How to Choose the Right Garage Company

If you’re looking to build a new garage, you may not be sure where to start. How do people go about those types of large-scale home improvement tasks anyway? Do they look on Craigslist? Do they ask around for references? Do they search on Google or Bing for answers? When it comes to any home improvement or home repair task—whether it’s as small as installing new fixtures in the bathroom or as large as replacing the roof—you want to make sure you’re dealing with someone who not only knows what they’re doing but is licensed and insured. Of course, if you know how to do it yourself, then by all means go ahead and take care of it, but if you’re talking about something as large-scale as building a garage from scratch, you’re most likely in the crowd of people that will need to hire someone to do this for you. So again, to return to our question: how exactly do you do that? Your garage is an important part of your home, and often a defining feature: when people are looking at houses on the market, they typically note the square footage, the number of bedrooms, number of bathrooms, and how many cars fit in the garage. Moreover, for many people, the garage is more than just a place to park vehicles. It’s also a place to store valuable items like power tools, seasonal decorative items, and collectible items like boxes of comic books or bowling trophies (hey, at least you think they’re collectible). If you’re building a garage that goes above and beyond your standard four walls, roof, and concrete floor to park the old jalopy. If you’re getting some extra bells and whistles like storage space, workstations, or an arcade of old Namco machines, you want to especially make sure you’re going to get someone who knows what they’re doing. Let’s look at a few things to consider when looking for the right garage company—one that will leave you with superb craftsmanship that can stand the test of time.

#1: Get Your Own Ducks in a Row

Like any costly business venture you need to know what you want; adding value to your home through renovation and/or expansion is a monetary discussion that will also involve your tastes, preferences, and vision about what you want your home to be. A garage is not just a garage. There are many different architectural styles to choose from, as well as functional matters dictated by what you intend to use your garage for. Storing vehicles? Woodworking? Band practice? Storage? Make a list of what you want your garage to be, and try to prioritize it to clarify what your top 3-5 must haves are. The benefit of clarifying what you want is that you’ll have an easier time finding a company that can do what you’re looking for. By contrast, if you’re not exactly sure what you want, you’ll have to find a company that can handle different types of projects, and with specialized home improvement niches like this one, that could be hard to do. Your best bet is to clarify your vision of what you want your garage to be and find a company whose work aligns with that goal.

#2: Learn About Different Types and Sizes of Garages

Just like homes, there are many different styles and types of garages, each of which offers their own unique appeal and list of benefits. First off, you’ll need to decide if you want your garage to be detached (separate from your house) or attached (part of your house). A detached garage is actually the easier of the two to build from scratch because you won’t have to worry about surgically grafting a new addition on to your already standing house. By contrast, an attached garage requires some serious planning and know-how, since you may have to tear down walls, or at the very least integrate new walls and a roof into the massing of your home—something that could also require some serious permits and paperwork. Of course, once the construction dust settles, an attached garage will leave you with the advantage of being part and parcel of your home, so you’ll have easy access in and out...which can be especially helpful for bringing in groceries or heading to the car when it’s snowing outside.

#3: What’s Your Style?

The last consideration to make in thinking about the garage is the style of your home. You want the garage to blend in with your home, and not clash with it, so your garage company should have some architectural finesse and familiarity with that particular style. Then, of course, there will be different types of roofs. A gable roof slopes sided to side, forming a triangular wall above your garage door, while a reverse gable slopes front to back, forming a triangular pediment on the side of the garage. These gable roofs are good in regions with high amounts of rain or snow, because the slope of the roof easily allows water to run off. Moreover, the triangular shape of the roof can allow for additional storage space, a loft, or higher ceilings. Another type of roof is the hip roof, which slopes on all four sides that come to a point at the very top—a style that’s particularly suited to high winds. Of course, you could also go with a flat roof, which can allow for a deck on top (an especially great option if you have limited backyard space and would love more room for outdoor entertaining). Of course, you’ll also have to consider the size of the garage: will it hold one car, two, or three? If you're having a garage company work for you, you can even get your garage built to a more specific size that matches your vision (say, a space to park your Ferrari, but also room for pool tables and a loft).

#4: References, Reviews, and Reputation

You need to make sure the company you’re using has a solid reputation and good to excellent reviews. You can always ask around to see if anyone you know has a good recommendation, or any experience working with the company you’ve already picked. Some questions to consider are how they treat their clients, what the quality of their work is like, and their timeline for project completion. Are they courteous, professional, and timely? Reviews online can be helpful. Previous clients will give you the lowdown on their experience, and if anyone had a bad experience, they’ll let you know. When it comes to doing a little research, you won’t regret the time you invest. Making it easier is the fact that these days there are so many different venues for leaving reviews: Yelp, Google, Angie’s List, Facebook...

#5: Credentials

See if the company has a legitimate looking website. Do they have images of prior projects available for your perusal? A selection of photos of previous work will let you know that they can craft the garage you’re thinking about. What type of warranty do they offer on their work?  Is it a lifetime guarantee? Also, make sure the company is licensed and insured. If anything heads south of the border before, during, or after the construction process, you want to make sure your butt is covered. Don’t take any chances with these last pieces of criteria, because every professional company will make sure these are part and parcel of the way they do business.

Made by Danley's

For your garage construction needs and services, the best company to match your garage style and size is Danley's. Since 1959, Danley's has constructed over 100,000 garages and we are delighted to keep serving customers across Chicago and surrounding suburbs. The three garage styles we have for you are the gable, reverse gable, and hip roof garages. Also, you don't have to limit yourself to a one car size garage...you can get a two-car or a three-car size garage that will give you enough space for your vehicles, tools, and equipment. Take the time to read our reviews and consider reading more about our work. Speak to a specialist and get a free quote today.