For many homeowners, the allure of “more room” or “more space” never fades—fortunately, they often have the necessary ingredients to achieve it. Garages make ideal candidates for additions, conferring tremendous benefits. For starters, you can get a whole new floor with space for whatever you want, whether a new sun-lit home office that’s cleverly situated away from traffic, a home theatre system, or even a master suite.
We cannot leave out another crucial advantage: by building a garage addition, you avoid the direct line of fire during the construction phase. That means you can continue living on the premises with less disruption to your daily routine. Living at home can be a huge positive, especially when you have young children or pets that would be difficult to accommodate in temporary lodging while your home is a work site. Of course, extending or building up an existing structure is also more economical than building a new one from scratch, as your foundation is already in place.
Garage addition with medieval stone breezeway. See the Project Details.
3 Easy Ways to Extend Your Garage
Apart from the benefits mentioned above, a garage addition can add much value to your home and improve its look, design, and layout. It can also go a long way in adding to the real estate value of your home should you decide to sell your house at some point down the line. While it involves a fair bit of work, time, and budgeting to get it right, your garage lends itself beautifully to extending upwards or outwards. We will tell you how to go about it with three easy options.
- Build up: While the amount of work required is significantly less than building a new structure altogether, it is still an extensive project and requires a clear idea of the new space, including its intended use, design, layout, and budget. The most significant perk is that your basic structure is already in place and framed. However, it would be best if you got it professionally evaluated to confirm that the frame and foundation can bear the load of a new floor. Your contractor will review and add reinforcements to your existing foundation if needed, such as adding drywall along the walls and ceiling of your base garage. You must also check and follow your local rules, zoning regulations, and building codes and obtain permits. Discuss with your contractor how you will join your new garage addition to the main house so that it becomes easily accessible if you want this option. Finally, you want your new addition to look like a seamless extension from the outside, not stick out like a sore thumb. It can be challenging to match the texture and materials of your addition to your existing structure, so this factor is another consideration where careful planning and expertise play a critical role. You want to have a coherent look and feel on the outside and interior of your new space.
- Lengthen or widen it: Building up can double the square footage of your existing garage by adding a new floor over the existing garage footprint. If you want extra space but not necessarily that much, you can lengthen your garage. This option does not preclude you from using the expanded garage for additional living space, such as a home gym. The extension will be the same height and width as your garage but longer. Also, when you add to the depth from the back of your garage, you won’t have to change the door. However, if you are extending it from the front, you must account for the door. You can widen your garage if you want more vehicles or storage space, keeping in mind that you must also widen the garage door. Such work might require excavation for a new foundation, concrete slab, and roof.
- Create a bump-out: By attaching a smaller space to your existing garage, you can create a bump-out and extend the square footage of your garage. This option requires little structural change, making it a more straightforward garage addition to complete in far less time than it would take for other, more complicated additions. Remember that bump-outs tend to be smaller in width and shorter in height than your original space.
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Think of a garage addition that makes the most of your garden view that’s hidden from the front of your home or one that not only gives you space but enhances your curb appeal by adding drama to an otherwise monotonous façade.
To unlock these benefits, you want the right experts who know how to design, install, and build a new garage addition that makes the most of the space you already have. Whether you’re looking for more space for pragmatic or luxurious reasons, we know how to do this well at Owings Brothers. We also understand how important it is that your addition is correctly integrated into your existing garage and home to ensure it looks like one unit while retaining its unique characteristics. Browse our additions gallery and call today to see how we can bring your remodeling dreams to life with a garage addition perfect for your property.
