Is an attached or detached garage for you?

You’ve decided to build a garage. Will it be attached to your house or detached? Here are the factors, some of which you might not have thought of, to make an educated decision based on the pros and cons. We all know that garages are practical, especially for parking your car, but also for storing seasonal items such as bicycles and garden tools. Yet have you every toyed with the idea of creating a dream garage with ample space for your favorite hobby or for a leisure space?

The most important factor – the size and shape of your property

If you live in a large urban area, you probably know that lots sizes are shrinking due to the cost of setting up infrastructures and municipal services such as water, sewer and gas.  The aim of many elected officials is to increase population density in order to reduce taxes as low as they can.

However, in more suburban areas, it is common to find lots with narrower frontages yet with a lot of depth, meaning behind the house can be an ideal place to locate a garage. For more rural areas, lots tend to be larger, giving you the elbow room to erect just the garage you want.

The configuration of your property is also a factor to take into consideration. If, by chance, you have a corner lot, you have more options for building exactly the garage you desire. A great way to get the big picture is to walk around your property and measure possible layouts for your future garage.

In any event, you will need to consult local bylaws for details such as distances to respect between you and your neighbors. Finally, ask yourself what you want your garage to really be used for. If it is only to park your car(s) during cold weather and as a storage location, your decision will be different from if your plans are to make a workshop to repair your car, motorcycle or other recreational vehicle.

The pros and cons of an attached garage

The advantages:

• During inclement weather: one of the most popular reasons put forward by those with an attached garage is to be able to bring groceries into the house without getting wet. That also includes getting into your car on cold mornings without stepping outside.
• The overall look of your home: a house appears bigger when the garage is attached to it, especially when the garage is located on the same side as the front of the house. This may or may not appeal to you – it’s your choice.
• The option of turning your garage into something other than a garage: an office, temporary storage for a home business, or even a place where your children can play safely and close at hand.
• Construction costs: by using a common wall with your house, you will be slightly reducing the costs of building an attached garage.

For the “cons”, just take the opposite of the advantages of having a detached garage.

The pros and cons of a detached garage

The advantages:

• Adaptable to your needs: if you decide to make your garage a place for your DIY projects, woodworking or even your own car mechanics dream space, a detached garage with its flexibility is a big advantage.
• Avoid dangerous fumes and fires: by having the garage farther from the house, you are reducing the risk of toxic fumes from a vehicle or any flammable product being transferred in the house, as well as a fire propagating from the garage to the house.
• Reduce home break-ins: the fact of the garage being farther from the house means it won’t give a thief direct access to the house.
• Option of building a 2-car garage: if you are limited by setback distances with your neighbor, building a garage in your backyard will give you more latitude as to the number of cars you can park there.
• Enlargement possibilities: it is much easier to enlarge your garage when it’s detached and in the backyard than if it’s attached to the house.
• Using the roof space for storage: very often, garages attached to the house have a room over the garage, limiting the space you can use for storage of belonging that you don’t often access.

As for the cons, it’s like with attached garages, but the biggest negative factor for homeowners remains the problem of getting groceries in the house in the rain and snow!

So, what will you choose?

If you already have a garage, or in the past had the opportunity to use either an attached or detached garage, what, in your opinion, are the pros and cons for each option based on your experiences? Possibly you have established a “non-aggression pact” between you and your spouse and have both, an attached garage for the proximity and ease and a detached garage for the “man of the house”. Are there any pros or cons that we’ve forgotten?

If you would like to learn other people’s opinions, we suggest you take a look at this discussion forum on HOUZZ.

Now, how much will it cost to build either of these garage types?

If you are curious, take time to read these two articles:

• The cost of an attached garage
• The cost of a detached garage

Whichever you choose, don’t forget about the garage door…

You can always contact us at 1-877-794-4223. Or if you prefer, visit us at our showroom. We are also more than willing to email you a detailed written quotation which includes some possible options.

If a new garage door is in your future and you would like to coordinate its style with the architecture of your house, why not use our design center or look through our image gallery to give you some inspiration in your search.