Feature: Vertical Integration

Christian Gulliksen

August 1, 2007

But not everyone needs—or wants—a garage system that entails serious excavation or complicated machinery. For them, the solution might be going up, not down. Steven Curtis of Castle Garage Systems installs freestanding lifts in a small—but growing—percentage of his projects. "True car enthusiasts have known about lifts for a while," Curtis says, "but typical homeowners are now seeing this as a way to improve the use of their vertical garage space." One of their benefits is that they require few, if any, modifications to many garages. "Most of my customer’s homes are new construction, so the biggest thing we have to do is modify the garage doors vertical tracks to accommodate the height requirement," he explains.

Impressed by Rotary’s commercial lifts during his 22-year service in the Air National Guard, Curtis now offers the company’s lifts in his residential business. "These lifts are certified by the American Lift Institute (ALI), so we know customers are getting a product regulated by industry standards," he says, and adds a caveat emptor for buyers that just because one of a manufacturer’s lifts has been certified, it doesn’t mean the entire line received certification. He continues, "The last thing I want is for a customer to call and tell me their lift just failed with their Lambo on it—not good."

Curtis says that a well-built lift will have multiple safety features, such as dual-locking latches, locking on/off switches for child safety and an enclosed lift mechanism to guard against potential pinch-point accidents. And for those who live in seismically unstable areas, he advises using a contractor familiar with proper anchoring procedures.

Curtis’s lifts come in two lengths—the larger is long enough to handle an extended-cab pickup truck—and can support up to 7,000 pounds. "If you want to store another car under the lift," he says, "then our standard lift will rise up to 5 feet 3 inches and the larger lift will rise to 6 feet 4 inches. If on the other hand you simply want a lift to work on your car, then you do not need that much space." Curtis offers various accessories, such as a drip tray to protect vehicles stored beneath, casters for lift mobility and solid platforms installed between the runways for motorcycles and other garage items. Base installed prices peak at $6,300.

Whatever the method—whether going up or down—nearly any collector can find a way to squeeze more cars into the garage. So the next time you find yourself at Christie’s or Barrett-Jackson with the urge to bid, go ahead and raise the paddle. Your significant other might not appreciate losing the we-don’t-have-the-room argument, but finding the extra space for that classic will no longer be an acquisition’s automatic deal breaker.

American Custom Lifts, www.aclifts.com
AutoMotion Parking Systems, www.automotionparking.com
Castle Garage Systems, www.castlegaragesystems.com

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