The Hard Rock Garage

There are some things that sophisticated, stylish men get fired up about. A perfectly-tailored suit. A Swiss chronograph wrist watch built with precision accuracy that never quits. Speedboats. The sound of a Ferrari revving through its gears. These are some things very likely to produce the words ‘awesome’ or ‘amazing’. In the right context, even the occasional ‘sexy’.

Some things, however, many guys might not be so quick to throw on that list:  cabinets, garages, great customer service. Here’s the thing, though. Those guys are dead wrong, and it’s most likely because they’ve never stepped into their garage and seen their gleaming, custom-built, made-to-measure VAULT^® Professional Series cabinets for the first time. If that were the case, they’d likely share the sentiments of a grateful VAULT customer calling from deep in the heart of Texas:

“First word I would use to describe the cabinets when you look at them – which doesn’t really fit with the description that is given to most garage cabinets, but you just got to say it – is they’re just sexy-looking and AWESOME. And it just brings a real pop to the room that they are sitting in… they bring a lot of pizzazz, and really upgrade the whole scenario”,
says the owner of this incomparable garage.

Awesome, Sexy Cabinets, Awesome Service

That’s right: sexy cabinets. Awesome, sexy cabinets. We’ve heard this complement many times before, and we are flattered. In this kind of story, things usually start simply enough: a homeowner or trade professional is shopping for garage cabinets, but they do not like what they see. Then they’re flipping through a magazine or surfing the web, and then, boom, they find us. VAULT cabinets pop right off the page or screen. The customer is compelled to reach out, and that’s when our renowned customer service kicks in:

“I saw an ad in the magazine, just a little 4×4 ad, and I liked the way the product looked in the picture. So I did a little bit more research through the Internet and finally made the call and was able to talk directly to the owner [VAULT founder Chad Haas], and he answered my questions and was very forthcoming in the process. And I just felt comfortable with where the whole process would lead to”,
said the client about his first impressions.

The customer had a grand vision for the space that he wanted furnished. Along with a large bank of cabinets, he’d be installing top-of-the-line California Audio Technology (CAT) amplifiers and loudspeakers and displaying an extensive array of collectible guitars. Parked in front of this installation would be his collection of jet-black sports cars from Mercedes Benz and Ferrari.

Like always, we gathered all the information possible from the customer and worked together to build a plan. Our goal is make the process as easy as possible for the customer while still working to incorporate his or her input and vision as much as possible.

“I am pretty busy – got lots of iron in the fire – but they made process easy. I just basically sent [VAULT] a floor plan, told him kind of what my ideas were. They were helpful enough [so that]  the first step was easy enough.

And then from there we went to the next step of picking out the finishes. And so, that was another easy part. I was pretty set on what kind of finish I wanted, [cabinet layout, etc.] and Chad was HONEST about the plusses and minuses of what I wanted”.

We custom-built a block of Pro Series cabinets, made-to-measure, to perfectly fit the dimensions of the space and to hold the clients audio and video equipped, with a Starlight Black powder coating finish to perfectly match the Ferrari, McLaren and Mercedes Benz sports cars that would be parked nearby. We also delivered a couple of custom-made, porcelain and enamel neon signs. Both were meticulous re-creations of classic European sports car brands, one a Ferrari and the other a Lamborghini.  Restoration of a 1930’s-era antique Shell gas pump added additional visual interest to the space.

Going Above and Beyond

Unfortunately, during installation the customer’s property was struck by a bit of misfortune when a ceiling pipe ruptured, causing significant water damage when it flooded the home. The cabinets and signs would have to be moved offsite and sat in storage for several years while the home was repaired. When it was finally time to unpack the crates and outfit the space, the cabinets, of course, were still good-as-new. The electronics in the neon signs, though, were damaged from the water. They were past their warranty date for repair/replacement, but the customer reached out anyway to have a conversation. And we were more than happy to put our legendary customer service into action:

“I’d have to give kudos to [VAULT] for going above and beyond. My project lasted about four or five years. When it got time to install there were a couple of things that needed some repair work and they fixed those without any complaints. But even though it was well past the warranty period, once I explained how they had sat and all that, the customer service portions just solidified that I had the made the right decision in choosing VAULT to do my upgrades or my upscale cabinet work.

You know, these days most people they just stick by the warranty and say, “Oh well, man, your time passed up and we’re done with you.” But I have really been fortunate to find them [VAULT].”

This is another reason customers choose VAULT: exceptional customer service. Other companies’ efforts in this area just don’t stack up to ours. Customer service isn’t a priority to them. But VAULT goes above and beyond as a standard practice, not just in special situations. We do right by our customers every time, and we keep in touch to make sure they have everything they need to enjoy our products to the fullest. As an added bonus, we get to hear comments like this one, describing the cabinets themselves:

“Most of the time, [metal garage cabinets] are pretty generic and kind of cold. But, you know, the finish that I wanted and the way that it was able to be applied by VAULT products, it goes ABOVE AND BEYOND SEXY AND AWESOME because it really does look AWESOME… I used that word because when everyone walks into the room that’s the words they use. You know, they’ll go, ‘Gosh this room is awesome’, I mean they even use the word sexy – ‘Those cabinets look sexy,’ especially when you got some sexy-looking cars next to them.

These pictures don’t do justice to just how nice these cabinets really are.”

Even though the cabinets sat for almost five years after coming into direct contact with water from the flood, the client was impressed that the stainless steel construction was infallible and completely unaffected:

“I am just so IMPRESSED with the mechanical workings of your cabinets – you could tell these are good (drawer) slides and good roller bearings (that allow) the drawers (to operate) real smoothly (unaffected from the water damage from the flood). They (our Pro Series cabinet’s) are put together really good.  And they weigh so much.  In one word, they are AWESOME.”

Add Some Rock-n-Roll to Your Garage

Unrivaled products and unsurpassed service, made to order. Ready to rock? Schedule your free consultation, and start outfitting a garage that will leave you and your neighbors astonished.

About the Audio/Video Equipment in this Garage

When VAULT founder Chad Haas first spoke to this homeowner in an initial consultation to design his garage, the client expressed his vision for a minimalist showroom that would showcase his passions for sports cars, music (guitars) and home theater.

VAULT partnered closely with Dallas, Texas home theater company HomeTronics to give this client the unique and high-end solution he never thought was possible.  Several custom built-to-order cabinets house all of the audio visual equipment, which include a total of four mammoth California Audio Technology (CAT) 600 watt mono-block power amplifiers that weigh in at a hefty 150lbs apiece.

The solution that VAULT came up with were extra-deep (29”-deep) racks outfitted with heavy-duty 650lb capacity ball bearings to allow them to roll-out effortlessly, and with even weight distribution, despite having to carry more than 300lbs of load bearing weight from the amplifiers and other audio equipment.  The slide-out racking system allowed the HomeTronics installation team to easily access the back of each component that included articulating cable carriers to provide effective management for all cables and power cords.

“The power amps and supporting equipment to run the [CAT] speakers are exceptionally heavy, not only could the VAULT cabinets easily support the weight effortlessly, their high-end look complimented the high tech finish of the California Audio Technology Speakers perfectly,” said Greg Margolis, President of HomeTronics.

VAULT also partnered with California Audio Technology (CAT) to make sure that the cabinets matched the client’s selection of speakers and audio equipment.  In these pictures you can see that the custom equipment racks sitting between the 7-foot tall CAT loudspeakers, which:

“are built from CAT’s proprietary material MBX105 (which is similar to synthetic countertop material) and weigh in at almost 700 pounds each loudspeaker, finished with a custom owner selected color.  These loudspeakers were drawn in CAD and then custom CNC’ed to ensure precise fit and detailing.  They were then calibrated / engineered on-site for the owner’s exact listening positions and preferences much like a race car I set up for an individual driver and track at the top level. All of this detail and work ensures a WORLD CLASS END RESULT and it was a pleasure to work with VAULT on this project as their values align so closely with ours (Made in America, custom, owner and design driven)”, said Alistair Levine, Director, Sales and Marketing for CAT.

About California Audio Technology (CAT)

CAT was founded in 1990 and delivers bespoke audio systems for a wide variety of spaces (Indoor, Outdoor and Marine).  CAT was founded on the core beliefs of engineering superior solutions utilizing best in class Formula 1 style materials (aluminum, stainless steels (316, 316L and 2205), and carbon fiber).  These solutions either blend into the spaces aesthetic (utilizing custom grilles, fabrics or wall coverings) or become focal designs of the space (often in conjunction with architects and interior designer’s collaboration).

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