Garage door layout advice needed

[madmaxnj]

Looking for some advice on garage door layout. Garage will be 24x32x12 (likely) with a 4/12 pitch roof. The garage door(s) will be on the gable end. Right now the driveway runs in straight from the street and a 90 degree right turn into the garage on the house. House is a 2 story, typical Jersey bi-level with a side entrance garage. The detached garage will be almost 90 degrees to the house, so the driveway will run almost straight into the detached garage. Hopefully that makes sense. The point of bringing that up is that from the driveway and the street you will see all the garage doors, and depending on your standpoint they will almost appear in a line up. So the garage will have a peak of around 16-17’, about the same height as the gutters on the adjacent house.

The two doors on the house garage are just standard size doors. 8Wx7H I think.

The 24x32 will be vehicle storage and maintenance. Right now it will be the Corvette, motorcycles, work benches, and maybe a 2 post. Eventually I may be storing a shorter Class C motorhome. In order to keep the garage from becoming a behemoth, I’d be looking for a shorter motorhome, something under 11’. There are several models in the 10-10.5’ range, even new Winnebago Aspect is in that range. I’m in the process of applying for the variance, and I already had a workshop meeting with the planning board and I am optimistic that I will get a height variance. The 24x32 dimensions are already fully within current rules, but the height is restricted to 14’. So I’d only be looking for a variance of 3 or so feet. And since the peak of the garage will only be around the height of the house gutters, it won’t be overbearing.

I don’t want to be restricted in taking vehicles in and out of the garage, so I was originally leaning towards two garage doors. But it would look a little funny, one 10Wx11H, one maybe 9Wx8H, on the detached, next to the two 8Wx7H. Actually the 10x11 would be in the middle, on the side of the detached closer to the house.

The alternative is a massive single commercial garage door, 18Wx11H.

So what are some thoughts on this? How bad are the mis-matched doors going to look? How bad is the massive commercial door going to look in a residential neighborhood? I’m sure the massive door would make parking the motorhome a lot easier, but I’m concerned about the additional expense in the structure and then in other odds and ends. How beefy does that one wall need to be built now? I was considering a pole building, but would this be a no go with a massive door? Will the commercial garage door opener cost more than 2 residential garage door openers? All things to consider.

Feedback appreciated. Pics of mismatched doors or a massive 18x11 door greatly appreciated

 

[manwithtools]

Pictures or sketches would be helpful, you lost me in the first paragraph.

 

[Jlbc212]

One very important thing I learned when I use to draw up plans for houses, additions and garages is that what one person might think is hideous, another person will think is beautiful. You need to choose what layout will be most practical and acceptable to you.

 

[gnpenning]

There is no such thing as a standard door in my world. As we do so many different sizes regularly. An 8' or 9' wide are rare for us to put in because most here have suvs.and trucks. If they do put in those widths they end up parking outside.

This is a 18.2 x 10 we put in for a customer this week. Not positive on width of garage but it's close to your 24' number.

If you go with a high lift track and commercial jackshaft opener. The cost should be the same no matter if it's 11', 12', 13', 14', 16' high

 

[RWorth]

If you are concerned it will look like a commercial building, I would build an 8 foot high door with a 4 foot transom window above on hinges. Or 3 foot if you only want 11 for height. I have a 10 foot high door on my shop and have been thinking about doing this to mine for awhile. I was thinking I'd actually build 2 hinged doors, 5x8, and 2 hinged transoms, 5x2.

 

[madmaxnj]

Okay, let's see if this works. I haven't posted pics here before and from what I can gather photobucket may be useless these days.

Here is what I think I am posting
Layout of property and where the garage will sit.
Possible layout of vehicles in the garage. This is shown with the 2 doors.
Front view with 1 big door.
Front view with 2 different doors.

I think I am convincing myself to go with the single monster door. It will be much easier to get the motorhome and other vehicles in and out with the single monster door. The 11 blue bar across the RV is likely a 2 post lift (not to lift the motorhome lol). But the lift would likely go in within a year, whereas the motorhome might be a few years down the line.

Wait a second, let me do a rendering with a big door. Oh, that doesn't look so great either. That will end up being squeeze as well getting anything in and out. Ugh. Now I'm leaning more towards two doors. At least all vehicles can come straight in and out. With a single big door anything would need to be angled in. Even bumping up to a 20W door it will be tight on the outer edge.

So how bad will the two different doors look? Should I do the 10X11 for both doors?

 

[astroracer]

Is there any way to go a bit wider? 26' ? Or even 28'? You really limited yourself with that 24' width... The 24' outside dimension leaves you with 23' on the inside with 2 x 4 construction. Less with 2 x 6...
An 18' door, centered, will leave you only 2 1/2' per side to the inside wall. Not a lot of room for benches or cabinets. The narrow width will limit your working space around a car also, as an open door will affectively block walking around the car.
Going to 26' would be better, 28' would give you space for benches and storage.
Trying to put a lift in there will be tight to the wall also. No room to walk around the lift on the wall side and any benches or storage will be negated also.
Mark

 

[2level]

A single residential 20' wide door would probably look, and function, the best.

In the diagram, the driveway doesn't look almost straight to the front of the detached garage.

Are there commercial roll-up doors on the attached garage?

 

[madmaxnj]

Is there any way to go a bit wider? 26' ? Or even 28'? You really limited yourself with that 24' width... The 24' outside dimension leaves you with 23' on the inside with 2 x 4 construction. Less with 2 x 6...
An 18' door, centered, will leave you only 2 1/2' per side to the inside wall. Not a lot of room for benches or cabinets. The narrow width will limit your working space around a car also, as an open door will affectively block walking around the car.
Going to 26' would be better, 28' would give you space for benches and storage.
Trying to put a lift in there will be tight to the wall also. No room to walk around the lift on the wall side and any benches or storage will be negated also.
Mark

Can't go any bigger. As is I'm getting close to the maximum size for an accessory building on my lot. I'd have to check the numbers again, but i don't think I can make either dimension bigger. The planning board already balked when they saw the footprint, but backed off when I informed them of my property size, zone, and maximum allowable size. I was actually already approved for a 24x32 building, but since I want to go higher than allowed I need to apply for a variance for the height.

Another drawback of going wider is the jump in price when you get off of 8' increments. Keeping to standard sizes keeps this affordable. Of course the door situation complicates that somewhat, but is a necessary evil.

 

[LS6 Tommy]

My neighbor went through the same exact thing when he built his detached garage. One side for his motor home, one side for his gym equipment and motorcycles. He also needed a variance for the height. He did a big door on the right for the motor home and a standard door on the left.

Tommy

 

[madmaxnj]

At this point now I'm thinking of just going with two 10x11 doors. This way it is symmetrical and I have max height on both sides. I'd also have a little more piece of mind with a center support column between the two garage doors, and having them spread a little gives me a little more room on each outer edge. I think it would just make everything easier that way.

thanks for the feedback.

 

[astroracer]

You need to do a drawing. 2 10' doors is 20' total. Remember, you will have only 23' on the inside of your shop. That's 3' to divide 3 ways. A one foot divider between the doors will leave 2' to split between the outside of each door to inside wall. 1' is not enough space walk around a car in there let alone open the doors all the way...
A 16' door will work much better. That would leave you about 3 1/2' on the outsides of the door and will make for a bit of usable space on the side walls.
I would really suggest not thinking about parking a motorhome in there. Not enough room... Just wanting you to think about this. Make a drawing with wall thickness or lay it out in your driveway and try it out...
Mark

 

[gnpenning]

Not sure why you would suggest he build a shop that he can't fit what he wants to down the road. Planning ahead is a good thing. A little engineering can solve the corner problem. Yes it may not be cheap but cheaper than having to do it all over again. He may or may not need the walls for deep storage.

Midland garage door manufacturer makes a swing away center post that can give you a 3 different opening sizes with 2 doors.

 

[madmaxnj]

You need to do a drawing. 2 10' doors is 20' total. Remember, you will have only 23' on the inside of your shop. That's 3' to divide 3 ways. A one foot divider between the doors will leave 2' to split between the outside of each door to inside wall. 1' is not enough space walk around a car in there let alone open the doors all the way...
A 16' door will work much better. That would leave you about 3 1/2' on the outsides of the door and will make for a bit of usable space on the side walls.
I would really suggest not thinking about parking a motorhome in there. Not enough room... Just wanting you to think about this. Make a drawing with wall thickness or lay it out in your driveway and try it out...
Mark

Mark,
I appreciate the feedback, but I'm not following your logic. I don't see how a 16' door will work better than two 10' doors. It's 4' less door, and centered on the structure, not the parking spots. I did do drawings, look a few postings back. See how with the 10' door I can drive the Winne straight in. With the 18' door it cannot go straight in, the door is not wide enough. I'd have to come in at an angle and then if I have the lift there than that is not a 10,000 lb string I'd like to run up that needle. And that's an 18' door, a 16' door would lose another foot on the outside and be worse.

Sure I'd love to have a bigger building, wouldn't we all. But that's not in the cards. I was originally hoping just to put a 24x24 on whatever property I bought but when i pulled the survey into Visio and started messing around, and reading the fine print on the town codes, I realized a 24x32 was doable. I've been looking around here quite a bit and there are some really cool 24x32 garages. I've seen pics of Xanders with 4 cars in it. That's plenty room for me!

 

[astroracer]

Yea, I know. I have what I call a "talent". I can "see" things 3 dimensionally from a 2D rendering. What I see in my head most people can't understand until they see it in a model or a full size build. Sorry, I'll shut up and leave you be...
Mark

 

[MikeF2316]

I thought of this thread when I saw this picture on realtor.ca. Here's how you can put any different sizes of doors side by side and disguise it. It might cost you a buck or two on architects and framing though...

 

[2level]

I thought of this thread when I saw this picture on realtor.ca. Here's how you can put any different sizes of doors side by side and disguise it. It might cost you a buck or two on architects and framing though...

That's not bad; probably the best looking two door garage -- with mismatched door sizes -- that I've seen.

 

[merc66rkm]

Not sure if this helps, but here is a house near me that has 2 different size doors on his shop.

 

[PsRumors]

Yea, I know. I have what I call a "talent". I can "see" things 3 dimensionally from a 2D rendering. What I see in my head most people can't understand until they see it in a model or a full size build. Sorry, I'll shut up and leave you be...
Mark

I get what you are saying. Not sure any of the above could be said any better.