TGR Staff - 05/11/2021
Not every home has a garage, but for automotive and motorcycle enthusiasts a garage is almost always mandatory. It isn't just a place to park, but your workshop, a place to store tools, and from a homeownership perspective adds value to any home. In some states, you'll notice that a lot of, homes had carports, but many lacked a full garage. Adding a garage to an existing home or as a stand-alone building on your property can be a daunting task, and there is a lot of planning, red tape, and budging to figure out before you even start construction.
Reaching out to contractors, friends who have recently built garages, and real estate experts, we put together this guide of everything you should know before breaking ground on your dream garage.
What does it need to do?
Assuming you already know that you have the space to build a garage, the first thing you need to decide is what is the purpose of the garage? Is it simply car storage? A workshop? Does it need to be tall enough for a lift? Map out everything you want the garage to do and start to design accordingly. You might want to create a separate exterior storage area for garden tools or camping gear or have a dedicated space for woodworking or other hobbies. You may want to incorporate an office into the garage if you work from home and want a little more separation for a better work/life balance. Does your garage need its own bathroom? What about climate control? Look at all your options from garage door size, to lighting, and security, it is much easier and less expensive to build it into the initial build than to make changes later on. Also, make sure you are accounting for space for storage and being able to open car doors once inside. All of this needs to be done before you call a contractor for a bid.
Cost of the building:
If you are building an attached garage, you more than likely want it to blend into the existing architecture of the house, but if you are building a stand-alone garage, there are more options. For stand-alone garages, pre-fabricated steel buildings are the most cost-effective and quickest way to add a garage to a property.
While you can do it yourself, it isn't recommended, unless you have a lot of experience in pouring concrete and general construction you might want to leave it to the professionals. Even with the best contractor, always make sure your budget has extra dollars for cost overruns and any unexpected surprises that might come up.
Permit time:
Depending on where you live, you may not even need a permit, but unless you live in a rural county it is likely you will need some kind of permit. Some regions may even require local, county, and state approvals and permits before you can break ground. A good contractor who has worked in your area will know but be sure to double-check, you don't want to get your project done only to have code enforcement stop in after the contractor has been paid and is long gone.
Cabinets and Storage:
The physical building is one thing, but if you are going to invest the time and money into building a new garage, be sure to also budget and invest in the right cabinets and storage solutions to make the best use of the space. While you can just go to your local home and garden store and pick something up, there are a lot better solutions. Check out our story on designing custom garage cabinets.
Is it worth it?
From a homeowner's perspective, a garage is a solid investment, according to Remodeling Magazine, an investment like a pool only returns about 20% of the initial cost in added home value, while a garage returns about 80% of the initial investment. The only home improvement that made more of its investment back was a kitchen overhaul. You should keep in mind that if you build too big of a garage There could be additional savings as well from an insurance perspective, many car insurance companies offer better rates for cars that are garaged.
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