Millbrook Garage, Part 1

Good afternoon, all! Hope everyone’s week went well, and are keeping busy this beautiful fall weekend.

This blog will be two part, and will include a handful (or two handfuls!) of helpful tips that a homeowner should consider when building a garage addition. I always like to reiterate every few blog posts that these blogs are by no means meant to pinpoint a specific persons’ job, nor do we promise to cover every exact & precise detail in building a garage; rather, our goal is to give you a few things to think about when considering such a large addition to your home. Disclaimers are important when sharing personal knowledge! So now I will attempt to convey to you, in layman’s terms, the things one should think about…

One very important thing that, as a homeowner, probably isn’t the first thing on your mind is the practicality of the garage. For instance, if you are using concrete, or any floor for that matter, it must be pitched towards the garage door. In doing this, you will prevent any moisture from sitting stagnant in your space. This design will allow excess water to naturally drain towards the opening. Another design component may be the question of, is this garage going to be framed with no poles within the structure? Find out if you are able! This is your new garage, make sure you have great communication with your builder.

As I mentioned before, there are all different types of garage floors. Is it going to be plain jane concrete that is more prone to stains, or will you paint it? I recently helped a homeowner out on Houzz.com that was having a hard time deciding on what to do with his garage floor. We talked about tiles, rubber mats, epoxy paint or roll out flooring; all of which can handle unwanted dirt and fluids with the snap of a broom. Some of these options are also salt and oil spill resistant! These specialty floors will not disappoint, and you’ll be thanking me later when your car decides to leak neon green antifreeze!

The actual size of the garage is something important to talk about. How big are the vehicles that you will be storing, or how much extra room would you like to have to use as storage? Also be thinking about yourself, or your family, moving about the garage. I’m going to assume that you’d want to have enough room to walk around. Do you want space for a workbench? Will you be storing smaller vehicles? These are things that many people wouldn’t initially think about when wanting, or even starting, to build a garage. This is why it’s smart to hire a professional. We need to realize that just enough space for your vehicle isn’t going to cut it. How are you going to get out without smashing your poor door?! It’s never done anything to you…

This brings us to the type of garage door that you want. There are a few different options: some swing out, some swing up, some roll up and some slide to the side. It all depends on the look that you are going for because after all, the looks of the garage doors have the power to transform your entire home. Side note: the style of the garage doors should also match the style you are going for. Swing-out carriage style doors look great and really add to the character of the structure. These tend to be useful when you want more ceiling clearance and no obstructions above the car and/or storage. Sliding barn doors also add to the character and save room inside the garage. The most popular, and probably the most cost effective style door is the standard roll up; however, these doors still require a bit of headroom in the garage to install.

Stay tuned for part two!