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Single car remodel in NC!

93TOY

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I've been on here for years (mostly lurking), but it's time to share my build.

Here's the back story. Wife and I bought this house many years ago. When we bought the house, I owned and ran a detail shop. Had an awesome old two story building I rented for the business with parking on two levels. Wash bays upstairs and down. Could tightly park 20 cars downstairs, about 8 cars up top. Indoor parking/storage was not an issue. Thus I bought a house with NO GARAGE! That was fine until several years later when I closed the detail shop.

Alot changed over the years, but we still live in the same house. Great neighborhood and very convienent. While we didn't have a garage, it did have a carport that was built into the roofline of the house. So when I closed the shop, I wanted to enclose the carport to create a garage for two purposes: 1) to at least be able to park one of my cars inside and 2) to be able to continue to detail for other people as a source of supplemental income.

So we enclosed it. Put up some lighting, small wall heater, painted the floor and a few amenities (TV, stereo) to make it comfortable and useful. Here's a pic from 2005. This is how it's looked for several years. I've ditched the old clunky computer (Ha ha!) since technology has allowed better ways to have internet access in the garage now.

DSC00581Medium.jpg



DSC00582Medium.jpg


So fast forward to present day and it's time for a remodel. (Darn you 55Cadillacking and dubber!) So here's the plan:

Fresh coat of paint throughout and paint that darn space-eating chimney!

Garage door opener installed. (Never had one put in when we built it) That requires lighting to be moved due to the low headroom kit that was necessary.

Lighting. Remove one of the 8 foot overhead lights for the garage door opener and install a receptacle up top. Track lighting installed on both sides near the garage door so I have sufficient lighting for detailing when the door is closed. Move the single 4 foot section on the front wall from the center and replace it with two 4 foot lights on either side of the....

New window. Always regreted not putting one up front. So a new one is being cut in.

Race Deck Freeflow should be here Wednesday! Painted floor served it's purpose for several years, but it's time for bigger and better!

Husky 32 inch floor cabinet is going in next to the chimney. It will replace the open shelves for a cleaner look.

I want a new electric cord/reel to hang from the ceiling but can't decide on which brand. 30ft should be good. Suggestions? I want something that will reel in properly and I don't have to "feed" back in all of the time.

New TV. Time to go a little larger!

Oh, and the driveway and sidewalk was re-concreted last summer. So that looks better too!

Anyway, more pics to follow. Thanks for the inspiration and ideas guys!
 
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93TOY

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Thanks! I spent 7 L - O - N - G months in Raleigh one time!!!
 
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93TOY

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No, I hadn't really looked into that option. I'm actually thrilled with the modified electrical though. Better lighting (and more adjustable) than I ever had before!
 

Dan in Pasadena

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I like the sound of everything you're planning EXCEPT painting that beautiful brick. I can see it ***** the light out of the space and painting it a light color probably would improve the overall look.....I just love natural brick. Oh well, I'm sure it'll look fantastic with the Racedeack. Can't wait to see photos of your progress.
 

theoldwizard1

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Side lighting is great but I would be paranoid about bumping into it and breaking the tubes/fixtures.
 
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93TOY

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Thanks for the compliments guys. It is slowly progressing. I'll try to get some "during" pictures up soon.
 

mcmlvif100

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Subscribed. Looking forward to seeing how it turns out. Agree with Dan in Pasadena on the brick.

Have a single car garage and am always looking for ideas. Don't know how I missed Derrickwade's thread but am catching up now.
 
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HSpencer

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Great Place! I also encourage you to leave the brick and make a feature of it. It would enhance what you do in the garage left as is.
Keep us posted!!
 

dubber

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Always drawn to build threads with the word 'Single' in the title, for obvious reasons. Glad i stumbled upon this, looks like this will be a great one to follow. Glad to hear mine helped to motivate you. There is a ton of great influence and ideas on here as you know. I was actually just rearranging my 32" Husky today, oh yea and moping the free flow :) I'm excited to see the pics of your progression. G/L
 
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93TOY

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Bunch of brick lovers! Ha ha! Okay, you talked me into it, natural brick will live to see another day.

Thanks for the kind words guys, it's slowly coming together. I wish Home Depot would put the Husky cabinet on sale, but who know when that may happen. Any suggestions on the electric cord reel?

Dubber, I know what you mean about watching the "single" threads. If I see single in the title I check it out first thing because those are the guys who know how to make good use of their space!
 
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dubber

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My cord reel works great, think its made by Tasco, I've got pics in my thread at some point but i got it from Ebay.
 
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93TOY

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I saw yours in your thread Dubber. How do you like it so far? Does it reel back in well? Whatever one I buy will be used alot and put to the test.
 

dubber

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I saw yours in your thread Dubber. How do you like it so far? Does it reel back in well? Whatever one I buy will be used alot and put to the test.

I like it but i don't use it that often, maybe only four times thus far. For your use you may want to find one at a local store so its easy to return if your unsatisfied or it brakes. Lowes had a nice one last time i was there.
 
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93TOY

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Thanks. I'll have to go look at Lowes.

Went to HD last night and picked up the Husky cabinet. One more item down!

I need to start prepping the walls for paint.
 

dubber

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Nice work! Keep it up.

One tip for the Husky cabinet is try and figure out what you are wanting to put in there prior to assembling it as the shelves cannot be adjusted once its all together (without taking it apart again.) I left more room on the bottom shelf for taller items.
 
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93TOY

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Nice work! Keep it up.

One tip for the Husky cabinet is try and figure out what you are wanting to put in there prior to assembling it as the shelves cannot be adjusted once its all together (without taking it apart again.) I left more room on the bottom shelf for taller items.

Thanks for the heads up! It will be a few weeks before I am ready to put it in place and assemble, but I'm glad I have that knowledge going in.

I opened it up today just to inspect the panels and make sure they were dent free. Looks like I picked a good one!

Race Deck should be here Wednesday!
 
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93TOY

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The bad thing is the Race Deck will be sitting in boxes for a while!

Electical is done, garage door opener is installed. The window is framed and sheetrocked from inside, but the hole for it isn't opened up from the outside yet. Contractor plans to complete this week. I've done some wall prep, but I have to wait until he's done with the window before I can paint.

Needless to say, I want paint done before I lay down the floor.

When I get home tomorrow and see all of the boxes sitting there I'm going to lose my mind!
 

HSpencer

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dubber

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The bad thing is the Race Deck will be sitting in boxes for a while!

Electical is done, garage door opener is installed. The window is framed and sheetrocked from inside, but the hole for it isn't opened up from the outside yet. Contractor plans to complete this week. I've done some wall prep, but I have to wait until he's done with the window before I can paint.

Needless to say, I want paint done before I lay down the floor.

When I get home tomorrow and see all of the boxes sitting there I'm going to lose my mind!

Smart to get the painting out of the way first, i did the same thing.

May the force be with you to hold off installing the floor when you can see the boxes. At least for me, my only wait was while they were sitting at UPS. The day the boxes entered my home was the day they were installed.

I like that you have a plan, stick with it!
 
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93TOY

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Well, IT'S HERE! And it's killing me!

I got home around 5pm, ten minutes later the UPS man rolls up out front. Now I have all of my RaceDeck AND my Husky cabinet sitting in the basement and I can't do anything with them yet.

Dubber, don't worry, I will stick with the plan. I'm strange like that, when I plan a project the execution is carved in stone! I have to pickup my new TV soon and then I should have most everything in hand, just have to get the labor done. I need some days off!
 

Dan in Pasadena

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Sorry 93Toy to have started a bit of a flamer about the brick. Do whatever YOU like. It's your garage. As a group we respect guys that go their own way in their garages.

IF you end up leaving the brick I'd suggest you dial up the light in that area. Also, "maybe" some cool posters or automobilia on it to highlight the traditional feel it gives?
 
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93TOY

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Sorry 93Toy to have started a bit of a flamer about the brick. Do whatever YOU like. It's your garage. As a group we respect guys that go their own way in their garages.

IF you end up leaving the brick I'd suggest you dial up the light in that area. Also, "maybe" some cool posters or automobilia/petrobilia on it to highlight the traditional feel it gives?

No worries Dan! That's what I'm looking for is feedback and ideas. Honestly, the brick lovers made me look at it in a different light and I could see your point. So it stays natural! Thank you for making me take a minute to stand back and look at what was right in front of me. Sometimes it takes a different perspective.

When I had the lighting redone for the garage door opener, I had a section of track lighting mounted high on the chimney. It's cool because I can tweak and adjust the lights toward the car if I'm detailing, or down on the chimney itself if I'm not detailing. I've already been thinking along the same lines as you in terms of some kind of art on the brick. I just don't know exactly what I want! I've looked for countless hours on here and did some Googling, but I just can't nail down what I want there. But I think it needs to have an older/metal feel to it. Does that make sense?

Bring on the ideas guys!
 
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93TOY

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Also, two other things.

1) Any input on what to do with my workbench top? I want to resurface or replace the working surface but not sure with what. I've searched alot on here and would love to go stainless, but I'm not sure where to find it or have it shaped and cut.

2) Anyone have any thoughts on stainless switchplates and receptacle plates? I think I want to go this route but wanted to get some feedback.

Thanks!
 

dladcock

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Sorry 93Toy to have started a bit of a flamer about the brick. Do whatever YOU like. It's your garage. As a group we respect guys that go their own way in their garages.

IF you end up leaving the brick I'd suggest you dial up the light in that area. Also, "maybe" some cool posters or automobilia on it to highlight the traditional feel it gives?

No flames here. The brick just appeals to my tastes.

93Toy, it's your hammer, swing it like you want. I certainly do not tell people what they should do, but I will throw out a suggestion.

dla
 

dladcock

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Also, two other things.

1) Any input on what to do with my workbench top? I want to resurface or replace the working surface but not sure with what. I've searched alot on here and would love to go stainless, but I'm not sure where to find it or have it shaped and cut.

2) Anyone have any thoughts on stainless switch plates and receptacle plates? I think I want to go this route but wanted to get some feedback.

Thanks!

Depends on where you are in NC, but I might be able to help you out finding a source for stainless tops. PM me.

I did the stainless switch plates. Found some decent deals on Ebay. I also purchased all the receptacles and occupancy sensors from Ebay as well.


004_zpsac9c97fc.jpg


dla
 

smsteve

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Montrose, Kalifornia
Hi 93TOY,

I'm another one car garager, hey we "1r's" need to stick together! Looking good and I'll be subscribing too. I'm interested to see how your paint scheme and racedeck flooring comes together. I'm in a rental, but am still considering doing racedeck now, especially as I can pick it up and take it with me if/when we get a place of our own.

Take care,
 
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