 Image via Pexels
Working from home is more popular today than ever before. According to surveys, 75% of adults find hybrid or remote work preferable to commuting. Of course, you need a distraction-free space to ensure productivity. If you have a garage, you can transform it into a home office with just a few adjustments. Be sure to track any improvements you make—it could increase your home’s value. You want to make sure the improvements are desirable to potential buyers. Here are some ideas from Van Allen Plumbing about how to turn your garage into the home office you want. Improve the Lighting Lighting sets the mood for any room, so finding the right type is crucial to building a comfortable home office. Natural light is one of the best options, but most garages don't have large windows. Instead, you can supplement natural light with the following:
Reorganize Your Space Working in your garage means you need to balance personal storage and office organization. You can optimize by taking advantage of vertical space. Additionally, the following are helpful tools for keeping your work area in order:
Choose a Motivating Paint Color Since you'll be spending a lot of time in your garage-office, you'll want the wall color to be welcoming. Bright colors can boost energy, while neutral colors promote serenity. You're sure to find a shade you love from the most popular options:
Install Durable Flooring Slab concrete isn't the most comfortable or professional flooring. Upgrade your garage with options that are equal parts durable, pleasant, and sophisticated, such as:
Upgrade Your Internet If the majority of your work requires a computer, you must ensure you can access Wi-Fi from your garage. If coverage is spotty, try upgrading your internet speed and moving your router to a more central location. Install a Bathroom Having a conveniently accessible bathroom can be a game changer for a home office. Instead of having to sneak into the house and face a potential distraction, you can have your own bathroom built into your garage office. Plumbing projects can be daunting to the inexperienced, so trust the experts at Van Allen Plumbing to ensure that everything is installed properly. Get Comfortable Furniture A comfortable desk and chair go a long way. They can even improve your health, as ergonomic furniture helps prevent aches and strains that accompany long hours of sitting. As you search for the perfect furniture, consider the following:
Improve Ventilation Most garages aren't built for ventilation, which means they can get hot and stuffy. That's no environment for productive work. To ensure you're getting enough airflow, try the following:
Get Your Legal Ducks in a Row If you're self-employed, you should consider registering your business as a limited liability company. Doing so offers several benefits:
Each state has different registration requirements, but the process is relatively simple. You can file using a formation service or do the paperwork yourself, thereby foregoing the cost of a lawyer. Ensure Accessibility If you have a disability, making your garage accessible is essential. For example, wheelchair users need space to maneuver and ramps instead of steps. Individuals with balance and mobility issues should look into non-slip flooring to prevent falls. The garage may not be your first thought when considering a potential home office, but it can be the perfect space. With just a few renovations, you can create a workspace you look forward to using each day. Van Allen Plumbing is your cost effective, "get the job done right the first time" plumbing solution. Whether you have a plumbing emergency or not we are always fast, friendly, and courteous. For more information, please contact us today!  The adage, "an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure" can be applied for more than physical health. We tend to take for granted how our water is delivered and disposed of in our homes and businesses until there is a problem. A dripping faucet never just stops dripping on its own. Little things like leaky faucets and a toilet that tends to keep running well after a flush can become more than an annoyance. If you consider all the items that depend on properly running plumbing in your home or business it can really add up. Laundry, dish washer, water heater, toilets, faucets, shower heads, refrigerator ice maker, water softeners all could be sources of increased utility bills and eventual replacement events. And we haven't even mentioned making sure the water goes down drains without clogging or running over. Why not schedule an inexpensive whole house maintenance check on your plumbing and prevent a more costly repair bill in the future?
 Leaky faucets, plugged drains and failing water heaters are normal wear and tear items in all homes. Manufactured homes have unique needs when it comes to plumbing. Accessibility, for example, is sometimes tricky depending on how the skirting was installed and whether the home is on a foundation. Unlike stick built houses water heaters typically are accessed from the outside of a mobile home. Depending on the age of the mobile home the plumbing lines and fixtures may have a shorter lifespan than in houses built onsite. While manufactured homes have improved dramatically over the years, the materials used in the construction tend to require more maintenance over the life of the house. If the house has been moved, things can loosen up or break. Water damage from a leaky pipe or fixture can end up costing thousands of dollars to replace flooring and insulation. Not all plumbers are licensed to make repairs in manufactured homes. Others prefer not to work on them at all. Finding a licensed plumber that is qualified and experienced in manufactured homes is vital to extending the life of your home. Finding one that responds quickly to a plumbing issue can be the difference between a minor repair and a major renovation. There is no such thing as a minor leak when it comes to plumbing. Leaks don't heal themselves and the longer it is put off, the more damage will occur.
Call Van Allen Plumbing now!  Let's face it, appliances in general just don't last like they used to. Water heaters, for example, have a life span of traditional gas or electric water heaters is about 10 years, give or take a couple of years either way depending on the demand for hot water in your home. If you buy a pre-owned home, check to see when the water heater was installed and calculate the likelihood of what the remaining life might be. It's a fact of home ownership that you will replace a water heater at some point. That being the case, it is helpful to know that many people are switching to a tankless water heater. Tankless heaters last about twice as long as traditional water heaters. That's because they only run when you are calling for hot water. Tankless water heaters do cost more upfront but the longer lifespan and the lower cost of energy eventually even out that additional outlay at the time of purchase. Another benefit for choosing tankless is the additional space you pick up in the mechanical room. And, who doesn't need more storage space? When shopping for the right tankless heater one should consider the typical volume of water that you might use at one time. For example, if you tend to wash clothes and run the dishwasher while you take a shower, you might need to beef up the model of tankless heater as there are some limits to the amount of flowage that can be heated. Discuss your usage habits with your installer before choosing the right model to avoid being disappointed after the sale
Multiple plumbing issues? No problem!
Here's a review from one of our repeat clients! "Wallace and his team are awesome. I first called them out to set a new tub and reconfigure my shower valve in a bathroom I'm remodeling. They showed up on time, provided a fair quote in a timely matter, and performed excellent work. I called them out for a second time to fix a leak in my second bathroom. Same excellent service. Most recently I called them for a leak in my third bathroom (yes my house is old). They came out on less than 24 hours notice and fixed the issue. Responsive, fast, and follow up. Ten thumbs up." John T. Another 5 star review!
"My sewer was backed up. Called them at 4:30 pm on a Saturday. The guys arrived about 10 mins later. They snaked the line for a while and couldn't get it unclogged. They came back on Sunday morning at 8:30 am and tried to snake the line again. They determined the problem was a collapsed sewer line. This part blew my mind. They felt the ground for vibration, pulled the snake and stretched it out, and began to dig. They found the line and the problem almost immediately. The hole was four feet deep and five foot long. The guys fixed the damaged section and were on their way. The price was fair as far as I was concerned and well below what they estimated. I will us these guys again in the future." - Todd C. (via Yelp!) Check out this wonderful review from one of our clients!
"Wallace was a pleasure to deal with. He kept it straight and was extremely personable. He fixed several leaking pipes, installed a new double clean-out, and reinstalled a sewer pipe that was installed incorrectly. He was always on-time and his workers were awesome in cleaning everything back up. I will call him up anytime I need a plumber!" - Jeff B. (via Yelp)
 |
