New house, need opinions on garage.

[pharmvet]

In final planning phase of new house. Front of house will face South. Back will face north and have large back porch overlooking bottom and future lake. Because of location of driveway , house pad, and floor plan, garage needs to be on west end of house. My wife adamant that she does not want entry to garage visible from front of house. This would mean garage needs to open to the west. Only problem is that almost all of our hard blowing rain comes from the west/ north west. We have been thinking of a detached garage to the west of the house that would open east toward the house. Only stipulation here is that there be a roof over the open space between garage and house.

Do you have strong feelings about garage designs? Any and all input welcomed! Thanks

 

[dave1949]

No feelings about TX garages. Closer and attached to the house is generally more useful for carrying in the beer and groceries.

A general idea: most home plans can be mirrored, which would put your garage on the east end. If that could work with your driveway plan is the main thing I guess.

 

[3930dave]

It can vary depending on where you are, and what insurance company you are with.... but around here, house insurance is lower with a detached garage - many home fires start in garages - one place just down from me was finally rebuilt, after a bad attached garage fire.

Rgds, D.

 

[EddieWalker]

My shop door faces to the west and it does leak after a sever storm. My plan is to extend the roofline about 24 feet to cover the area in front of the door and make it about as wide as the house. This gives me a place to park when we have hail storms coming, and also an extended area to work and do projects.

Eddie

 

[bigtiller]

Pharmvet I lived in a house like that for 3 years.

If the garage doors face the prevailing winds, they will rattle and bang a lot, make it very expensive to add even a little heat in the winter, and the wind induced vacuum will slam the house door shut so hard the whole house will shake sometimes.

 

[davrow]

I really really dislike homes where the garage is the focal point from the street. I agree with your wife on that one.

However, I find that a detached garage oriented the same as the house but set back just a few feet makes all the difference.

And pictures of homes having 5 or more garage doors that are open with a fully restored classic vehicle in each bay makes me drool. I don't even notice the house! :thumbsup:

 

[TCJatko]

Garages: the bigger the better.

 

[QRTRHRS]

The ranch houses typical of the 50's, 60's and 70's often had a garage spaced away from the house with a roof over the open area. That area was called a breeze way where I grew up. I like that design. The garage is seperate but close and the roof area can be fire blocked. You have a sheltered area to relax and cover to unload things during bad weather.

I don't care for a garage door dominated front facade either. Our garage faces north/slighly northwest and has a concrete apron sloping away from the garage to the driveway. Rain is not a problem but what little snow we get freeze/thaws there so I have to actually shovel that area before it turns to ice.

 

[Bird]

My wife adamant that she does not want entry to garage visible from front of house.

I thought I'd heard it all, but I never heard of anyone with that objection before.:laughing: Maybe it's common; just new to me.

 

[Gary Fowler]

I thought I'd heard it all, but I never heard of anyone with that objection before.:laughing: Maybe it's common; just new to me.

I am with you Bird. I want a garage that you don't have to be a stunt driver to maneuver the cars into. If you live in a sub-division, your garage WILL face the street and be part of the front of your house. What's the big deal? If you have some acreage, you could locate it detached from the house and on the back side, hidden from view if it is so upsetting to the wife, that is if you can provide access to it.
My across the street neighbor built his garage on the back side of his house, put in at least $50K of concrete driveway to access it. A year later he decided that he wanted part of the garage for an office so he spent a fortune bricking in one bay and making it part of his house while leaving one bay for his collector car. He then built a (Im guessing) 50x50 or larger structure at the back including all the associated concrete pads for access and a larger on for a motor home. He keeps several collector motorcycles in that one, some collector rifles on the wall, a couple more collector cars and a well stocked bar. It is a perfect mancave but I think maybe primary living area as he is always in it. It is complete with huge bar, large bedroom, living room with giant flat screen TV, parking for 3 more of his vehicles. It also has his shooting range just out the back. Perfect for what your wife is looking at.