Garage Builder Manchester NH

The number of options available when you’re building a garage addition is nearly limitless. But, there are a few very popular options that are worth your time spent considering them. Unfortunately, garage additions are hardly a DIY project, and many things can go wrong in the process. To be safe, get a contractor that specializes in garage building and garage additions. They can go over the benefits and downfalls of each option that you’re interested in, but for now, you can explore them here!

Any garage builder would encourage you to weigh your options carefully against how long you intend to live in your home. If you plan to move in the next five years or so you might want to wait and then see how the market does before you’re ready to sell. But, if you plan on staying in the home for more than a few years, then the cost to build a garage will be worth it. 

Building a New Garage

There are many benefits to building a new garage. But, you can choose between attached or detached structures, how many cars it will hold and how any number of design features. Choosing to build a new garage is the first big decision, then you can break it down into smaller options. 

A contractor for garage additions can help you identify if any of these common options aren’t available to you, and why. When you’re ready to build a new garage, you might already have a plan in mind, but be sure to be open to new ideas because of how often city regulations or zoning restrictions lead people to change their initial plan on garage renovation. 

Attached

Attached garages are everything you could ever hope for, and more. They are first and foremost attached to your home which means that the cold seasons of New Hampshire won’t ruin your morning until you’re getting out of the car later. You won’t have to step  outside of your home to get to your car which means avoiding rain, snow and all the things that could go wrong between your door and the driveway. 

However, attaching a garage to your home may not be possible or reasonable given the layout of your home, and of course, zoning. Attached garages are also not preferred for those who might want to add on to their home later. If a garage addition is only the first on the long list of home improvements planned for the near future, you’ll want to explore a detached garage option. 

To add a garage to a house, you will want to work with what you already have. For many people, this means using foundation already laid out, or using the end room in the floor plan as the connector to the garage. Ideally, you’ll use a laundry room, mud room, or kitchen as a connecting room to a garage renovation. 

Detached

Most new garage additions stand apart from your home because of zoning restrictions and because it allows homeowners to have still some flexibility with what they plan to do with their home in the future. A detached garage also offers more privacy which is ideal if you’re planning on using the garage’s second floor as an additional living space. 

Many new homeowners will employ a second floor in the new garage as additional living space. They may have the options afterward to rent out space, use it as an in-laws living quarters, or allow their grown children to use it whenever needed. 

Expanding a 1-Car Garage into a 2 or 3 Car Garage

Although single car garages were popular up until the 1980s, most homes built in the last twenty or thirty years have 2 or three-car garages. Expanding a garage is possible and reasonable. It would still add value to your home, but there are a few issues to concern yourself with first. 

You’ll need to evaluate space before anything else to see if expanding your single car garage is a possibility. If you have the property to work with the expansion is as simple as adding doors and moving the exterior side wall outward. You will need a building permit, and these jobs are easiest when a contractor is coordinating the work. 

Choices

Aside from the attached-detached, and how many cars you’ll need to fit in the garage, you’ll have a few other choices. Some homeowners take this opportunity to create more driveway and pour concrete that will help prevent potential water damage. 

When it comes to design though you have some very important decisions to make, whether your garage is attached or detached, it should compliment your home. This means that you’ll need to either recreate the exterior look or provide an updated visual appeal that doesn’t stick out like a sore thumb. Many people don’t have any problem matching stucco, but if your home has siding or is brick you may have a hard time getting the perfect match without also painting your home. 

Besides exterior walls, you’ll need to make choices on roofing, door types as well as finish, and how many windows you’ll want for the structure. These decisions aren’t nearly as big as they may seem at first. If you’re having problems matching design or finding updated designs that would still compliment your home, you can always consult a contractor that specializes in garage door installation. 

Adding Living Space Above Your Garage

When you look at the logistics of building a garage, it’s clear that everything you need for additional living space is right there. Typically, a detached 2 car garage will typically measure 26x26 ft which is large enough for a bedroom, living room, bathroom, and a kitchenette. Additional the OSB structural sheathing and insulation is required throughout most counties for any structure on the property, regardless of whether its a living space or not. 

Because you’re already paying for foundation work, the raising of the structure, the OSB structural sheathing, insulation, running electricity out and putting up drywall, you might as well add a second floor with plumbing. Every garage needs electricity for at the very least lights, and if you’re paying to put in a new garage addition, an electric garage door opener couldn’t hurt. 

A garage addition usually calls for lighting inside, lighting outside, three outlets and a garage door opener. Because you’re already running about 50 linear feet of conduit buried in a trench for a new subpanel, increasing the amperage of the breaker is usually not a problem. If you’re looking for ways to add living space above your garage, you can rest easy knowing that the process doesn’t call for much more work than what typically comes with building a garage addition.