What Should I Consider Before Building a New Garage?

A garage can be a versatile feature of your home that can act as everything from a work-out room, arts and crafts area, and so much more! Adding a garage to your home can also increase its overall curb appeal as well – a home with a garage is more likely to be sold than one without. There are many different reasons why you may consider building a new garage. Your current garage may be unsafe or doesn't meet your needs anymore. Building a new garage is no easy matter, so before even finding out if you need garage planning permission, there are multiple factors you need to keep in mind before getting started.

Zoning Laws

If you're considering building a new garage, you need planning permission, unless your plan follows a strict set of parameters. Needless to say, it’s probably best just to say it’s a bit complicated. Whether or not you need planning permission isn’t the only thing you need to consider either, the process is large, to say the least. Any change to your home requires some planning permission. Especially when it comes to a bigger addition like a garage. While it is heavily dependent on your local government, there are two different types of permissions to consider. A full permission is the most common but some planning authorities give outline permission which only requires basic outlines. If you follow all the rules you can expect your local planning authority up to eight weeks to make a decision on your application.

The Garage's Use

Before building a new garage, you should think about what you'll be using your garage for. Not all garages are used for cars. Many people use their garage for storage space, workspace, gym and even as a living space. In order to pick the right garage design, you'll need to know what your intended use will be.

Car Size

The size of your car makes a huge difference in the overall size of your garage. As a rule of thumb, a traditional single-car garage will be 14 by 20 feet, while a comparable double-car garage will be 20 feet by 24 feet. However, a larger car may require additional overhead space or a wider entry. Also, consider additional car space if you plan on having more cars in the future. Additional footage can be added if you intend on using the garage area for anything else.

Which Style of Garage is Right?

There are two main options when it comes to picking your new garage, attached or detached. There are benefits to both of these styles and picking the right garage can be an essential part of your home. Detached garages will be free-standing from your home but normally close to your home. A detached garage gives you more freedom to be creative when building. The benefits of having a detached garage is more room for cars and workspace as well as added security.

Types of Garage Door

People are beginning to realize how much impact garage doors can affect their home’s curb appeal. However, many homeowners still don’t take the time to pick the perfect garage door because they assume that it’s too expensive to even look into, but this couldn’t be further from the truth. When it comes to garage doors, there are five different choices. There are sectional garage doors, side sliding doors, doors that swing upward, doors that roll and doors that swing away and out from the garage. The most popular of all the doors is definitely the sectional garage door. If you choose this option, you’ll need to have proper framing and 14” headroom for the garage tracks that run the door up and down. Garage doors can be made of many different materials with the most popular being steel, wood, and aluminum.

Garage Floor

Considering how beneath us they are all the time, floors are often overlooked – garage floors doubly so. Garage floors can take abuse from oil, chemicals, and salt. Depending on what you will be using your garage for a great way to keep looking fresh and improve its lifespan is to coat it with the best garage floor paint.

Driveway Design

Your existing driveway may be sufficient but if you're adding garage doors or changing the style of your garage you need to consider your driveway. For a single car garage, you should plan on having your driveway anywhere from 10 to 14 feet wide. For a two-car garage you should plan on at least 20 to 24 feet for the width of your driveway. If your house is located on a busy street then consider having a wider area closer to your garage to allow yourself room to turn your car around.

Cost of Building a New Garage

When building a new garage you need to consider the cost of the new garage and the wreck and haul away of your old one. There are many other factors that go into building a garage so it’s best for you to meet with a builder. That way you can ask questions and see all of the different customization options available. Danley’s is here to answer any questions you may have about the costs of building a garage.

Have the Perfect Garage Built With Danley’s

Homes with a garage are more likely to be sold than ones without. A new garage can improve the look of your home, the performance of your car and the safety of your family. How do we know so much about garages? Because we’re Chicago’s leading garage experts. Danley’s has been serving Chicago homeowners since 1959 and, at that time, we’ve built over 100,000 garages. If you need a new garage built, don’t hesitate to get a free quote from Danley’s. We’ll help you build the garage of your dreams.