It is no secret that keeping a car on the road can be a huge expense and eat up a significant amount of your money each month. Fuel costs, insurance, tax and maintenance costs can add up to a huge amount, which is one of the reasons why many motorists are now performing their vehicle maintenance.
Completing Your Work
While there are times where you will need to take it to a mechanic, you will also find that basic maintenance can be completed yourself which can drastically reduce running costs while keeping the car in good condition and less likely to break down. Additionally, it can provide a great sense of satisfaction and accomplishment to maintain your car so it is easy to see why so many people are now starting.
Of course, to carry out work on your car, you will need to upgrade your home garage to a professional style workplace for home automotive tasks. Read on to discover how you can go about doing this.
Decluttering
First, you will want to declutter the space so that it is purely for home automotive tasks. Many people have a garage that acts as storage but you will need plenty of space to work on the vehicle, for various bits of equipment and tools and also to create a safe and comfortable space.
Smart Storage Solutions
Following this, you must have smart storage solutions so that you can still store items in the garage and keep the floor clear. Heavy-duty plastic bins which are clearly labelled and placed neatly on a shelving unit will help to keep the space neat, tidy, safe and organised at all times.
Lighting & Ventilation
To work on cars safely, you need to have bright lighting and ventilation. Installing a functional garage door will allow natural light and air to flow through, but you may also want to invest motion-sensitive lights which will keep the space bright but also help to improve security and reduce your utility bill. You should also have a carbon monoxide alarm to make sure that space is vented properly.
Add Electrical Outlets
You will likely need multiple electrical outlets, so having an electrician install waterproof outlets is a smart investment – two per garage wall should be plenty.
Add a Desk
You will need a range of tools and equipment (more on this below), but you should also have a desk area in the garage. This is somewhere that you can put a laptop which will allow you to easily follow guides and could be useful for organising paperwork and carrying out other repairs.
Invest in Quality Tools & Equipment
Of course, to carry out work on a car, you will need a range of tools and equipment. SGS recommends the following items for garage use:
- Trolley jack
- Axle stand
- Creeper
- Engine crane
- Engine stand
- Mechanic seat
- Tool chest
- Body repair kit
- Impact wrench
First-Aid Kit & Protective Gear
Safety needs to be a priority when you start working on cars. This means that you need to have a fully-stocked first-aid kit in the garage along with protective clothing that you can wear while you work on a vehicle. It is also a good idea to have a phone in the garage and to only work on cars when there is somebody else in the home.
These are the best ways to upgrade your garage so that you can start working on cars yourself. This is an excellent way to save money, plus you should also find it to be good fun and incredibly rewarding too.
POSTED BY 
