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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!

There are a whole variety of reasons why customers decide to have their garage transformed and choose Garageflex for this important task.  Our list below looks at some of the main contenders as to what prompts them to phone us.  Happily, our customers also find out that we are a friendly and passionate team whose aim is to give you the garage of your dreams.  Why not contact us to find out what we can do for you?

1.  Organise and tidy up the clutter, helping to find a home for all the bits and pieces.  There is nothing more frustrating than knowing the item you need is somewhere in the mountain of clutter.

2.  To brighten up the garage.  Clients have told us that having our FlexiPanel placed on the wall and ceiling makes the space so much brighter and welcoming.  It allows light to bounce around the garage and makes it a much nicer place to spend time.  Some customers have even turned the space into a home office.

3.  Turn the garage into a space to tinker with a classic car or bike.  This way you can have all your tools close by, organised and ready for when you need them.

4.  Create a specialised space for DIY rather than using the kitchen table. 

5.  Space to store all the bikes, kids toys and sports equipment out of the way but easily accessible. 

6.  Create a home gym or a place to exercise like recent client David McConnell who now plays his WII in his newly transformed garage. (link to case study)

7.  Add value to their home.  Findings have found that sorting out your garage and being able to store items in here can add value to the home.

8.  Every other room has had a makeover and the garage lets the house down as it is so messy.  We often hear this!  The rest of the house looks fantastic and now I want the garage to fit in with the rest of our beautiful home.

9.  Clean it up, reduce the dust and create a safe place to store all those precious bits and bobs. 

10. And of all the unlikely things, to finally make room for the car!

Garageflex design and install bespoke garage storage solutions for your residential garage and you can contact us here.  Or if you are a DIY enthusiast, why not look at our e-store and create your dream garage yourself?

How do you use your garage? While lots of us use the garage to park our cars, only a quarter of homes with a garage actually store a car in it.

Part of the problem is that today’s cars have become wider whilst garages remain the same size. So actually parking your car in the garage can be extremely tight. To this end, most of us use our garages as extra storage space simply because we have too many possessions to fit into our home! But what are the most interesting ways to use the garage? We did some investigation work to come up with 12 interesting ideas.

Home offices

More of us work from home than ever before so turning your garage into a home office is an obvious choice. But have you thought about combining the office space requirements with storage? This would mean that you don’t need planning permission (in most cases) and get to incorporate storage solutions into the space as well which, in most houses, we are crying out for.

Man Cave or She-Shed?

Turn your garage into a haven for your hobby, space for your diy or even an area to have friends over to relax. Not exactly a new concept these days but one where you can really use the garage space for your favourite pastime.

Workshop

Garages have long been used as workshops for DIY or mechanics, but they are also used for other hobbies that need a lot of room, such as curtain making. We’ve even seen a garage used as a wheelchair repair centre!

Games room

The garage is perhaps the only room in the house big enough for a full size snooker table. It’s also a great place to set up a permanent dart board, table tennis table, or pinball zone.

Gym

So what do you do with all that gym equipment you buy on a whim? Put it in the garage, of course! We’ve seen many home gyms in garages, and they’re also used as dance and zumba studios.

Playroom or Kids’ den

Depending on how old your children are you may find they take over the garage. When they’re small, it’s an ideal place for all those ride-on toys and balls. And for teenagers the garage can be a great den for hanging out with friends, playing pool or table tennis and holding band practice. Just remember to soundproof your garage if you don’t want to annoy the neighbours!

Guest room / annexe / studio flat

Many a garage has become a permanent extra room – either for guests, or converted into a “granny flat” or studio for an adult son or daughter. Most of the time you don’t need planning permission if you are not changing the structure but of course, it is always better to check!

And now for some of the more unusual ideas …

A drive in cinema

We think this would be a great use of your garage because you’ll still be able to store your car – all you need is a flat screen TV on the back wall and a popcorn machine!

A golf driving range

With ever more sophisticated technology, we have seen garages set up as a driving range with the software portraying world famous courses such as Pebble Beach onto the wall. You not only get to practice your skills but actually feel you are playing the course.

Ten pin bowling alley

As with the snooker table, you’d be hard pushed to find anywhere else long enough to fit a skittle alley.

Spa room

We have heard about people using their garage to house a hot tub, which sounds like a fantastic idea, especially in a country where you can’t rely on the weather. We would suggest you install non-slip flooring though, and think about tiling the walls to prevent water damage.

And our favourite use of a garage …. an indoor skate park!

Sounds incredible but there really are people using their garages as skate parks. Let your kids hone their skateboarding skills in the garage, with a homemade half pipe made from plywood – there are even plans available on the internet!

Thanks for reading our article on 12 interesting ways to use the garage. If you would like to look into how we can help you sort out your garage then visit our website at oldwp.garageflex.co.uk

If you are lucky enough to already have the Garageflex system in your garage, we know that you have plenty of storage solutions to keep your space clean, tidy and organised.  But what happens if your life has changed a bit since you had it installed?  This blog looks at what you can do to keep your garage fit for purpose, regardless of when you had the garage transformed.

Have times changed?

If you were one of our first customers back in 2005 when Garageflex started, chances are that some of the storage solutions you needed then might not necessarily work for you now.  Maybe you wanted plenty of toy storage when your children were younger or your interest in golf was at its peak.  Now of course, you might have changed hobby to cycling, tennis or boxing, the kids may have grown up and the toys all gone or maybe your interest in gardening has increased. 

So what you had back when your garage was installed might not be quite right now. Could it be that some extra bike storage could be used, a couple of extra shelves might work or even something like a coat rack for your wet-suits? OK, we know not everyone is going to have wet-suits but it might be worthwhile looking at our e-store to see if a new rack or hook might work better.

Have you thought of moving items around?

Our Consultants design your garage to best suit your needs and make use of all the available space, but times may have changed what you keep in your garage.  Given the fantastic flexibility of our products and the option to move them around, have you thought about changing some bits and pieces around?  Perhaps grouping your cabinets together would work better or moving them apart and putting in some extra hooks.  A small change might help you use the space more efficiently.  We are always happy to discuss any changes you would like to make so give us a call.

Clean it up

We are sure that your garage gets a regular clean but in case it has been a while, we always recommend hoovering your FlexiPanel (or TekTrak as it used to be called back in 2005) to get rid of any dust.  It doesn’t have to be done often but we do find this spruces everything up.  Wiping down or dusting hooks, brackets, racks and on top of cabinets can make the whole place brighter and feel fresher.

Giving your floor a mop with a PH Neutral cleaner will also give sparkling results and transform the garage.

Or have you thought about installing one of our GarageVacs?  Ideal for mounting on the wall, you could use this to clean your entire garage along with the car too!  Plus it comes in Midnight Black or Racing Red, so you can choose the one that’s right for your colour scheme.

Add in some pictures

Adding framed photos or favourite pictures can add colour and personality to your garage.  All you need are some small mini clips which mean you can mount them directly on to your FlexiPanel or FlexiTrack.

Are you planning a house move?

Many of our customers who move house want to take their storage accessories with them.  It’s easy enough to do of course, simply lift the items off of your wall and take with you.  Then add in FlexiPanel or FlexiTrack to your new garage space or you can call us to measure up and install this for you.

Have you moved already?

Of course it may be that you’ve moved from your previous house where we installed your Garageflex garage and haven’t yet gotten around to having it installed in your new pad.  Do give us a call if you would like to discuss installing it in your new garage.

And finally, what if you haven’t yet got Garageflex installed…

If you’ve read to the bottom and still haven’t had your garage sorted out by us, then let us send you a brochure by filling in your details here.  You can see all of the options available and how the system works.