In comparison with the rest of a house, most homeowners usually give garage designs less importance while building their houses for different reasons. However, the garage is an absolute necessity for modern-day houses, and it is one of the factors that contribute to the exterior and overall look of the garage.
While purchasing a house, it is essential to keep this factor in mind. If you are looking for ideas to rebuild or redesign your garage, Graana.com discusses some amazing and fresh ideas to revamp your garage.
What comes to your mind when you think of a garage?
It is most likely the following ideas come to your mind when you think of garage space.
- Parking space
- Storage room
- Car repair/workshop
- A space for doing laundry
- Gaming area
- Home Gym area
- Pet house
These days the garage designs provide you with loads of options to choose from, no matter if you have an attached, semi-attached, or segregated garage from the rest of the house. Here is a list of types of garages – their pros and cons, that you need to consider to make a calculated decision about how you would customize your garage.
Types of Garages
There are three main types of garages, attached, detached, and ADU conversion garage.
Attached Garage
As the name states, an attached garage is the one that is attached to the rest of the housing unit. This garage design is pretty standard, and that too for a good reason – people don’t have to walk towards their homes after parking the car.
However, with this advantage comes a disadvantage as well. If the door of the attached garage does not work properly, it won’t provide enough insulation and will directly affect the temperature inside the house.
This will result in increased bills for the heating and cooling systems.
Detached Garage
Detached garages are built separately from the rest of the house. If your parking area is narrow and long, then a detached garage is the best option for you. You can build one on the backside of the house.
Another benefit it provides is that the house residents will be safe from the discharge of unhealthy carbon monoxide fumes. Besides this, you can customize everything about the garage however you want, including its roof design, unlike the attached garage, where you have to align that with the overall structure and design of the house.
The cons of this type of garage are that they usually occupy a vast yard area which is less desirable. The major problem they create is that you will have to walk to the house, which is particularly inconvenient during bad weather.
ADU Garage
‘Accessory Dwelling Unit’ or ADU is a garage that comes as an additional dwelling on the house. Also known as mother-in-law cabins, cottages, carriage houses, etc. – they serve many other purposes based on how the homeowners customize them.
Sometimes people convert their garages into home offices, mini-apartment, tool storage, a separate room for guests, etc. It is an innovative way to utilize the space in different and unique ways. Attached and detached, both garages can be converted into ADU.
The best thing is that there is no hard and fast rule here; you just customize the garage as per your requirements; also, it is an economical way to add a room to your house.
If you are a person who prefers to have their workstation at home, or you are working on a start-up project, an ADU would be a good option for you. There are hidden costs in all the projects, which is no exception.
Some of the challenges you might face include old structure, asbestos, wall dampness, and energy challenges.
In some cases, the garage structure is too old, hence making it unable to take the renovation. Sometimes the columns are too fragile and old to bear the burden of another story.
If the garage is in a shady place and lacks sunlight exposure, there is a high chance that the walls have developed dampness. If overlooked for long, this dampness can lead to mold development, which makes it unhealthy for a person to stay in such a place.
Asbestos is another thing that you may find in the garage. Exposure to it can cause breathing issues, shortness, lung inflammation, etc.
Mistakes to Avoid with Garage Designs
There are some garage renovation mistakes that you need to avoid. Some of them are given below.
Underestimating Time & Cost
Before going for ADU conversion, make sure to calculate the estimated cost and time to be served for this project. If you underestimate it, the whole project might turn out to be costly instead of economical.
Remodeling Garage Is Not a DIY Project
It is quite understandable that people might treat it as a DIY project, but the thing is that it is not. The main structure is already given, but still, many things need to be done, and only professionals can do those jobs, such as installing extra switches, heating, and cooling systems, etc.
If the project is carried out with the help of professionals, it can even enhance a home’s value.
Door Size
The size of the door must be according to the vehicle size. Usually, with the electric doors, this problem occurs in that the height of the vehicle is more than that of the door. This might sound funny, but it is a real mistake during garage renovation.
Garage With Stairs
If your garage has stairs, make sure that the door opens the other way to avoid safety hazards.
Many different garage design ideas can inspire you to customize the garage according to your choice. You just need to make sure that you know exactly what you want for your garage, and its pros and cons, and don’t make the mistakes mentioned above to avoid any inconvenience in the future.
