Common Mistakes When Building a New Garage
Home remodels and additions are exciting times to plan for the future. It allows you to build the dream home that you always wanted, improving it step by step. While the kitchen and bathrooms are the most common types of remodels, there is nothing like building a new garage to add your property.
Building a new garage is an exciting opportunity to expand your storage space. Whether you need more coverage for an additional vehicle, camper, boat, or trailer – or you’re just looking to add more storage, the possibilities are endless.
However, there are many common mistakes when building a new garage. Avoiding the mistakes that other homeowners have made in the past with their garage addition can help save you money, time, and headaches.
Here are some of the most common mistakes when building a new garage:
Lack of Planning
Even though most homeowners consider a garage a secondary part of the house, it serves a tremendous role. Because people tend to overlook garages, they also ignore the planning process building a new one.
A garage is like any structure in that it needs careful attention and planning to become a successful project. You need to have a clear plan of what you want to build, the materials you want to use, find a builder, and budget accordingly.
The primary reason most homeowners end up going over budget on their garage remodel is that they didn’t spend enough time during the planning phase. Consequently, it’s crucial to think about everything and anything before you start to grab a hammer.
Using Cheap Materials
Once again, going with the logic that most people consider garages secondary units of a house, there is a common mistake that you can undercut materials to save some on the bottom line. However, it is a mistake to skip on high-quality materials because a garage is a structure like your house. It needs a solid foundation, durable siding, and a sturdy roof to make it long-lasting.
When you buy cheap materials, you are going to get a new yet second-rate garage. The truth is that nothing will be wrong with the garage immediately. It will look brand new, and you’ll be satisfied.
However, if you plan to stay at home for several years, the maintenance and upkeep will begin to catch up with you. For example, you are deciding to buy the cheapest siding possible means that it will deteriorate much faster than high-quality vinyl siding or aluminum siding.
Consequently, you’ll spend more time tinkering around with garage maintenance to keep the structure in one piece. You’ll pay more on material later down the road correcting or fixing the original, poor quality material. So, make your life easier by investing in the right material from the start.
Using Cheap Garage Doors
The garage door is arguably the most critical feature of the new structure. While the foundation, siding, windows, and roof are all important on any structure – a garage is only as good as its doors.
The first decision you need to make is, do you want a single car or double car garage. Both types of garages offer advantages and disadvantages. Single car garages are more affordable to build and work better on small lots. Double car garages provide more storage space but higher upfront costs and long-term maintenance.
Once you decide how many new garage doors you are going to need for the project, it’s time to shop options. Buying cheap garage doors will not get you by for long. Cheap doors are bad investments since many can’t handle severe weather storms in many parts of the country. They are also prone to breaking down and causing you to make the repairs or hire a handyman.
Making Garages Total DIY Projects
Home remodels that are DIY projects are widespread and popular these days, and there is nothing wrong with that fact. However, there are many things when it comes to home additions and remodels that are best left to the professionals.
Therefore, even if you have advanced knowledge in carpentry and other handyman skills, there are portions of the new garage that you should leave to professionals. These include things like installing the garage doors or doing electrical work. Both are dangerous if left in the hands of amateurs.
As a result, it’s more than feasible to make many parts of building your new garage DIY while you hire out professional services for anything that you feel comfortable or poses serious safety risks.
Safety is a top priority for any home addition, including building a new garage. So, make sure you always follow safety protocol, and if you are not sure about something, it’s better to hire a professional as opposed to doing it yourself. Getting electrocuted or injured is not worth skipping out on a few bucks.
Not Planning for the Future
You will spend thousands on building a new garage, even a basic single car garage. Therefore, since you are taking the time and saving the money for a significant investment, you might as well do it right the first time.
For example, many homeowners opt to build a single car garage vs. double car garage because they want to save a little money and don’t put much thought into the future. It’s a mistake if you plan to spend several years (or decades) in the home.
The best plan you can implement now is building a garage with some flexibility. You never know you might want to have options later down the road, including deciding to turn that single car garage concept into a double car blueprint.
Are You Ready For A New Garage?
The most common mistakes when building a car may come back to haunt you. It’s essential to take precautions to avoid a similar dilemma. For this reason, making sure that you plan and save for the new garage, invest in high-quality materials, and hire a professional for the build can go a long way to keeping your project on budget and not causing too many headaches.
Since 1959 over 100,000 happy customers have chosen Danley’s for their garage construction.
We have the professional installers and local services that will go above and beyond to build your dream garage. Speak to a specialist and get a free quote online today!
