating for some time now about adding a garage to your home? Maybe you need extra storage space or you feel safer leaving your car in a garage. Whatever your specific needs, adding a garage is a great solution to many problems. If you own a home without a garage, you may not know just how much value a garage can add. Here’s why a garage will prove very useful:

Increased Home Value

Although adding a garage to a home can be fairly expensive, when you consider that a garage will bump property value, it makes financial sense. More buyers are looking for homes with garages, and a house with no garage will certainly sell for less than one with a garage.

Extra Storage Space

One main advantage to having a garage is the additional storage space. Many homeowners don’t have the room to store all of their possessions. You can use the space in your garage to store the extra items. Not only can it house vehicles, cars, motorcycles and boats, but other items such as bicycles, tools, gym equipment, home decorations, and so much more.

A Work Office

Have you always wanted your own private work area? You can turn your garage into a functional workspace. You can add insulation and heat to keep comfortable and enjoy peace and quiet while you work.  

A Hangout Zone

If you purchase a large garage, you can turn it into a hangout area. You can use it to watch television, play games, listen to music, and more. 

A Guest Room

Do you wish your house came with an extra bedroom? You can turn the garage into just that. It’s perfect for when family or friends come to visit.

A Personal Gym

It’s important to invest in your personal health. Turn your garage into your own personal workout room and reap both physical and financial rewards.

Considering all these benefits and more, a garage offers the next step is choosing the garage that's right for you. Colorbond steel garages are highly popular because they are secure, strong, and beautiful. Colorbond doesn’t rust or fade, and you can choose from an array of colors so the garage complements your home.

Steel Prices Are Rising: What This Means for Consumers

While steel prices vary from country to country, rising input costs are generally driving prices of steel upwards.

Rising input costs means it is more expensive to produce steel than in previous years due to global increases in prices of iron ore and hard coking coal. This leads to higher prices on steel products.

In fact, according to MetalMiner, base prices for stainless steel increased by 300% between January and July 2016. Just a few days ago, Livemint reported that in India, steel output has seen double-digit growth rates throughout the fall of this year. Because of rising consumption in the area, domestic steel prices in India have been increasing.

“Higher output and higher prices are two factors that should benefit Indian steel companies considerably,” wrote Livemint’s Ravi Ananthanarayanan in the article.

Also this fall, Australia and China have been debating about the issue of China dumping steel in Australia. Many businesses in Australia have argued that China’s undercutting of steel prices violate international agreements established by the World Trade Organization. Anti-dumping tariffs are designed to alleviate this situation, which is detrimental to local markets, but these tariffs also mean higher prices for consumers.

As Tim Harcourt wrote for Australia’s The Conversation last month, “While consumers may enjoy cheaper products, local industry may argue that the imports are being used to drive them out of business, and get monopoly power.”

For consumers, these increases in price mean that it’s a good idea to purchase goods that utilize steel sooner rather than later. Consumer goods that commonly use steel include:

·         Stainless steel refrigerators, stoves, ovens and other appliances

·         Steel garages and sheds

·         Automotive parts like exhaust pipes and grilles

·         Surgical tools like forceps and scalpels

Construction parts like air ducts, elevators and roof cladding

4 Essential Fall Maintenance Jobs

Fall is finally here! The average person is probably looking forward to cooler weather and the opportunity to spend some time outdoors comfortably. The average home owner is thinking about the maintenance they want to get done while it's nice out.

Maintenance is just another part of home ownership, but it usually isn't a task that people look forward to. Keeping up your lawn, garden, and home can take a lot of time, and some people are going to inadvertently overdo it. However, you don't have to go through an exhaustive maintenance checklist every time fall comes around. As long as you perform these tasks, your house will be around for many years to come.

Check your roof

If you had a stormy summer, it wouldn't be unusual for your roof to have a few issues. Missing shingles, leaks, and signs of decay seem small, but they could also be warning you of a larger impending issue. If you have a sturdy ladder, check out your roof (and gutters) now. It's also important to remember that some repairs and problems are best handled by professionals. You can replace a missing shingle or two, but shouldn't attempt to replace an entire section of roof.

Clear away dead branches and leaves

Having a tree in your yard can be aesthetically pleasing, but it can also be a bit of a hassle maintenance-wise. Clearing away yard waste is a good way to prepare your lawn for winter, and ensure that everything is clean and ready for spring. Dead branches can present hazards, and a thick layer of dead leaves can blow around and make a mess during winter. Also, be sure to inspect any large hanging branches that haven't completely broken off yet. It may be better to cut them down now than to let a strong fall storm blow them away. Removing these materials can make your lawn look neat and tidy no matter the time of year.

Replace your HVAC filters

HVAC may not seem like a big part of your maintenance, but simply replacing your filters can drastically improve the air quality of your home. Can you remember the last time you replaced any air filters in your home? Dirty filters are full of dust, allergens, and debris, and you should clean or replace them every six months. Make this five-minute task a part of your seasonal maintenance and it could significantly improve your health.

Clean out your storage spaces

How many broken tools and half-used bags of fertilizer are taking up space in garages and sheds around the country? You won't be able to do much maintenance if you can't find any tools or equipment. Take the time to not just clean out your outdoor storage areas, but to also take stock of what you may need to pick up for future tasks. 

These are just the essentials of home and yard maintenance. What else is part of your fall routine?