Designing Your Garage Addition
The average family owns a truck or SUV as their primary mode of transportation. The automotive industry has done an amazing job capitalizing on the “sport utility” needs of a family or active couple. Gone are the days of having a little sporty vehicle that is small enough to fit in an ordinary home garage. Garage dimensions in a standard tract home have not increased to match the growing size of vehicles today.
The typical garage is roughly 9-10’ wide and 18-20’ long per car with a single door only being 8’ wide and double door being 14-16’ wide. If you are one of the homeowners that have been unfortunate and scraped the side panel of your car pulling into your garage, I’m sure that you can sympathize. Not to mention with such minimal room, additional storage in your garage is difficult to come by. Garage extensions, enclosures and even garage additions for golf cart storage are gaining demand in today’s marketplace. Here are a few details to consider in designing your garage addition to better fit your needs and lifestyle.
Garage door companies offer larger than standard doors to give you that extra 1-2’ that you might need in height or width, but they also offer custom sized doors. Now extra costs are associated with custom options, but being able to fit your lifted truck or large SUV in your garage safely may make the cost worthwhile.
Common dimension to have between parked cars in a garage is 36” to allow for access without causing damage to the doors of the vehicle or to the walls of the garage.
Another noteworthy tip to keep in mind is service door space. If you have a side access door to your garage (typically 36” wide) or door leading from the interior of your home (typical 32” wide minimum), you will need to account for sufficient door swing space if application and walk space with vehicles parked in the garage.
Extending a garage to a depth of 24’ or more will provide adequate space for walking in front and behind parked cars, as well as a cabinet or storage shelf in front of the vehicle. For this reason, many homeowners have been known to do a 2’ or 4’ extension onto their existing garage to allow for needed storage space or the additional room for a long bed truck to comfortably fit. Garage cabinetry is most commonly the same depth as the cabinetry inside your home, so allocating 24” should be safe. Cabinetry can be purchased in as small as 12” depth if need be.
When designing your garage addition, remember to account for your hot-water heater or mechanical system. Often times, they are stored in the garage and are best put out of the way of traffic in an alcove of some sort.
The addition of a bumper or curb can also be factored into your new garage design. This will allow for proper parking of the car to ensure the rear of the car is fully in the garage, while protecting the vehicle from parking too close or hitting the front wall. If you choose to include this option, make sure that the bumper is low enough so as to not scrape the front bumper of your vehicle. 4” should be a safe height, but always measure your vehicle clearance to make sure.
The front view of your new garage addition should be modeled after the architecture of your home. A new garage should never take away from the streetscape, but should blend in seamlessly. The look of your home may lend to using 2 or 3 single garage doors to enhance the overall look better than one large door. Various details can be included in the door of your choosing, from using a wood door to one with paneling or multipane windows. The door should complement the homes design without becoming overbearing in comparison to other elements on the home.
If you have been thinking about adding a new garage or extending the one you have now, contact the team at TWD. They have been in the business of remodeling and working with homeowners just like you since 1996 and have built an extensive portfolio. By visiting their website (www.twdaz.com) you can see their full service operation. They have experienced craftsmen and a management team that will take care of the entire project from start to finish, including working with your city for any necessary permitting or inspections. They take the stress out of remodeling. Give them a call today at (623) 544-1211!