Garage Size

[drewbop]

I do believe this has been covered before, but just seeing if anyone has some quick recommendations.

I am planning to build a garage late summer/fall and am thinking 26'x26'. I don't plan to live in the house for much more than a year or two more and need to add a garage for resale value. I know I should do at least a double garage, and figured 26'x26' would be the most cost effective way to have a nice garage for a year or two, but wouldn't be as expensive as say a 26'x30'

Any thoughts? Just looking to store a couple vehicles and have a little room for some shelves for storage.

Thanks

[aanderud]

You definitely don't want to be less than 26' deep, that's all I know. I wish the folks who built my house would have been as forward thinking as you are size-wise. My garage stalls are 19 foot deep (3rd) stall and 21 feet deep (double-wide door). Really no room for a workbench or any space to do things, especially in the summer with bikes and all kinds of stuff going on and that boat is in the garage.

I'm going to try and get someone in to bump out at least that third stall (maybe up to like 12 feet wide) back another 6 feet into the yard. For cost effectiveness, I won't go with anything beefy enough to drive on necessarily. Think of it as a "4 season porch" sticking out the back of my garage. At least a place to store bikes, maybe some shelving, and I'll have room to back my boat all the way into the 3rd stall without hitting the back wall (trailer wheels will remain on the concrete slab of course).

[YiGGiN4SLoBS]

I would go 30x32 if i were you, especially if you have the room on your lot. More $$ but it will also be much easier to sell your house with that size garage and you should be able to get a better deal for the home. My sister is a realtor and MOST buyers like the idea of the 3 stall garage now days.

Thats how big i made my garage when i built my house 10 years ago and I'm glad i did. Still could use more room at times, can't imagine it being smaller.

[nofishfisherman]

Are you building the garage purely for resale value? If that is the case I would look at the area you live in and look at what the average 2 car garage looks like. If you are doing it only for resale I'd look to build the most cost effective garage that will allow your house to stand out against the competition in your neighborhood. If there are only small garages or only single car garages then a smallish 2 car should be enough. If you live in an area with all larger garages then you'll likely want to add extra size so that your house can compete with others on the market.

In my area there are almost no 2 car garages so a 26x26 would look huge by comparison and adding extra size above that wouldn't make it any easier to sell the house or bring in any more value.

The possible counter point to that is even if its meant to be only for resale make sure to be realistic about that and realize that its very easy for 1-2 years to become 5-10 years. You may have the plan to sell now but a lot can happen in 1-2 years that would prevent you from selling. So in that case you may want to consider building what will make you happy even if its costs more now.

[drewbop]

Thanks for all the thoughts everyone. It's a house in town, so it's on a smaller lot. I personally would love a 3 stall, but that would be the entire width of the lot. I've talked to a few garage guys which have given me dimensions on the smallest 2 stalls, as most have 2 stall garages in my part of town (good point nofishfisherman).

I think taking everything into consideration, I think 26'x26' has to be close to probably what I should do. Just in case I have to stay a few more years, and it would still be bigger than most around me.

It's always nice to hear what others have been through just to make sure one has thought of everything before they make the investment.

[JOHNBIGDOG]

My $ .10.

Put in a floor drain. Its amazing how much water accumulates because of snow, rain. Also you can wash the toys in the garage.

2×6 walls will offer more room for insulation.

2 garage doors may be better than one. If one breaks at least the other may open.

DO NOT put a light directly above the garage door opening. There will be times you will work on something with the door open, and you'll need the lights on. The light wont do much good with a garage door in front of it. (Hence two doors) put the light fixtures between the doors.

If you like to listen to tunes while in the garage get some speaker wire that is "behind the wall" rated and run it before you install your insulation. Doing it after and almost falling throughout the rafters is not fun.

Consider storage trusses. Its amazing how much room can be had in the attic of the garage. Two windows on either end for light works real well. And if you need a place to sleep......

Take time and when you run power run a 100amp service AND a telephone hard line, if your tech savy run another line for the internet/ cable tv...

Another thought is to go a little deeper, say 30 feet. This way you have a small work area in the back of the garage for a bench and some tools.

Having one stall with garage doors at both ends means you can park the "used often" toys so that you wont have to move a vehicle to get then out. Lawn mower, motorcycle snowmobile.

[Tom7227]

The idea of fitting into the neighborhood makes sense to me. NoFishFisherman raises some very good points. Depending on where you are there may be zoning restrictions on the size. I would consider the two door design as it gives more room for access to the vehicles. Perhaps a shorter garage but wider would make sense. 26 x 26=676 sq feet. 21 x 32 = 676 Would you rather have the extra 6 feet on the side where you could put a lawnmower, snowblower or whatever with out a problem? Sure it's nice to have a deeper garage but I for one would go for the wider setup with some 'safe' storage on the side.

The storage rafters make sense if the cost isn't that much more.

What JohnBigDog suggests is all fine if you want to have the 'perfect' garage. But given your relatively short time of living there I don't think all those things would pay off.

[kerryd15]

Running the wires is cheap. run a gas line as well. I built my "dream garage" and ended up selling the place. The garage is what "sold" the place. I ran gas line, telephone, cable, power. I didnt have some of them hooked up but they were there with easy access. You will need to run multiple trenches. some things can't be buried together. Look at putting the doors in the Gable end. Saves on header size and the inevitable dripping from rain and icy snow melt in a driveway. I like wider than deep, feels safer when i am working in there and someone pulls in the garage. I don't like my tools and stuff in front of a vehicle stall.I understand what Tom is saying but i wouldn't go less than 24 deep if you have a pickup.

[knoppers]

I had a 24 x 24 built a few years ago, if I had to do it over, it would be 24 x 28 minimum. the extra length is good for longer boats. I had to squeeze my new pontoon in for winter storage, to tight of a fit.

[Tom7227]

Pounding the point perhaps but zoning regulations can really impact what you want to do. The OP shows Duluth as his residence. Here is what the Duluth Code has to say about size of the structure:

D. Rear Yards

An accessory structure can not exceed 20 feet in height, and may not occupy more than 30% of the rear yard area. All accessory structures on a lot may not occupy more than 60% of the rear yard area.

[Sandmannd]

When we built our home I added 4 feet on to the depth of the garage. Put in a floor drain, laundry tub (cleaning fish and wild game) and a gas line for a heater. It's easier to do things while it's being built then later. I'm going to be running cable, internet, phone and it's own fuse panel in the near future.

[delcecchi]

And he said a "narrow lot" so setbacks can be an issue as well.

[BoxMN]

Make the depth 28' (good building dimension) and put in a 18'x8' insulated (steel on both sides) single door. Only one opener needed, and your width of the 26' will remain the same.

I like sloping the slab towards the door, no probs for me with freezing but I heat garage all winter in one garage, and not in other. Put in 2x6 trusses even if not storage, IMO. I didn't and wish I did.

Any reasonable boat can fit into this door, up to a 24' pontoon, I know for sure. That will be a selling point for your house for sure. For sure do a 8' high door.

Good luck!

[Down Deep]

If this garage is being built purely for resale I would go with the 26 X 26 which is a nice sized two car garage. Match the siding to house and maybe add a gas line or at least an unconnected feed. 2X6 studs and one 16 foot door. Stick a workbench in the corner and add some wire shelving on one wall. Go with bare bones lighting, but use some nice looking fixtures on the outside. Install an outlet on an exterior wall. If you are going to sell the house in a year to two you should be thinking like a flipper and get max returned for dollar invested.

[upnorth]

Older parts of Duluth have some pretty small lots. The "dream garage" may not be realistic in many parts of town.

[drewbop]

Everyone has brought up great points to think about and consider while I begin to get the ball rolling. I think Down Deep nailed it. After contemplating it, I need to realistically build it with a flipper mind set. A 26'x26' would be one of the better garages in the neighborhood. The house I've redone top to bottom, gutted it out and all new everything.

I have a growing family and it's a great starter home for a couple small kids, but as they get older, would get to be a squeeze.

I'm thinking my 26'x26' idea may be the best fit... And will get me by for at least a year or two.