THE COMPLETE GARAGE
The Complete Garage: What It Costs and What You Get
A floor-to-ceiling garage transformation — what it actually involves, what Rochester homeowners pay, and how to decide if it's right for you.
Updated April 2026 · Based on Canvas projects in the Rochester, MN market
What is a complete garage?
A complete garage is exactly what it sounds like: every surface finished. Floor coated. Walls paneled. Ceiling bright and clean. Cabinets built for how you actually use the space. It's the difference between a concrete box where you park your car and a room that's worth coming home to.
Most homeowners start with one thing — usually the floor or cabinets — and realize the unfinished surfaces around it make the improvement feel incomplete. The coated floor looks great until you notice the bare drywall. The new cabinets look sharp until you see the stained concrete underneath them.
The complete garage solves this by designing everything together from the start. Even if you build it in phases, the vision is unified. The floor color complements the cabinet finish. The wall panels match the aesthetic. Nothing looks like an afterthought because nothing is.
The five layers of a finished garage
A complete garage transformation addresses five distinct surfaces. Each one serves a purpose, and each one changes how the space looks, feels, and functions.
The Floor
The foundation of everything. A polyurea floor coating transforms bare concrete into a durable, chemical-resistant surface that's easy to clean and impossible to stain. It's the first thing you see when the garage door opens, and it sets the tone for everything above it.
What it involves: Diamond grinding the concrete surface, applying a polyurea base coat, broadcasting colored flakes by hand, and sealing with a clear polyurea topcoat. Completed in one day. Lifetime warranty.
The Walls
Garage drywall is a maintenance problem. It dents, stains, absorbs moisture, and looks worse every year. Trusscore PVC wall panels solve every one of those problems. They're moisture-proof, mold-resistant, dent-resistant, and can be pressure-washed clean. They also reflect light, making the garage significantly brighter.
What it involves: Panels install directly over existing drywall or studs using a tongue-and-groove system. No special tools, no drying time. The transformation is immediate.
The Ceiling
The ceiling is the surface most people forget — and the one that makes the biggest difference in how finished the space feels. Trusscore ceiling panels create a clean, bright plane overhead that reflects light and hides mechanical runs, wiring, and insulation.
What it involves: Same panel system as the walls, installed on ceiling joists or existing ceiling surface. Creates a uniform, bright finish that transforms the overhead view.
The Cabinets
Custom cabinets turn wall space into organized storage. Upper cabinets keep items off the floor. Lower cabinets provide countertop workspace. SlatWall panels between them hold tools, bikes, and gear. The configuration is designed around how you actually use your garage — not a one-size-fits-all template.
What it involves: 3D design at consultation, custom manufacturing (2–4 weeks), single-day installation. Powder-coated steel construction with seven finish options.
The Details
The finishing touches that make a garage feel intentional: LED lighting upgrades, outlet additions, SlatWall accessories (hooks, baskets, bike racks, tool holders), workbench configurations, and even vehicle detailing to match the quality of the space. These are the details that separate "renovated" from "finished."
What it involves: Discussed at consultation based on your priorities. Some items are included in the base project; others are add-ons.
Investment: Varies by selection · See the Complete System →
Why one company matters
You could hire a floor coating company, a cabinet installer, and a wall panel contractor separately. Some homeowners do. Here's what happens:
The floor color and cabinet finish don't quite match because they were chosen independently
The floor contractor finishes, but the cabinet installer isn't available for 6 weeks — so you're living with a half-done garage
The wall panels are installed before the cabinets, and now the cabinet mounting points don't align
Something needs adjustment after installation, and each contractor points to the other
When one company handles everything, these problems disappear:
Design: Floor color, cabinet finish, and wall panels are chosen together in 3D — you see the complete vision before anything is ordered
Coordination: Installation is sequenced correctly (floor → walls → cabinets) with no gaps between trades
Accountability: One phone number, one warranty, one team that owns the result
Cost: Bundling is less expensive than hiring three separate contractors
Canvas is the only company in Rochester that handles all five layers. That's not a marketing claim — it's a structural advantage. No other local company offers floor coating, custom cabinets, wall panels, ceiling panels, and vehicle detailing under one roof.
What a complete garage costs in Rochester
Transparency matters. Here's what Rochester homeowners typically invest in a complete garage transformation, broken down by scope.
| Scope | Includes | Range (2-Car) | EZ-Pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Floor Only | Polyurea coating + lifetime warranty | Custom quote | EZ-Pay available |
| Floor + Cabinets | Coating + custom cabinet system | Custom quote | EZ-Pay available |
| Floor + Cabinets + Walls | Add Trusscore wall panels | Custom quote | EZ-Pay available |
| Complete System FULL | Floor + walls + ceiling + cabinets | Custom quote | EZ-Pay available |
Every project is custom. Your consultant provides exact details at your free design consultation. Over 60% of Canvas customers use EZ-Pay financing.
The bundle advantage: A complete system costs less than the sum of its parts purchased separately. When everything is designed and installed by one team, there's no duplication of setup, no scheduling gaps, and no coordination overhead. The savings are real — typically 10–15% compared to hiring separate contractors.
The timeline: consultation to completion
Here's what the process looks like from your first call to the finished garage.
Free Design Consultation
Your consultant visits your garage, assesses the concrete, takes measurements, and builds a 3D design of your finished space. You choose floor color, cabinet finish, wall panel configuration, and layout. You receive your options and financing details on the spot. 45–60 minutes, no obligation.
Design Approval & Order
Review the 3D design, make any adjustments, and approve the final plan. Cabinets go into manufacturing. Floor coating and wall panel materials are ordered. Financing is finalized if applicable.
Manufacturing
Your custom cabinets are built to spec. This is the only waiting period — and it's happening while you continue using your garage normally.
The Transformation
Day 1: Floor coating (diamond grind, base coat, flake, topcoat). Days 2–3: Wall and ceiling panels. Day 3–4: Cabinet installation. Day 4–5: Final details, cleanup, walkthrough. Your garage goes from concrete box to finished space in under a week.
You're Done
Walk on the floor. Open the cabinets. Park your car. The space is yours. Canvas handles all cleanup and walks you through care instructions. The lifetime warranty is active.
What changes
The transformation isn't just visual — it changes how you use the space every day.
| Before | After |
|---|---|
| Concrete dust tracked into the house | Sealed surface — sweep and mop, that's it |
| Oil stains that never come out | Chemical-resistant coating — wipe and it's gone |
| Tools, gear, and seasonal items piled on the floor | Everything organized in cabinets and on SlatWall |
| Bare drywall with dings, stains, and cobwebs | Bright PVC panels that pressure-wash clean |
| Exposed ceiling with visible wiring and insulation | Clean, bright ceiling that reflects light |
| A space you rush through to get inside | A space you actually enjoy being in |
See real Canvas projects on our Our Work page — actual Rochester garages, before and after.
Who a complete garage is for
A complete garage transformation isn't for everyone. It's a significant investment, and it should be the right fit for how you live.
It's a great fit if you:
Use your garage every day — it's not just storage
Care about how your home looks and functions
Plan to stay in your home for 5+ years
Want one project, one team, done right
Value your time over managing multiple contractors
See your garage as part of your home, not separate from it
It might not be right if you:
Are selling the house within a year
Use the garage purely for vehicle storage
Have structural issues that need addressing first
Prefer to DIY and enjoy the process
Starting small, building up
You don't have to do everything at once. Many Canvas customers build their complete garage in phases. The key is designing for the complete vision from day one — even if you execute it over 6–12 months.
The most common phased approach:
Floor coating — this needs to happen first because cabinets mount on top of it
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Cabinets — add custom storage 3–6 months later when budget allows
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Walls and ceiling — the finishing touch that makes everything feel complete
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Your consultant designs the complete vision at your first consultation — floor color, cabinet layout, wall configuration — so every phase fits together when it arrives. There's no redesign, no mismatch, no surprises.
Frequently asked questions
See the complete vision for your garage.
Your consultant designs everything in 3D — floor, cabinets, walls, ceiling — so you see the finished space before committing to anything. Free, no obligation.
Book Your Free Design Consultation