Second Garage Plan - Worth it?

[kolky]

Hi all. Was wanting to get your thoughts on my potential garage plans. When we were looking for houses 7 years ago the number one item on my list was at least a 3 car garage. We ended up finding a house and neighborhood we love but it only had a 2 car garage. Since then I've been trying to figure out how to get additional garage space.

Unfortunately I see no options for expanding the current garage due to the lot shape and where is sits. I also love the breezeway and do not want to get rid of that. My current plan is to potentially build a second detached garage on the backside of my driveway. Here is what I am thinking.

- 26'x28' garage / carriage house
- 6/12 roof with storage trusses (would love to go higher but house is 5/12)
- 90 amp service (I could go with 60 if I also run a gas line but was thinking of a mini-split for heat and cooling as I live in MO. A gas line install will likely be pricey since it is about 120' run from the house.)
- 18x8 garage door
- Brick veneer on front and at least one side to match house

I'm trying to figure out if this is a crazy idea. I'd basically be creating a garage compound area on my parking pad with a 15 foot entry way and the garage doors 90 degree parallel from each other. It's going to be pricey. My guess is I'm probably looking at $60k since it will require frost footers and the brick work. That cost it also with me doing most of the interior finish work, insulation, etc...

What do you all think? I guess my other option is small storage shed :-(

Here is a pic of the front of the house and where I plan to put the garage.

 

[matt_i]

I think you should look at easements by contacting building and zoning dept in your area first. Also take a look at neighborhood restrictive covenants to gather in one place, all of the rules which you'll have to design with. To me it looks like there's a razor thin property line and my first guess is there is not enough easement between the property line and your proposed building site.

Also if you can take the time to please edit your profile and put a location in, just rough location is fine. Frost footers in Duluth and San Antonio are going to be very different depths and we will be wondering forevermore in future posts if you don't put it in the profile so it pops up automatically.

 

[coljar]

I think it's a good idea, however I'd bump it to 28' x 28' or 32' x 32' and square it up with your present garage. You'll appreciate the extra space for not much more money and the squaring thing is the OCD coming out in me. Also, Matt has some good recommendations above.

 

[kolky]

I think you should look at easements by contacting building and zoning dept in your area first. Also take a look at neighborhood restrictive covenants to gather in one place, all of the rules which you'll have to design with. To me it looks like there's a razor thin property line and my first guess is there is not enough easement between the property line and your proposed building site.

Also if you can take the time to please edit your profile and put a location in, just rough location is fine. Frost footers in Duluth and San Antonio are going to be very different depths and we will be wondering forevermore in future posts if you don't put it in the profile so it pops up automatically.

The easements in my area are 10' from property line and where I plan to put the garage should be just within that. My neighborhood does not have any specific covenants.

Here are the local regs on garage foundations.

"The footing shall be a minimum 6” thick x 12” wide installed 30” below grade. The foundation wall on top of the footing shall be a minimum of 8” in thickness and extend a minimum of 8” above the outside grade."

 

[kolky]

I think it's a good idea, however I'd bump it to 28' x 28' or 32' x 32' and square it up with your present garage. You'll appreciate the extra space for not much more money and the squaring thing is the OCD coming out in me. Also, Matt has some good recommendations above.

I was kind of thinking about angling it to match the garage too. I think getting the two garage doors to be at a 90 would be good.

 

[Bobthetractor]

I think the way it’s facing is good and your neighbors would appreciate it. Check your building setbacks from the property line as you look close. Why do you have an easement there? if you’ve got a 10’ easement you’re up against you might have an additional setback. This is somewhat common. Unless you are going to DIY $60k sounds low. I’ve had bad luck with insulated 18’ doors (std 2 car is 16’) the extra 2’ just makes em sag over time. The cost difference to run 60 vs 100amp is nominal. I’d run more if you ever think a generator, plasma cutter, etc might be in your future.

 

[kolky]

Sorry, I meant to say 10' setback rather than easement.

The interesting thing is that there was a tornado that hit this area a year before we moved in. The area behind my house is a green house. After the tornado came through the greenhouse owner put up a fence where there used to be pine trees. They gave all the houses in this row an extra 6' of yard where they put they fence. I am wondering if I can count that into my setback as well since I have to take care of that property.

 

[Ray916MN]

Assuming the existing garage door faces the rear of the lot, this is a bad idea. The new bulding placement creates a pinch point for access and pretty much guarantees it is going to be difficult to access both garages as the new garage you're thinking of gets rid of the swing space necessary to enter a rear facing garage door and to park in your new garage you would have to pull past the garage and back in. Exiting the garages is going to be a similar exercise in going back and forth to get out.

Given the situation, I'd think the most you can do is to extend your existing garage by a stall or to extend it by a garage space and make a drivethrough space. If you wanted to take a really different approach, you could extend you garage by a 2 car width and make the extension a drivethrough 2 car garage so you could maintain access to the existing garage. This would also allow straight in access to the new garage, but required driving through the new garage to get to the existing garage.

If I'm right, that the current garage is entry facing the rear of the lot, the best solution is probably to add to the existing garage width and make all access front facing. You could even leave the existing rear facing garage door in place so the existing garage would become a drive through. Setback issues on the addition could be addressed by moving the addition farther towards the back of the lot. This approach would give you front facing access for 4 cars. Other variations of this idea would be to add a single bay width (you would 3 front facing garage doors) to the end of the existing garage and make the addition and existing garage deeper to get the space you're looking for.

 

[yeldogt]

I'm sure you are going to need permits .. and some type of drawing. Why not stop into the governing authority and ask some basic questions .... does your town have a code official -- or do they farm it out?

I find that it's often the best way to get started .. I would also ask if they know of any retired architect working in the area that likes little project (they do).

Spending a few hundred to get a pro to look over a space will often speed things along -- they see things that the average person does not. If you need drawings -- they can do them. I have never had a small project where an architect did not provide value -- typically more so than what they charged ... and you don't waste time.

A good integration of the building will add value to the property -- all to often owner driven buildings take away ....

Also -- around me $60sf would be impossible

 

[kolky]

Assuming the existing garage door faces the rear of the lot, this is a bad idea. The new bulding placement creates a pinch point for access and pretty much guarantees it is going to be difficult to access both garages as the new garage you're thinking of gets rid of the swing space necessary to enter a rear facing garage door and to park in your new garage you would have to pull past the garage and back in. Exiting the garages is going to be a similar exercise in going back and forth to get out.

Given the situation, I'd think the most you can do is to extend your existing garage by a stall or to extend it by a garage space and make a drivethrough space. If you wanted to take a really different approach, you could extend you garage by a 2 car width and make the extension a drivethrough 2 car garage so you could maintain access to the existing garage. This would also allow straight in access to the new garage, but required driving through the new garage to get to the existing garage.

If I'm right, that the current garage is entry facing the rear of the lot, the best solution is probably to add to the existing garage width and make all access front facing. You could even leave the existing rear facing garage door in place so the existing garage would become a drive through. Setback issues on the addition could be addressed by moving the addition farther towards the back of the lot. This approach would give you front facing access for 4 cars. Other variations of this idea would be to add a single bay width (you would 3 front facing garage doors) to the end of the existing garage and make the addition and existing garage deeper to get the space you're looking for.

I've considered most of these ideas. One issue is that no other house on my street has a front facing garage door. I also have a giant oak tree right in front of my garage that would prevent me from opening up the rest of the front.

I could make the detached garage front facing but that gets into the issue of no other houses having it and eating up a lot more yard with driveway.

Your point is very valid though about basically having to back into each garage with this design. That is a big concern of mine.

 

[twistedstang]

I think it's a great idea. Im in the process of adding a second garage now. One for the wife, one for me.

 

[3onthetree]

I think it works with your constraints. It's not uncommon for motor courts to require a 3-point turn either going in or leaving. I would probably align the garage with the prop line, and what looks like the main house might be close to parallel to that as well. That would give you a little more visual space between structures. You can also extend the drive into the setback for a pulloff to help the 3-point turn.

$60K does seem closer to it. That 6' into the neighbor can't be used.