Attached garages have become more or less standard for new construction homes today because of the convenience that they provide. Anyone who has a garage can tell you how amazing it is not having to scrape snow off of their car in the middle of the winter or to carry multiple loads of groceries through the rain. Unfortunately, attached garages have not always been the norm, so many of us with older homes do have to deal with these inconveniences.
However, if you have the space, D R Hartman Construction Inc. can help you build a brand new attached garage onto your house, like this 2 story addition we did for the Adema family. We can take care of planning how the addition will flow into your existing home’s structure, and we can help you decide what design works the best for your family’s needs and your budget.
There are several things you should think about before starting a garage addition. First off, you need to determine your needs for the space. Will you use the garage primarily to park cars, or as a workshop? Will you need multiple electrical outlets, windows, or heating? It is good to think not only of your family’s needs right now, but also in the foreseeable future. For example, are you planning to replace your 2-door sports car with a family sized minivan somewhere down the line? Are you involved in any activities that require storage for large items like skiing or bicycling? These are all important things to think about when starting the planning process.
Using this information, you then want to determine the size of your new garage. The general minimum size for a single garage is 12×22, with a double being 18×22. However, these are strict minimums; parking your car comfortably in this size garage can be difficult, with little room for opening doors or any extra storage. But with this as a good jumping off point, you’ll want to start quantifying the uses you have decided on for your garage. If you want to include a work bench, be sure to leave enough space so that you can get to it and have room to work when there is also a car parked in the garage. As a general rule of garage planning, when in doubt, build bigger. It is impossible to know what your family’s exact needs will be five to ten years in the future, so leave enough wiggle room to account for unforseen extras.
For the Adema family, it made sense for them to build a two story addition so that the garage would blend in with the roofline of their existing home. They got a huge benefit in that the addition gave them a new spacious family room over top of the garage. You will also often see small apartments, “in-laws suites”, offices and studios being built over garages, so if your family is craving some extra space, this is a great way to get the most out of your garage addition.
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