Maybe you’re building a home from scratch? Perhaps you’re making updates to your existing home? Regardless, you’re looking to assemble a new garage.
But before you do, you’re trying to figure out: what’s the right size for this thing? That’s where this article comes in. Below, we’re going to discuss some of the common mistakes that people make when choosing a garage size, thereby helping you to make the perfect choice for your garage.
Let’s go!
Not Considering the Future
One of the most common mistakes homeowners make when choosing a garage size is not considering the future. They look at their current situation and think that it’s the way things will always be. They then build a garage that, in 5 years’ time, doesn’t meet their needs.
This is why, when choosing a garage size, you need to be open about what the future might bring. Will you eventually have an additional car? Perhaps you’ll accumulate a lot of stuff and will want somewhere to store it.
You might even decide that you want a workout room or a music practice space. That additional garage space could provide you with the room you need.
Now, this doesn’t mean that you should automatically buy more than what you need currently. However, you need deep consideration should be made. It’s cheaper to build more now than it is to add more later.
Not Choosing Enough Doors
Another mistake that people make when choosing garage sizes is not choosing enough doors. They might build a spacious garage but then only adorn it with a single garage door.
This can be effective for cases in which a great number of items are being stored. However, if there ever comes a time when you want to park another car, your garage won’t serve you.
Yes, it can cost a little more money to add an additional door. However, it could go on to make your life much easier down the line.
Not Leaving Any Leeway
Another mistake that can be made when choosing garage sizes is not leaving any leeway. In other words, you might impeccably plan your garage so that it’s perfectly sized to accommodate your needs. However, by sizing it to serve your theoretical needs, you miss out on accommodating your realistic needs.
Let’s say that you plan enough space to store your vehicle, your workbench, and a few miscellaneous items besides. You may also plan enough space for a small walkway.
In theory, this will serve you just fine. However, in reality, you’re likely to store a variety of additional items in your garage. These additional items will quickly crowd your planned space, therefore making your garage too small for your needs.
This is why, when planning, you should add an additional 2 to 10 feet to each dimension of the garage. This will give you the leeway necessary to account for extraneous items.
Thinking That Every Garage Door Is Equally Sized
Oftentimes, when homeowners plan garage designs, they do so under the assumption that every garage door is the same size. As such, they think of the garage’s size in terms of the number of doors it possesses as opposed to square footage.
In reality, though, garage door sizes vary greatly, as do the sizes of individual garage docks. If you want, you can build a garage dock that’s just barely big enough for you to squeeze your car through. However, it’s not going to leave much room for you to open your car door, and almost certainly won’t be big enough for additional storage.
That’s fine if you’re fine with it. However, it greatly limits the usefulness and functionality of the garage. You will likely benefit from more space at some point in time.
So instead of thinking purely in terms of the number of garage doors and garage docks, you should think in terms of how big those doors and docks are. Sure, you can get by with a 12 X 22-foot garage 1-car garage. However, you would benefit better from a 14 x 24-foot garage or a 16 x 26-foot 1-car garage, for example.
Keeping It to a Single Story
When you think of a garage, you likely think of a single-story structure with few frills. That may have been what garages were like in the past. However, these days, many garages are almost like mini houses.
Not only do modern garages provide a number of frills but several rooms and, in some cases, several stories as well. That’s right: you could add an additional floor to your garage.
While the bottom floor can be used for the storage of your vehicle, the upper floor can be used as a playroom or a workout facility, for example. It can essentially serve as an add-on to your house, providing your property with additional and liveable square footage.
So, don’t just think of a garage as a place to park your car. With the right planning, your garage can be so much more.
Need Help Choosing Your Garage Size?
We’ve shown you the mistakes to avoid. However, you may still need assistance in choosing your ideal garage size. If so, and if you’re looking to install a garage in Lee County, FL, look no further than Coral Isle Builders.
We’ve assisted countless homeowners in choosing a garage that fits with their home layout. Whether you’re in the middle of home construction or are looking to expand on an existing home, we can help you.
Contact us now to get the process started!