Garage size

[bigbuck]

My wife and I will be starting a new build this summer. We are building a bungalow and I was originally dead set on a triple car garage. 30’ wide x 24’ deep. Think I am still set on that but we can build an oversized double 26’ deep and 23’10” wide.( can’t go wider due to arch controls unless upsize to a triple) for about 17-20k cheaper. It doesn’t make or break us to go to the triple but we do want to be budget conscious.

We don’t have a lot of junk, currently 2 vehicles including 1 truck but may go to 3 vehicles, Possibly a quad. We plan for this to be our final house. 1 kid on the way but that’s it. Typical tool bench, compressor some odds and ends.

What’s everyone’s thoughts?

I personally think I would regret not doing a triple but also have never had a garage as big as the oversized double either.

[binocular]

You will never ever hear a man say that the garage/shop is too big!

[W921]

Originally Posted by binocular

you will never ever hear a man say that the garage/shop is too big!

x 2

[elkhunter11]

My garage is 31x24, and I wish it was larger.

[Desert Eagle]

I have a double and it is far too tight. The triple is the way to go every time.

[7magtime]

Yup bigger is better, especially if it’s going to be a long term home.
I have a 28 x 30’ with a 14’ ceiling and a small mezzanine in the back. Definitely like the mezzanine for seasonal things that are light enough to move up stairs, more room on the garage floor IMO…..

[mooseknuckle]

Our house has a 24 x 26 attached...... hers. Built a 26 x 40 in back yard..... his.

[ram crazy]

If you don't do it you will regret it. I have a 16x24 attached to the house that is heated for the kids hockey gear. Then I have a 38x36 with 14' walls in the back yard that my 34' holiday trailer, utility trailer, side by side and all my tools are in it.

[Phil McCracken]

Whatever size you decide, it won't matter. After it is done, you will say I wish I would have built it bigger...

[waldedw]

My garage is 24 x 26, a row of metal shelves down both sides, wife's SUV and my truck in it, to small, no room to work unless I move 1 vehicle out, I also have a 10 x 18 shed where I store a lot of stuff, snow blower, lawn mower garden tool etc. it's to small also.

HMMMM maybe I got to much stuff

We talked about down sizing the house and building a bungalow 980 - 1040 sq ft, if that happens it will have a triple garage guaranteed

[JB_AOL]

Build triple, use it as a double, workshop on the single side.
Pay attention to stairs/ entrance from house to garage. Put them on the workshop side if possible as they can take up significant parking space.

[ghfalls]

Go with the triple for sure. But go bigger if you can. 24 isn’t deep enough. If you ever end up with a long box truck, you’re pretty tight. I’ve had both 24 and 28 deep and the 28 is much nicer.

[58thecat]

Originally Posted by binocular

You will never ever hear a man say that the garage/shop is too big!

Exactly, we built in 2007, thought the garage was big enough, it was, huge compared to the old one but....

[campingnut]

If it’s a forever house go triple I have/had one in a house I rent out now and the extra space is a game changer. If you have room for a shop save the money now and build big when you can. Not sure if this is rural or city.
My current house has a 24x26 double and with kid things and a small tool bench and the wife’s suv it’s full. The 75x90 shop is where all/any work happens.

[-JR-]

Go with a 18 ft wide door instead of the standard 16 wide door .Gives you more room between cars doors when opening .
My choice is to have a 4 car garage . With two double doors .
You can also build an off set ,so one is deeper than the other .
Its nice having one deeper if you ever park a boat and trailer inside .
I have a triple and my boat with trailer takes all 3 stalls up side ways.

[JBE]

Also look at the cost and what you can really afford

[Dean2]

Originally Posted by binocular

You will never ever hear a man say that the garage/shop is too big!

^^^^^^^
This x however many already agreed with it.

I have a triple that is 30' deep and wide enough to park a long box crew cab 2500 and 2 full size vehicles with lots of room between them. It also has floor drains for the snow melt. It has a lift in it to work on cars and for storage of an extra vehicle. It has a drive through door on the back. Only thing Wrong is it is three doors, would prefer one large double and a single. Also, make sure the door is at least 8' tall so you can back a boat in or a pickup with a canopy, 9' is better. Despite the oversized triple, I still built a detached double because I had the room out back.

Whichever you build, have them wire 220 into it and put 200 AMP service in the house. That way, if you ever go hybrid or EV it is ready for the charging station. If you can build a triple, you will never regret having done it and it materially improves the resale value.

[Outbound]

Triple garage for sure. A "double car" garage is more like a 1.5 car garage. Then build a 50x40ft minimum out back.

[elkhunter11]

A friend has an offset garage long enough to park the boat behind the truck, with room for another vehicle beside the truck. I actually prefer that design to my triple, if I was to build a house.

The stair landing on an attached garage also takes up a lot of room, and can be an issue if you have a long truck or a boat.

[Grizzly Adams1]

Related to me from an EV owner. If you own an EV, room in the garage is a must.

[Drewski Canuck]

24' deep is not deep enough. Alot of vehicles are now 22 feet long. You need room to walk around and it is nice to have room up front for shelves. If you can go 26 - 28' that is far better.

X2 on the height of 8 foot doors. 18 foot doors are nice and I have one and can agree on that point.

Finally, maybe a covered side pad instead of a triple garage. A truck can park outside plugged in, or just out of the rain, snow, hail. Also can store alot of seasonal things outside if theft is not an issue. If you want to be fancy, it can be enclosed on the outside wall to reduce wind creating the pull through to the back yard if you need it.

I have a 26' x 28' 9 foot wall at the Lake. That is outside, not inside measurement. A boat inside a garage needs at least 24' with the skeg down and with a solid receiver on the front. Inside measurement is 25 ' Wish I went a full 28' x 28'.

Drewski

[graybeard]

Originally Posted by Desert Eagle

I have a double and it is far too tight. The triple is the way to go every time.

^^^ I agree 100% ^^^

The other thing being mentioned is height.....10' min and use box trusses.

Wire plugs 8' apart and 4' off the ground, no bending over, wire lights and plugs into the attic, plenty of power outlets at your work bench. Wire your fuse box into 5 zones, a 220V one as well.

How big is your lot as you may want to consider and OH door at the front of the garage? This way you could for example; back your vehicle/boat through the garage into your yard; "a drive through if you may"

What I know now!

Too late for me but not for you...You will get a lot of good ideas here....Take your time and plan it out well. Don't cheap out either as you will regret it later.
Good luck

[Jamie Black R/T]

I remember moving into our place and saying that 24x20 attached is as big as we will ever need.

12 years later have two pole sheds and a 40x80 heated shop and still fighting for parking space some days.

Build the biggest garage your lot and plans allow. You will make it all back 10x on the resale down the road.

[bushlover]

I built a 30' x 24' garage for our house. Originally wanted to go 30' x 28', but my wife couldn't visualize how much back yard would be left and wanted a good back yard for the kids to play in.
Definitely should have gone 28' deep. Have a 2016 F150 supercrew with long box and when parked right at front I have just enough room to open tailgate when overhead door is down. If you have a truck I would definitely go deeper, without sacrificing your width as it is nice to have the extra space for storage/work area.

[Big Grey Wolf]

Waldew, 'hit the nail on the head'. WE All have too many toys, thus we need way over sized garages. When we were poor we had lots of garage space in 24x24 garage. My son has 7 garage doors, half are over 10 ft tall just to accomadate his toys including (Kenworth and Peterbuilt trucks)

[CaberTosser]

No mention of height yet, I suggest going an extra 2’ up and you gain a lot of room for storage shelf volume & can put in a taller door. When (if ever) I build, I’ll need a 10’ door to fit my Sprinter as it’s 9’4.5” tall even without anything on the roof. SUV’s with a ski box on top can be pretty tall & having that option is nice. For folks who consider resale value, such details can be a real draw for buyers. Depth for longer vehicles was noted & I agree, being mines 23’ bumper to bumper, making 28’ about minimum just to fit around it.

With extra depth, you’ll generally only need that in one stall so the other stall could have deep shelving or a workbench.

Build the triple, nobody has ever complained about too much garage

[Sooner]

Originally Posted by binocular

You will never ever hear a man say that the garage/shop is too big!

X3. You will fill it up

[Big Grey Wolf]

Sooner you are correct" You will fill it up" and empty your wallet.

[bigbuck]

Thanks for the replies! Kind of figured everyone would say go big or go home lol. One thing to remember is I don’t have unlimited funds like some of you seem to have haha.

[RancheroMan]

How much land do you have? Could you build shop in a few years?