Blog

We are thrilled to share that we have been featured in November’s edition of ShowHouse magazine.

Back in August one of our installation teams visited Editor Rupert Bates’ house and spent four days transforming his garage.  The garage turned from a bare wall and concrete floored space into a clean, tidy and organised place.  The full case study will be available shortly but in the meantime you may wish to look at this month’s ShowHouse magazine where you can read Rupert’s take on the design and installation process and how he now feels about his garage.

To read the full article, click on the image below.

So with it being National Organising Week until Sunday 11th November, it got us thinking about how you can declutter and organise your garage space.  Well let’s start by saying, you’ve come to the right place!

APDO (Association of Professional Declutters and Organisers) have set up National Organising Week (NOW).  The aim is to motivate British households to clear the clutter with APDO members helping you get more out of your space.

The vision for NOW is:

• to inspire change for anyone who needs it
• to make life simpler
• to create a calmer home
• to manage time better
• to assist in finding professional help and support if required.

So we thought, what are would the top five things you can do in your garage to organise it?

1. The first thing is to make sure you are ready with your provisions!  Items like sturdy bin liners, a vacuum, broom and clear boxes are all good things to have before you start.  If you can label your clear boxes then that is helpful too so you know what each box is for such as Keep, Donate, To Sort Through and Bin.

In fact we found a blog that looks at how portable storage boxes can help with decluttering.  Read more here.

2.  Start the decluttering process by getting rid of or moving any large items that are in the way.  We’re not talking about your fridge or freezer but more like chairs, bikes and step ladders.  Once these are out of the way you can assess the space and decide where to start.

3.  Some decluttering experts recommend moving everything out of the space so that you can give it all a really good clean. But of course that isn’t always possible because of time, heaviness of items or it is raining outside.  So why not start with one area.  Go through the items, use your storage boxes to keep items, throw them out or donate.  If you have lots of little bits you might want to put them in a box to go through at a later date.  If in doubt the question of “When did I last use this?” is a good rule of thumb.

Once you are finished with one wall or area, you can either take a break or move to the next.

4.  Once you are finished or exhausted, it is time to actually get rid of the junk you don’t want anymore.  It might be that some you can get rid of in your weekly rubbish pick-up or you can recycle it.  Or you may need a trip to the tip.  With items that are of good quality and have life left in them you can either decide to donate to a charity shop, put them on ebay to earn a little cash or add them to freecycle.

5.  Now is the time to organise!  We’ll do a full blog on this shortly but ways to organise include creating different zones in your garage such as sports equipment, gardening items, diy tools etc.  Then you need to add in some storage that suits your needs.  So if you want to store all your gardening rakes, hoes and spades then wall storage where you can hang them up is a good idea.

Check back soon to see more of how to organise your garage.  We would love to help you design and install the garage of your dreams so perhaps you might like to download our brochure?

You may recently have seen a fantastic article in Show House magazine titled “Space Upgraders” by Editor Rupert Bates.  Our MD, Alastair Broom was delighted to be interviewed by Rupert and to discuss why garages are the forgotten space when it comes to new build homes.  Below is the full article published in September 2018’s magazine.

We are delighted to have our first guest blog from our friends over at MotorEasy.  In it, they give you more information about who they are, how they can help you  with your car and the benefits you will get from becoming a member.

MotorEasy offers a wide range of motoring solutions, whether you have a new or used car. We offer all our members hassle-free car repairs and maintenance keeping them on the road with warranty, GAP and breakdown protection.

Car repairs are often expensive, so our extended car warranties are designed to protect you against sudden or unexpected failures, up to the value of the vehicle. Parts, labour and diagnostics costs are covered, and we have a network of 10,000 UK garages who we pay directly for repair costs so you’re not out of pocket.

Protect Yourself From Expensive Repairs

Every year your car needs a service and MOT to keep it legal and roadworthy, but they can be a hassle. Dropping your car off at the garage or even having to take a day off work is inconvenient. That’s why MotorEasy collect your car from work or home and return it when the work is complete, saving you time and hassle. Plus, by using our network of garages we can offer you savings on high street prices, our car servicing is around 40% cheaper than main dealers.

Save on your MOT Or Service

We also know that having any repairs done is a pain and car mechanics isn’t a language everyone is fluent in. MotorEasy have a team of fully qualified engineers to manage your repair and check all  work is necessary, the price is right, and most importantly whatever work is needed on your car is explained in plain English.

Fix Your Car For Less

Shopping around for a new car can be tedious, comparing all the deals in the market and working out what car you want. MotorEasy’s leasing comparison tool finds all the leasing deals in your area whether you are looking for inspiration, have a budget in mind or know the car make and model you want.

Compare Local Leasing Deals

Once you’ve decided on your new car MotorEasy can protect your investment with GAP Insurance, bridging the gap between your insurance company’s pay out and how much you paid for the car, in the event of a write off or theft. Expect to save up to 75% on dealer prices.

Get A GAP Insurance Quote

Whatever the time and wherever you are, any device can be used to access your MotorEasy account; allowing you to make car maintenance bookings on the move and store important documents in the cloud for instant access when you need them. We’ll even send you reminders for your important motoring dates so you’ll never miss one again, car ownership has never been easier.

Give Your Free MotorEasy Account A Try

We are absolutely delighted to announce that we have just signed up our 1000th Customer. 

MD Alastair Broom started the business back in 2005 and so is very pleased to reach this fantastic milestone after 13 years of installing garages across the UK.

The lucky 1000th Customer is a lady who lives in the West Midlands who found us via Instagram.  We can’t wait to complete her garage in October and share with you the case study with photos and details.

Each garage makeover takes 3-4 days to install and Garageflex are committed to ensuring that each and every customer is absolutely satisfied with the finished result.

Alastair Broom said “I am very pleased to sign up our 1000th Customer.  The whole team should be congratulated on this achievement as we all work really hard to ensure our customers are happy.  I am looking forward to seeing the finished garage and sharing the results with you.”

No, our tiles do not need any adhesive. The interlocking nature of the tiles means they won’t lift or curl.  They are also good for a slightly uneven floor as they can hide imperfections.

How long will the Tiles last for?

Garageflex conducted an online survey in August 2018 to find out how much of an issue bike storage was in the home.  80% of respondents claimed that yes it was an issue for them, only 16% said it wasn’t an issue and 4% didn’t know.

When we visit customers for a Design Consultation, those that are keen cyclists back up this claim.  Bikes are large, bulky items that take up a lot of space and are either right at the back of the garage so you can’t access them or in the way of everything else.

Storing them with a little bit of thought goes a long way.  Take a look at our Bike Storage Made Easy blog where we look at some interesting ideas on how to store bikes in your garage, shed or house.  

If you would like advice on how best to store bikes in your garage then do get in touch.  We offer a range of storage solutions including those for the wall and ceiling to help get your bikes organised.   We offer the choice of having bike storage included in your full garage installation or as a DIY option. 

Garageflex are delighted to announce that we’ll be exhibiting at The Henley Show which takes place on Saturday 8th September at The Henley Showground.

The event is dedicated to promoting and improving agriculture, horticulture and the breeding and rearing of livestock.  Always such a fun day out for all the family with produce tents, poultry and a funfair for the children.  Also to see are livestock, classic cars, vintage tractors, show jumping and dog displays.  Such a treat for everyone to enjoy this local show which takes place at The Henley Showground between Henley and Marlow.

In the main ring this year are The Knights of Middle England Jousting Team plus a display of Aldabra Giant Tortoises from the Seychelles.

Gates open at 8.30 and close at 6pm.  There is plenty of parking on site or you can catch a free bus from Henley (Boots) or Marlow (Platts garage) and well behaved dogs are very welcome!

Ticket prices on the gate are £15.00 per adult with Seniors £10 and children under 16 free.  Early bird prices are available until 25th August.  To book tickets, click here.

We look forward to seeing many of our local customers and friends at the Show.

We currently have warehouse stock of our premium range floor tiles which we have reduced in price.  The reduction reflects that, as they are from different batches, you might see slight differences in colour from one tile to another.

Floor Tile Special Offer!

We offer our premium floor tiles in both raised disk and smooth texture in a variety of colours.  Not all colours are available so click here to look at what we have on offer.  The special offer price is £7.50 per tile with ramp edges costing £3.99 which includes VAT and delivery.

The tiles themselves are in good condition and if you want to fit your garage out yourself then they could be perfect for you.  If you want to work out how many you need, each tile measures 500x500mm so four tiles make one square metre. 

To give you an idea of how to install them in your garage using just a few simple tools, take a look at our short video clip below.  This shows the process our professional fitters go through when installing a floor for us.

Do give us a call if you have any questions on 01491 579975 or email us at info@garageflex.co.uk.

When it comes to bike storage, there are a lot of options on the market.  Some are simple and cheap, others are more expensive but look better and provide a higher quality option.  Here’s a quick run down of some ideas to get your bikes off of the floor and onto the wall, whether it be your garage, shed, basement or lounge!

Bike Nook

For a very simple solution with no installation required the Bike Nook looks like a good option.  It stores your bike up against the wall, freeing up space instantly. It is safe and secure, and great for all bikes as the base expands for any size tread. 

Sports Velo Column 2 Bike Storage Rack

This option, available from Wiggle, is a spring loaded column which extends up to 10 feet and fits to the floor and ceiling.  It can hold two bikes or four with optional add-on and can be purchased direct for £161.99.

Outdoor options

Asgard offer insurance approved cycle sheds, shelters and lockers that can be kept outside to keep your bikes secure.  Available in a variety of options from £525.

Wall Mounted Vertical Bike Rack

Can be wall mounted in your garage, shed or basement, the Garageflex Vertical Bike Rack neatly stores your bikes on the wall.  Each rack can take two bikes and fits to the garage (or shed or basement) wall via our easy to fix FlexiPanel or FlexiTrack.  Available from our DIY store from £64. 

Wall Mounted Horizontal Bike Rack

Again, this can be wall mounted and consists of a rack which holds one bike plus a shelf and hooks for holding other bits and bobs.  This rack gets mounted to your garage wall using FlexiTrack or FlexiPanel Available from our e-store from £86.38.

Ceiling Options

If you want to use the underused ceiling space then you could buy the CycleGlide which allows you to store several bikes in this space.

Or you could the try the Garageflex Double Point Hoist which uses pulleys to mount the bike on your ceiling.  This starts at just £138 from our e-store.

This should give you some options to ponder but you could also look at a similar blog by our friends over at Cycleplan.  Their article features some very interesting and innovative ideas for storing your bikes, including the bucket shaped “Solo” by Cycloc, the Airlock by Hiplock and the Clug by Hornit.  To read more of their great article, click here.

Please note that where we have mentioned specific products, we are not endorsing them only sharing them as ideas for you to decide what works best for you.  Happy cycling and storing!