Building a Garage

The first step in building a garage is defining your wants and needs of a garage, and then working within local building and zoning codes to design a garage that is right for you. Once your design has passed all of the appropriate architectural reviews and we have obtained all of the necessary permits, we begin the building process.

Often, we must first remove the old garage before we can start excavating and creating the foundation of the new garage. After the foundation and floor are ready and everything is backfilled, we start framing or laying block; roofing; putting on siding; laying brick; installing windows, doors, electricity, gutters and downspouts, and any plumbing; finishing the interior; painting the exterior; working with inspectors; and completing everything that needs to be done to make sure that your garage is finished to your satisfaction.

Attached Garage

Designing and constructing an attached garage is much like adding any other type of addition to your home. You can either work with our architect to design your garage, or we can work with your architect. Either way, our priority is to create a new garage that does not look like it was “added on.” The garage should blend seamlessly with the existing house, from both a design and a finish perspective. We occasionally recommend reshingling at least part of your house, redoing part of the stucco, or rerouting your driveway or sidewalks to ensure a smooth transition between old and new. These are all parts of the construction process that we can handle for you.

When adding a garage, many homeowners choose to also add more living space to their home. We can create an in-laws suite, a mudroom, an office or studio, a workshop, a patio, an extra bedroom, or even a theater or game room to your home while we are adding additional parking and storage area. When you contact us, we’ll discuss with you all of your options and work within your budget to help you achieve your dream garage.

Stand-Alone

Often called a detached garage, a stand-alone garage is great way to add storage to your property without altering your home. Although a stand-alone garage is not attached to your house, ensuring that the garage matches the home is important to most homeowners. For this reason, our architect will work with you to make sure that the garage we build for you not only meets the functional needs of your family, but also adds to the beauty of your home.

Your stand-alone garage can accommodate one, two, three, or more cars. It can include a workshop, attic storage, or separate door for your riding lawnmower or speedboat. It can be extra deep to create space for a workshop or extra wide to make room for your motorcycle. Since you will have a lot more flexibility with what your standalone garage can be, when you contact us, we’ll work with you to ensure you’re not missing out on the opportunity to do something far better than you thought was possible.

Design Options

The ultimate goal in designing a garage is to fulfill both the functional and aesthetic needs. Your garage has to be the right size, have the right doors, include the right amount of storage space, have the right number of electrical outlets in the right places, and include numerous other functional features.

Just as importantly, it needs to look right. If your house is Georgian, your garage should be Georgian. If your house has a hip roof, your garage should have a hip roof.

But it’s more than just matching architectural styles and details. The scale of a garage is different than the scale of a house, and this is especially true in stand-alone garages. It takes an architect with experience designing garages to accommodate this difference in scale to create a garage that looks right on your property and with your home.

Adding an attached garage or increasing the size of your existing attached garage holds its own set of challenges regarding style, details, and scale, especially when the addition includes increased living space. Our architect is experienced at designing garage additions that match and enhance both the aesthetics and usability of a house.

Finish Options

To ensure that your garage matches your home, we have established access to almost every type of exterior finish and detail imaginable, such as:

• Brick
• Siding
• Stone Stucco
• Shingles
• Windows
• Doors
• Shutters

These options are in almost any color and style you can think of.

Most of the time, garages are finished to match the house as closely as possible, often exactly. However, sometimes – for either financial or aesthetic reasons – homeowners prefer to use finishes that compliment the house without using identical finish materials. With our experience and our vast array of available products, we can accomplish any look you desire.

Contact us, and we’ll work with you to design and build the garage you’ve always wanted.