How big do I really need?

[njk4o5]

im 25 and bought my first home in October 2013. I expected to renovate it all and sell within 2 years. But home values have increased a ridiculous amount around here, and my friends who are looking for homes cant find anything like mine for less than $400k now. So I started liking my home more and more and decided I wouldn't mind being here for 5-8 more years rather than sell it for profit now and have to buy a crappy house in a crappy town at the going prices. But I don't have a garage and I have a car that needs one. Things can change once you buy a home so don't necessarily buy a home you expect to sell shortly after or youll be stuck like me with no space.

I have to ask my neighbor for a setback permit to be within 20' of the property line. hopefully he agrees

 

[slomaro3.4]

I plan to be there for 4-5 years, who knows maybe longer. I have a pretty secure job with a good company, but I'm young so who knows. As far as some renovations for the garage, I'm really not looking at that as an investment, it's more of just something I want. If it increases the value of the house a little that's great, but it isn't my focus. The homes with detached garages seem to have a little more space on the lot too, which could be beneficial in the long run if I end up there for longer.

 

[slomaro3.4]

Well, I just had an offer accepted on a newer place (built in '09) and of course it was at the higher end of my budget, but hey I guess that's why we set budgets in the first place. Downside, garage is only 20x22' but since it's newer and attached I don't need to spend more money insulating it and fixing the concrete. Barring any unforeseen issues, I'm closing in May, I'll start a new thread then

 

[Bluedodge]

Congrats - nice looking house! Enjoy it!

...and you'll be happy next winter that you went with an attached garage.

 

[Stevie-Ray]

Nice thing about an attached garage is the free heat. (Not really free per se, as you're paying for it) My brother's place, for example; his garage never gets below 45 degrees. Great for working in, even if you may need a small electric heater at times. His gas bill is not at all bad, so he doesn't feel like he's wasting heat.

 

[ct03911]

Go at least 2' wider and longer than you think or your budget allows.
26x28 owner who knows...
Bigger is better.

 

[A_Pmech]

Nice Bird Car!

 

[MrBalll]

Congrats on the house.

You should be good with 20' width. Your Jeep and Camaro are roughly 7' wide with mirrors included for both. That still leaves you with around 6' of space around them.
The Camaro, surprisingly, is 16' long. Jeep, I'm guessing, is around 14' long. So at 22' long you should still have enough room for storage up front.
Should be able to make a nice garage with what you have.

 

[NUTTSGT]

Since you have a "smaller" garage, one of the first things you might want to do is put up a shed in the back yard for all the "non-garage" items like bike, mower and such.


Congrats on the new home.

 

[slomaro3.4]

Thanks guys! It basically came down to a new (less than 10 year old) house in a nicer neighborhood with a small garage or a less nice old home in a less than ideal neighborhood. I think I can make something pretty nice out of the garage, although I will probably have to have one car outside if I need to do major work.

Also time to start shed shopping, do I really need one on a concrete slab?

 

[Stevie-Ray]

Also time to start shed shopping, do I really need one on a concrete slab?

Depends on your city's ordinances. I had a plastic one that was actually the limit of my city's no-floor, no-permit allowance, that is 36 SF. It was a Rubbermaid 6x6 that had it's own floor and I put it on patio blocks. It neatly stored all my gas implements, snowblowers, mowers, and trimmers, etc, along with all the hand tools. Good enough to get them out of my measly 14x20 garage to make room for my Lightning. I was all I needed back then, but I left it there when I moved.

 

[mmb617]

Since you have a "smaller" garage, one of the first things you might want to do is put up a shed in the back yard for all the "non-garage" items like bike, mower and such.


Congrats on the new home.

Agreed! I had to wait a lot of years to build my garage but when I finally did I wanted it dedicated to the cars, parts for them and tools to work on them. I didn't want it cluttered with other junk.

To that end I have 3 sheds in the yard as one of them is dedicated to all the **** for the pool and the other two house everything else - lawn tractor, snow blower and other yard equipment. All that stuff will eat up garage space if you let it.