"Alvin’s Construction was excellent and was recommended to us by a friend who had them do their kitchen remodel. So we are so happy with the kitchen remodel and storm door replacement that Alvin’s Construction did for us. He and crew showed up to work when they were scheduled to and were polite and friendly to work with. Kept us well informed on everything and worked with us well on any changes to plan."
"richy is A1 person to deal with built 24x24 foot 2 car garage/carport. delt with city pulled permits did all .. would highly recomind this company. great work good price..."
"Jose was extremely responsive and helpful, he came out to do a quote for some fence work and to repair my electric gate. He quickly realized my gate was just disabled by the previous owner and fixed it while he was there for the quote. Once he quoted me for the fence work, he was back within 2 days to complete the job and they got it knocked out quick. I am looking at having them do some other work for me right now, so I definitely recommend them if you need anything."
"Wess Painting panted my living room, bedroom, and dining room, and they did an amazing job! They were super professional, worked efficiently, and made a huge difference in my older home. Easy to work with and the process went smoothly. Definitely recommend Wess Painting if you’re looking for great results and friendly service!"
"Very professional, prompt and efficient. Great communication, and quality work. Exceeded our expectations all around. Would definitely use them in the future and recommend to friends."
"Cityscape was prompt both for the estimate and to get started on the work. He communicated any issues that arose and helped find solutions. I would hire him again for any other projects."
I’m Brandon Shaw, owner of SHAW Construction & Remodeling, serving homeowners across North Texas. I’ve spent over a decade in construction, starting in heavy equipment and moving into hands-on residential remodeling, so I understand both the big picture and the small details that make a job last. My company focuses on quality work—whether it’s painting, flooring, drywall, or full interior upgrades—and I treat every home like it’s my own. I believe in doing things right the first time, communicating clearly, and standing behind my work long after the job is done.
For a garage to be included in a home's official square footage, it must qualify as livable space. This generally means it needs to be attached to the home and have permanent finishings like proper insulation, finished walls and ceilings, and adequate ventilation. To be considered livable year-round, it should also have heating and cooling. The specific legal requirements can vary by location, but if a garage is converted into a finished room meeting these criteria, it may be counted toward the total square footage.
In most cases, you do not need planning permission to change a garage door to a normal door, unless a specific restriction is present on your home’s deed. If you’re changing the door because you are trying to convert the garage into a living space, you will need to work with building control for proper signoffs to ensure your conversion meets all of the necessary construction standards.
You’ll usually need to prime a garage floor before painting—especially if the floor is unpainted. Garage floors are made from concrete, which is porous and produces dust. The dust can contaminate the paint and cause issues with adherence.
Primer creates a barrier and gives you a clean surface to work on. It also minimizes absorption to help give you an even, pro-looking paint job. Make sure you choose a primer that’s specifically designed to cover concrete flooring.
The main con of a heated garage is that if cold air comes into your garage and hits warm tools, it could lead to rust. You may also have to deal with the slush and run-off from any snow or ice that comes into the garage from vehicles, leading to more maintenance and upkeep.
Garage door freezing is prompted by snowfall and freeze/thaw cycles instead of the temperature. If you get a lot of moisture around the garage door, whether from rain or melting snow, and temperatures quickly drop below freezing (32 degrees Fahrenheit) at night, that’s a recipe for a frozen garage door. Winters with steep temperature drops overnight are more likely to create this problem, especially low temperatures to sustain a freeze, so weather in the lower 20s is a common culprit.
The Boyd, TX homeowners’ guide to garage services
From average costs to expert advice, get all the answers you need to get your job done.
Want to add value and living space to your home? Use this guide to figure out the cost to convert your garage into living space to see if it’s worth it.
For most homeowners, a garage needs to be big enough for more than parking a car. Use this guide to figure out the average garage size and how to build from there.
Weighing the options between an attached vs. detached garage? The choice is entirely personal, but we'll help you make the best decision for your property.
