It is advantageous and more valuable if a property has at least a one-car garage. The norm for homes built within the last 50 years is to have a two-car garage.  This property was built in 2002 and has a four-car garage.  One side is tandem with a higher garage door to store a boat or a covered trailer.  The other portion is a regular side-by-side garage bay.

De-Clutter

Any stager would tell you to de-clutter and clean your house before selling.  These homeowners decided to do the same with their garage and then have the garage floor professionally coated.  The first step is to contact garage floor contractors in your area to get an estimate/bid.  The first contractor said their company could do the whole process in one day. The process is to grind the floor surface, fill cracks or low spots, apply the epoxy coating, apply the flakes, then seal it.  The homeowners were skeptical it could be done in one day due to being about 930 sq ft.  Another contractor gave a slightly higher bid, said it would need to be done in three days, and they could start next week.  SOLD

The second step involved removing all the stuff one accumulates in 18 years—left-over lumber, plastic pots, old countertop, drain tile, a non-working mosquito trap, etc.  They purchased two bag dumpsters from Waste Management only to find out Waste Management does not service that area.  So, a local junk removal company came out after the two bags were filled–more cost, but still worth it.

Then they needed to remove everything off the floor that they wanted to keep:  shelving, tool kits, table saws, garden equipment, cabinetry, etc.

After a week-end, the garage was ready for the contractor.

Three-Step Process

The surface-grinding took the entire first day.

The epoxy coating took only a few hours of the second day, but needed to dry and cure for the rest of the day.

The best part is the third day when the flakes are put down and the sealer coat goes on top. You need to wait 5 days before you can drive on it.

Re-Organizing

It took another full week-end for everything to be put back.  Using small and large bins to store like-items and  labelling drawers, cabinets, and shelves was a game-changer.

Some people feel a cluttered space leads to a cluttered mind, but they get over-whelmed with a huge task such as this one.  However, everyone says the way to start is to start.  Either set a timer to do an hour or two at a time; tackle one small area before going to the next area; or hire help so you don’t quit.  Only you can decide what to keep, donate, or toss.

In the end, the homeowners know what they have and can find it easily. Need a special wrench, a tool, or potting soil?  Look no further than a labelled bin or cabinet.  Table saws were covered with sheets for safety and to avoid dust. The floor is not slippery and can easily be swept off.  No liquids will accumulate or seep into the floor–especially important during snow season.

The homeowners highly recommend Howard Grote & Sons in Mc Farland, WI  

Gina Newell, Premiere Stagers & Realty; 608-345-9396