Garages: “Prime Real Estate”

© 2003 Door & Access Systems
Publish Date: Winter 2003
Author: Tom Wadsworth
Page 45


NATIONAL SURVEY REVEALS
Garages: “Prime Real Estate”

A 2003 survey commissioned by Chamberlain Professional Products reveals that nearly 45 percent of Americans are considering renovating their garage. For garage door dealers, this trend may translate into more sales for higher-end garage doors, garage door openers, and garage accessories.

The Chicago Sun-Times featured Chamberlain's survey in a Nov. 14, 2003, report on the changing American garage. The story interviewed several builders who affirm that garages are getting larger, with more—and larger—garage doors. Three-car garages were reported to be the norm, with four-car garages on the rise.

In Chamberlain's survey, 18 percent of respondents said they would, or already have plans, to expand their existing garage. And 80 percent were willing to pay up to $5,000 to renovate the garage. The nationwide telephone survey gathered responses from a representative sampling of 1,000 Americans.

Begging for Attention

“The average attached two-car garage is 400 square feet of prime real estate ready for development. It's bigger than most rooms in the home and just begging for a little attention,” says Bill Keller, home improvement expert.

“The bottom line is: fixing up the garage is a lot cheaper than adding an addition.”

Keller predicts that this trend is just beginning. “As people become more comfortable with the idea that the garage is just another room in the house, these ‘extreme garages' will eventually become the norm.”

More Demand for Security

With garages protecting more valuable items, interest in enhanced safety and security devices is also on the rise.

“There has been a continual demand for additional convenience features and higher-end accessories for the garage as well as superior safety and security provided by garage door openers,” says Sally Anderson, Chamberlain's vice president, marketing communications.

According to the survey, 68 percent of respondents expressed that the most-desired feature in a garage door opener is the function to automatically turn on the garage light, hands free, when entering the garage from inside the home.