Garage Addition Ideas
Excellent Garage Addition Ideas to Meet your
Intended and Unintended Garage Goals
By: Mark J. Donovan
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Building a garage addition is one of
the best investments you can make in your home. A garage addition not only
provides sheltered parking for your automobiles, but also storage space for many
other items. Some garage addition plans can even provide additional living space
in the garage attic area. If you are planning to build a garage, I have a number
of excellent garage addition ideas that you may want to consider when designing
your garage addition plans.
Garage Addition
Idea 1 Think Big!
Think big when developing your garage
addition plans. |
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This is more of an edict than a
garage addition idea, as it is my number one recommendation. In my opinion a
garage can never be big enough. Lets face it, who uses a garage for just
storing cars? Heck in many cases it is used for storing items that cant fit in
the house, rather than for storing cars. When coming up with your garage
addition design, spec out a garage addition size that will support all of its
intended uses. For most folks, the garage addition should be large enough to
support the following: |
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Fit at least two cars comfortably,
with plenty of room on the sides and in the back to allow for the easy opening
of car doors and trunks.
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Room to walk comfortably around the
cars
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Room for storing yard equipment
such as lawn mowers, and snow blowers
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Storage space for bikes and tools
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Bench space for a workshop area
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At a minimum your
garage addition should be 24x24 for a 2 car garage. A 26x26 is even better
for supporting all of the space requirements suggested above.
Garage Addition Idea 2 - Use an Engineered Beam
The
second major garage addition idea to consider, is using an engineered beam for
the center beam to prevent the need for Lally support columns. Your cars doors
will love you for implementing this garage addition idea. Having to position
your car strategically in the garage to prevent your car doors from hitting
Lally columns can be a real nuisance. |
Garage Addition Idea 3 Utility Door
One
advantage of building a large garage addition is the fact that there is
sufficient wall space to support a utility door, such as a standard 32 or 36
wide door. A utility door is helpful during the winter months to limit heat loss
from the home by having to open the large garage doors to do something besides
drive a car out.
Garage Addition Idea 4 Insulate and Sheetrock Interior Walls
If
your budget will allow it, my next garage addition idea is to insulate and
sheetrock the interior walls. Your garage addition will look much more appealing
and keep the rest of your home a little warmer, particularly if the garage attic
space is planned to be finished living space.
Garage Addition Idea 5 Use of Garage Storage Cabinets and Racks
One
of the most important garage addition ideas to consider is integrating garage
storage cabinets and racks into your garage addition plans. I have walked into
many garages to find them littered with items lying all over the floor because
there are no garage cabinets or racks mounted on the walls and ceilings. Using
garage storage cabinets and racks will provide for a much neater looking garage,
as well as allow you to store more items. |
Photo by Mark Donovan |
Garage Addition Idea 6 Use Individual Bay Garage Doors
If
you are planning a two car garage addition, skip the one large garage door
opening concept. This type of garage door opening requires a large garage door
that is heavy and awkward to lift. It also makes it difficult for parking two
cars in the garage. Spend the money and build a garage that can support
individual garage door bays.
Garage Addition Idea 7 Install Garage Door Openers
Garage door openers are a must have. Not only do they save you time, they also
prevent you from getting soaked or frozen by having to step out of your car
during rainy and bitter cold winter days.
Garage Addition Idea 8 Build Stairs to your Garage Attic or Loft
Even
if your garage addition does not call for a finished garage attic, building
stairs to your garage attic is an excellent garage addition idea. Having a set
of stairs allows you to easily utilize the garage attic space for storing items.
Garage Addition Idea 9 Heating Your Garage
If
you plan to have a workshop in your garage, and anticipate using it during the
winter months, heating your garage is another fabulous garage addition idea. You
may even want to consider radiant floor heating for your garage.
Garage Addition Idea 10 Install Many Overhead Lights
Another brilliant garage addition idea is to install many overhead lights,
whether it be can overhead lights, or fluorescent track lights. If you have any
plans to work in your garage you can never have enough lights.
By
implementing these 10 excellent garage addition ideas, you will much more likely
build a garage addition that meets all of your intended and unintended garage
goals.
For more information on building a
garage addition see the
Garage Addition Bid Sheet from
HomeAdditionPlus.com. It includes an extensive questionnaire (Request for Quote)
that a homeowner can provide to prospective general contractors and
subcontractors for bidding the garage addition. In addition, it also includes estimated costs and time intervals
for constructing a garage addition as well as a list of key home material
manufacturers. Finally, the
Garage
Addition Bid sheet includes an extensive
set of helpful tips and advice on making sure the garage addition is built
properly and on time and budget.
How to Finance your Home Remodeling Project -
can help provide funds for your new home improvement project if financing is
required.
Related Information on Building a Garage Addition
Additional Garage Addition Ideas and Resources from Amazon.com
Free Garage Addition
Price Quotes with No Obligation!
Fill out our 3-5 minute quick and easy form, and receive a free price quote
on building a garage addition from one of our prescreened and licensed garage addition
contractors. This process is free and there is no obligation to continue once
you receive your garage addition price estimate.
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